Find yourself behind schedule? Can’t be bothered to slave over a hot stove when everyone else is playing fun games and busy matching outfits with shoes? Don’t fret! We’ve got a few tricks and recipes that will free you from the shackles of the kitchen in no time and get your turkey from freezer to table in all haste.

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Speed thawing

For some reason, you forgot to thaw the bird, or you bought your frozen turkey the same day. Either way, you're stuck with a brick-hard bird. Whatever you do, don’t chuck it in a pot of hot water unless you want a guest or two to lose their dinner in your pot of aloe vera. As Matt Jennings of Providence's Farmstead & La Laiterie told Esquire magazine, the best way to defrost a turkey is to jump-start the thawing process before even introducing the bird to water. First, blast the turkey in the oven at the highest temperature for 10 to 15 minutes. Then, submerge the turkey in a large pot of cool water and place the pot under a stream of slowly running water. If you cringe at the thought of keeping the tap on, change the water every 30 minutes. It takes 20 to 30 minutes per pound to defrost a turkey this way.

Don’t stuff the bird

Yes, we know a stuffed bird is what your nana always made, but the turkey will roast faster if you cook the stuffing separately. You see the stuffing, when cooked inside the bird, blocks the proper flow of heat and prolongs the cooking time. It’s also a food safety issue if the turkey isn’t cooked properly.

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Spatchcock the turkey

Remove the backbone of the bird so you have a butterflied turkey. Once you’ve seasoned it to your liking, Place the meat breast down in a pan to keep the meat moist. This process not only carves down cooking time, but it gives you more control over cooking the dark and white meats.

Cook parts of the bird

Let’s be honest, the entire bird isn’t going to vanish within minutes of you serving it, so why cook the entire thing. Cook your guests’ favorite parts of the bird and save your time and fridge space for something more important.

Stop opening the door every other minute

You probably already know this but ignore it because you just want to get the bird on the table asap. RESIST the temptation! The more often you open the oven door, the more heat you let escape which results in a temperature drop and that will keep your guests waiting longer.

Now that you got your turkey ready on time, here are some sides and desserts that will wrap up this dinner nicely.