Hosting Thanksgiving At The Campground

Rethink the turkey. We all have that image of the glistening golden turkey being laid on the dinner table by Grandpa and it looks so good. However, there are many ways to cook turkey that require a lot less effort and taste the same. 

• Consider doing a turkey breast in an Instapot. Load it with celery, onion, and carrots and set it and forget it. 
• Carve up your turkey ahead of time like a chicken and cook it in pieces. It cooks quicker and the pieces stay juicy.
• Deep fry it. This is a fun way to bond over turkey frying and it keeps the whole process outdoors. 
• Do a small turkey and cook it spatchcock style. Cut the backbone out and lay it flat on a cookie sheet over a bed of celery and cut onion. Throw the carcass and juices in a stock pot and make soup. 

Simplify favorite foods. We get attached to our annual traditions, but they can be the thing that pushes you over the top on Thanksgiving Day. Modify favorite recipes to keep it simple but delicious. 

• Buy the pies and desserts or make them ahead of time at home. So many farmstands have great pies now. Make a local bakery happy with your order. 
• Instead of mashed potatoes whipped up that day, do baked sweet potatoes wrapped in foil and cooked on the coals. Top your sweet potato with brown sugar butter and mini marshmallows and you won’t miss the big chafing dish version. 
• If your heart is set on mashed potatoes, go with instant and add lots of butter and cream to them. 
• My family loves a huge tray of fresh green beans, but I buy them from the grocery store already cooked now and reheat them in the microwave or in foil packets on the grill. 

Set a pretty and practical table. 

• Use brown rolled paper as your tablecloth. Nothing to wash afterwards and you can chuck it in the fire. 
• Dollar store metal pie pans make great ‘plates’ for sloppy meals. They have a nice rim, can be reused, and are inexpensive. 
• Consider bamboo flatware, which is ecofriendly, looks prettier, and will not snap in half if you’re trying to cut something stubborn. 
• Find your decorations from the nature around you. Pretty leaves, acorns, and mini pumpkins make a simple but beautiful tablescape. 

Tips:

• Watch your electric output in the RV and make sure your crockpot, Instapot, and food warmers are not overloading your breakers. 
• Pie iron desserts are also a lot of fun to do after the big meal has been cleaned up. Keep that simple by adding canned filling to buttered white bread slices. Easy and so much fun. 

• Set up an outdoor washing station with a big garbage can and two big wash and rinse buckets. Guests can scrape their plate, drop it in the wash, rinse it off, and leave it to dry. 
• Use an outdoor fridge or cooler for all the extras a meal like this calls for. You don’t need the cans of whipped cream and extra butter inside. 
• Set up a drink station so people can help themselves and it’s out of the cook’s way. 
• Make sure to have lots of bread for sandwiches the next day!