How to Host Thanksgiving Dinner (or Any Big Feast!)

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This is my Thanksgiving Dinner checklist, but I've only hosted Thanksgiving at my house 3 or so times. As long as you don't serve a nasty turkey and canned cranberry sauce, you will be okay.
Table-setting video: • How to Set a More Styl...
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[@internetshaquille]

Use this as a thread for bonus tips. Here's one: While you plan your menu, pay attention to which ingredients you will have leftover. If the stuffing requires 2 ribs of celery, I know I'll have at least 4 leftover on the stalk. This might inform my decision to to a celery-heavy salad on the side.

[@NateandNoahTryLife]

Another get people out at the end of night tip: Slap your thighs and go “right!” And then stand up.

[@thomashamori3144]

@@NateandNoahTryLife this also works with "welp"

[@cam-tv5rb]

I like to choose recipes that use the same oven temperature. Honestly this is game changing for making sure things are all coming out at the same time (excluding things you made the day before/cold things, obviously.)

[@Arieljaay]

Ever since I started butterflying turkeys before cooking them I've never gone back. They cook faster, are easier to baste evenly, and when you remove that gigantic spine a few days before Thanksgiving you can make incredible homemade stock with it.

[@Belchspawn1]

Celery based salad? Why are you punishing your guests? What have they done to upset you?

[@pennympnevarez1232]

Shaqs Mom here! Another great video 🥰As for your comment, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I have hosted for decades so I would happily take you up on borrowing your camera my son but I might just steal your limelight & all your followers so I’ll pass…this time 🤔😆🦃🍠🥧🍷

[@superchaddi]

That's right, Mama Shaq, you call his bluff.

[@khadija2850]

You always leave the sweetest comments. God bless your soul

[@maritza8825]

Power play take the camera and the Turkey

[@adamwesselinoff126]

Hello Mrs Shaq

[@navytackedbay]

I trust that you thought him how to be such a great cook? 😅

[@afxtal]

Shaq, My wife has had Thanksgiving nailed down for a couple decades now and I can confirm you pretty much covered all the things she does to make it a huge success for ~20 people every year. The one modification we would recommend: do lunch instead of dinner! You'll be mostly full the rest of the day so you don't even need to serve dinner -- or people can have leftovers if they want. It also gives people time to not rush having dessert.

[@josephdouglas5242]

I agree with the lunch thing. Or maybe more like a 2 or 3 o clock meal (it's Thanksgiving, it's good to be extra hungry for the meal).

[@sarahs3988]

@@josephdouglas5242 we do around 2, and call it dinner and have dessert a couple hours later.

[@PaigeWeso]

I agree 2 seems to be the sweet spot, plus you can tell the late people in your family that it’s at noon and they’ll show up just a little early

[@The_JLav]

Agree, we start the meal between 2 and 4, take a nap, then eat dessert

[@taylorbarringer]

Yeah 2 or 3. Sitting down for the actual meal is just everyone in my family’s first round. Keep munching all through the day.

[@wolfingitdown2047]

Another Meta-Level Cooking Lesson from Daddy Shaq

[@sephestra.]

Absolutely read that as "melee-level cooking". Which might not be incorrect, really.

[@wolfingitdown2047]

@@sephestra. keep all of your loved ones within melee distance for maximum target serving cleave

[@BrianLagerstrom]

Can I also call you Daddy Shaq?

[@internetshaquille]

The only people who are able to call me Daddy Shaq are those who can beat me in a 3-stock no-items Super Smash Bros Melee duel

[@wolfingitdown2047]

@@internetshaquille set up the food youtube tourney, then. Streaming gold 👹

[@louisirvinelim]

always making vids that we need but couldn't even label them as problem is the first place

[@sixuk902]

My dude, that EQ tip is so simple yet so genius! I suffer with nuclear level tinnitus so even the slightest background noise makes regular conversation inaudible, you may have just changed my family gatherings for the better!

[@Dapperganger]

The absolute state of this man's brain wrinkles for posting this at the perfect time for execution AND he includes a screenshotable timeline. Concise and clever as always.

[@joetucker5483]

Did not expect the cooking video to recommend EQ settings but I like it.

[@WyattWinters]

Alternatively, apply Sausage Fattener for maximum auditory enjoyment

[@ArcaneKeeperD20]

That's the Netshaq difference baby.

[@BigStarRealFamous]

I absolutely cannot _fathom_ being this organized and feel that if I could harness even a fraction of that energy, I would be literally unstoppable.

[@danielpirone8028]

Even as a grown ass adult, this is packed with truth. Wish I had this when I was 25

[@ChineseCookingDemystified]

3:28 I feel attacked

[@hellothere9791]

Hi!

[@FedePantalonesGordos]

I'm not even from a country that celebrates thanksgiving... But the value of these tips is just so high. I really enjoy your informative approach to cooking, Shaq.

[@christineg5699]

I’ve been hosting Thanksgiving for two decades and this advice is spot on. The detailed timeline for the big day is absolutely critical. I especially like that you remind the host not to kill the vibe by preemptively apologizing for supposed deficiencies. Happy cooking.

[@stefanristicmovies]

i love you so much this is the greatest cooking channel in youtube history. comment 100 of 100. enjoy the engagement, you magnificent beast.

[@internetshaquille]

🏆 here is ur prize

[@willjay916]

Tips - If you want to transition hosting Thanksgiving from your mother or the aunties, start planning in the summer and have it wrapped up by Labor Day. The suggestion of having things out so your guests do not crowd the kitchen is excellent. I did this year's ago and it became the signature event of the weekend. Friends were able to drop by and share holiday greetings for a few minutes before heading off to obligation dinners. Keep it simple - bread, fruit, cheese, nuts, olives, and if you've been able to make a frittata the night before - bonus! Shaq'sbest advice "Relax and enjoy the fruits of your labors."

[@katherinepadilla858]

This video satisfied my cooking/hosting interests, my music interests, and my logistics interests all in one go. You are goddamn magnificent.

[@nyitmakhivo]

omg SAME, this was blissful

[@msy003]

Haha I’m all about dipping them high mids for background music. I appreciate it as a shout out to your fellow nerds. There is no detail too small to set good party vibes

[@ad1312ad]

"You've come a long way and there's still so much good stuff to be excited about." hey shaq - thanks for that, sincerely. same to you man. have a great thanksgiving.

[@jakegarcia1796]

Your videos are truly the best cooking related videos on KZbin. This is on the longer side compared to your other videos, but it is still just as densely packed with incredible information, tips, jokes, and references. Keep ‘em coming!

[@zerotakis]

As it should be, Thanksgiving is the big leagues of cooking. Taking grandma's place as host is no doubt harder than playing catch with Tom Brady.

[@spaghetthony]

Phenomenal video that translates to basically any dinner or lunch party plan. Understanding what work needs to be done the day of, the day before, and what your guests can do for you is just plain invaluable and turns an unorganized mess into a well-oiled...kitchen

[@joebobjrjr]

I honestly stumbled onto this channel when someone said "French toast pizza" in an online chat, and I'm so happy I did. The variety, presentation, and honest advice you give to your viewers come together into such a lovely experience and I'm so grateful to have access to it. Thank you for putting in the work!

[@Johnny-uy4iu]

I love the succinct, straight to the point style of his videos. No wasting time showing him performing the intermediate steps of cutting vegetables, or other screen fillers. And he understands that we are not idiots, and we can rewind and rewatch the video if we missed something. We may not always remember all these tips and tricks, but it's easy to find them and a 3-5 minute how-to will bring us up to speed when we've already got the pots and pans on the stove.

[@amaranth7596]

Thank you Altrive

[@theartofshwa]

4:57 - My MAN. The fact that you also think of this is truly amazing. Bravo.

[@bigbrother787]

Average cooking fan: Recipe Average cooking enjoyer: Logistics

[@generalcodsworth4417]

Having a bunch of good recipes is meaningless if you can't get them all to the table

[@TheSimplyCooking]

One of my best ideas was to get two different packs of aluminum take away containers. I don’t use them a lot so they last me forever, but they are super convenient to give guests a take away or to bring food to parties without worrying if you’ll ever see your dishes or Tupperware again.

[@autumnalburn]

Oooh, great idea!

[@willjay916]

Yes! And aluminum containers can be cleaned up and reused until they are ready for the recycle bin.

[@pelosuelto70]

I'm hosting my 1st Thanksgiving this year, as the person who cooks everything is going away. I screenshotted and am now going to clean the fridge. =)

[@464279953]

I always wanted to host a thanksgiving Dinner but it's uncommon in Germany and I have zero knowledge of this holiday and the traditions. This video might help me to one day achive my dream of doing something so stressful yet fun.

[@singleT314]

The holiday is about spending time with people, and gratitude (though indulgent over consumption of food) It’s essentially a “harvest” festival. Lots of fall decor. Just make a bunch of food, and bring people together for conversation and food.

[@matavi_9005]

We don`t celebrate thanksgiving in my country, but this is equally useful for Christmas and New Years dinner! Thank you!

[@Lolumadxd]

As a non-american who gets tired of Thanksgiving content dominating every november, I appreciate the hosting tips and music nerd stuff more than you can imagine. We don't deserve you Shaq.

[@Groet]

We don't celebrate thanksgiving in my country, but I think it applies for any other holiday with lots of food. In my family we usually each bring a dish and someone takes on more responsibility to do a dish that you can eat standalone. We have been doing it for so long that it usually works itself out without any communication and planning, but you need to be able to adapt. I remember the time my mom brought a whole raw porchetta for a barbeque, if we were going to eat it the same day we had to adapt. I unrolled it and grilled it high above the coals for like an hour, was super tasty.

[@laternenpfahle.1249]

I'm not even celebrating thanksgiving since I'm from Europe, but I just love your attidude towards all of this, nice vid, as always :D

[@KM-rr6pj]

same :D

[@DerultimativeOzzy]

Pappa Shaquille providing us with the eldritch knowledge of planning and structure ahead. Pretty helpful , even for none Thanksgiving events. Planing is good. Flexible is better. Both is the best!

[@doonspriggan9616]

This channel is so insanely useful and they keep coming. As you say, it's not recipes alot of us need, but simple practical skills that you'd only learn through alot of experience

[@isaacarthur2883]

Hey shaq (form the internet), I just finished hosting a friendsgiving dinner and I worked off of this video for as much as possible. It made a tremendous difference and I was honestly shocked at how serene I felt during the entire process. The food was all hot and ready at serving time and I was even caught up on dishes by dinner time. Thanks for making this video - it's equal parts common sense and hard earned wisdom distilled into the most concise and easy to reference video I've seen on the topic. To health and vitality!

[@jonathanphares7898]

The wisdom of earned and observed experience distilled to five dense minutes of practical advice.

[@johncraig8505]

the internet shaquille video catalog is one of the all around most useful collections of video content currently available on the internet, and im only slightly exaggerating

[@emmah5605]

In France we don't celebrate Thanksgiving but Christmas is a pretty big deal where everyone comes at someone's house for a big dinner, and then the opening of the presents at midnight (basically a combination of the two celebrations you have in the US). In my family in particular, there's a tradition I love : the host usually coordinates the preparation of dinner, but everyone arrives several hours early, sometimes even in the morning, to come help in the kitchen. Some bring groceries, some whole dishes, and some just keep the others' company (there's not enough room in the kitchen for everyone anyway) while drinking and chatting. It's a sweet get together when we get to see family members we don't usually keep in touch with, and it basically makes Christmas last an entire day with everyone helping to some extent and having fun (and arguing about politics of course!)

[@rocknrobin123143]

outsourcing lunch is one of the best things I did planning my first Thanksgiving. I like going with a completely different flavor palate, like something Asian or Mediterranean

[@ivanjeh4493]

Thanks Shaq, we don't have thanksgiving round here, but great tips for a big feast innit?

[@BombedNevada]

4:55 absolutely blew my mind

[@Andrei-wy8sk]

you'll never see another cooking channel care so much that they suggest tuning down mid frequencies to better hear the people that you're eating with

[@TIMMYGRANDE]

i've watched this video and i'm now ready to run thru a frickin brick wall, very inspiring

[@samurottman6832]

Don't even celebrate Thanksgiving but still gonna watch this

[@danieltsmoke]

Your scripts define concise. Not a single word is wasted. Bravo.

[@CravensBen]

THAT EQ TIP IS FOR EVERYONE AND YOU’RE NOT A NERD YOU’RE A GENIUS

[@carleewalsh5502]

Remember to leave time to have an emotional breakdown and say some shit that you can't take back. It's an American staple, like pumpkin pie! I recommend making all desserts the day before if you're going to really go for it.

[@thekukukaju]

Thank you for releasing this with actual time to apply this advice. A lot of KZbinrs put up thanksgiving cooking videos 3-4 days before the actual dinner itself

[@djcarlo]

DJ Shaq at it again!

[@kamo7293]

unlike others shaq prefers keeping add to the end of the video. I appreciate that, nothing more jarring in an information filled video to be hit mid video with a "BUT BEFORE WE CONTINUE LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT TODAYS SPONSOR"

[@stefanristicmovies]

i love you so much this is the greatest cooking channel in youtube history. comment 10 of 100.

[@stefanristicmovies]

i love you so much this is the greatest cooking channel in youtube history. comment 69 of 100. (nice)

[@internetshaquille]

nice

[@coldhazzard]

Thanksgiving isn't a thing in my country but, wow, I think this is applicable to almost any major annual dinners one may host.

[@seanthebluesheep]

Thanksgiving is not a holiday celebrated in my country, but engaging with videos from creators that put out well reasoned and helpful stuff helps them, so this is a comment containing enough words to seem like a response to the video.

[@stefanristicmovies]

i love you so much this is the greatest cooking channel in youtube history. comment 72 of 100.

[@stefanristicmovies]

i love you so much this is the greatest cooking channel in youtube history. comment 73 of 100.

[@Josherna266]

One good idea is to send out a Spotify list for the party with the invitation that way you don’t have all the pressure of picking the music.

[@celebalert5616]

This video should be getting a bump any time now

[@jobobminer8843]

Rewatch every video and comment one hundred times. ... Yeah. "Giving thanks." Sure.

[@deadduck12]

You know this video is good because I watched it all the way through and Thanksgiving was almost a month ago for me. Lets call it extra-early 11-month prep for 2022.

[@AdamMikolon]

Bro when you busted out that EQ tip I lost it. you are the GOAT

[@exoticlove8125]

Just wanted to say that I love your videos, I've been watching for a long time and watch every one, even the ones I will never use. Thanks!

[@foraluckygirl]

These videos make my husband and I so happy. Every time. Thank you!

[@charlesrat3703]

The second year of brining turkey I bought a big logo bucket from a home improvement store and a box of.trash compactor bags to line it and hold the bird. Granted this is only viable in areas like the Midwest where weather has always co-operated to keep the garage temp w/I the food safety zone, but ice can be added to the head space over the closed bag if in doubt. It frees fridge space and provides a reason to be grateful for cold weather.

[@cer_eal]

Internet Shaq is definitely one of the most genuinely friendly people on this website

[@StryderWilk]

Do you have any recommendations for stuffing? I've tried several recipes, but my entire family always falls back on Stove Top brand box stuffing. We're all adequate cooks, but we can't top it. Maybe we're just low class lol

[@danearmstrong5995]

Sohla just released a video on stuffing a few days ago! It really goes over every aspect of it in a customizable way!

[@sonikku956]

I recommend anything from Martha Stewart.

[@PolaNimuS]

The most disgraceful comment in here was about eating breakfast and lunch on Thanksgiving. You get one, at max.

[@RoflMaiWaffel]

"Decide where Thanksgiving will be held. If you're watching this video intently, it must be at your house" Uh excuse me, I'm watching for your wisdom and wit and charm :) I'm Australian, and I also don't have a house

[@Mason-lr5dz]

Shaq plugging Majestic Casual & Colors, further confirming my burning desire to hang out with him.

[@zackaes]

Alright from a French perspective, I'm just gonna say this. Thanksgiving looks dope but holy shit am I glad not having to orchestrate it.

[@geegrant865]

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[@khalkotauroio2417]

One of my friends told me that we were doing a friendsgiving just yesterday, and that she was thinking that we could hold it at my house...... thank you for posting this at the exact same time lmao

[@mygreenfroggy]

The best thing about serving a Thanksgiving dinner? My daughter does it now, lol! She has the grandkids and is used to making bigger meals so I go help her instead. I'm tired of cooking anyway and it's just me and one other person so it's a win win situation.

[@internetshaquille]

Now that’s awesome :)

[@myyoutubeaccount9]

just went and commented "giving thanks" on 20 or so of your latest videos, may the algorithm smile upon you

[@beatriztneves]

Thank you for making this exactly as long as it needed to be.

[@xXChipsAndGravyXx]

That EQ tip is actually genuis

[@GenralMonkey11]

A true titan of useful food videos on this platform

[@sethutkc350]

I love the EQ tip. Wouldn’t come to this channel if I wasn’t a nerd about how I do normal things, lol.

[@NetScourge]

more useful than any other trending thanksgiving prep video

[@HoganHayes]

Our family splits Thanksgiving responsibilities with two other families, and there's a bunch of pre-planning. This vid covers much of what we do and managed to add a few helpful steps. Bravo

[@stefanristicmovies]

i love you so much this is the greatest cooking channel in youtube history. comment 93 of 100.

[@navytackedbay]

This guy... ok come dude, you need more subscribers. You’re just so helpful and hilarious and just overall you’re a great guy. Thanks for being here! 😂

[@chiranthiem.k.h.1597]

I'm not even American... Why am I watching this? But seriously, this is a great guide for any big family gathering sort of thing

[@McDonaldsCalifornia]

We dont celebrate thanksgiving in my country but with those tips I feel calm and confident in hosting a Thanksgiving feast for twelve people!

[@danieltsuedo334]

this video is great.., if ppl don’t get the hint when you start cleaning up at this point, they deserve a kick in the shorts. great shopping tips.., too

[@scottyc5116]

The EQ tip is genius

[@edjuaro2]

You are honestly my favorite FoodTuber out there, your or Kenji.

[@Mike-pn1wu]

Thanks Internet Shaquille. This video was a real... slam dunk

[@joejasat]

Consistently the most actually useful cooking content on KZbin. Thanks, Shaq.

[@lorenzorodriguez4599]

you are honestly the best youtuber on this platform

[@josephcarew3594]

its a morning in may and im bingeing all your thanskgiving videos lying in bed

[@cj2561]

the vibes on this guy

[@JungleScene]

Shaq giving us the content we REALLY want. also, I want Chef John to do this video.

[@Zequicete]

Commenting just for the algorithm, you 100% deserve it.

[@theotter4200]

My chest hair doesn’t even grow like what you have on the top of your head. Appreciate all the info Shaq! Happy Thanksgiving!

[@sk8erin8er]

As if I needed an excuse to rewatch your whole catalogue of videos again

[@pelicanbowling]

5:53 It’s the middle of June but I’ll comment once to give thanks early

[@StryderWilk]

I never mentioned it, but your kitchen looks bangin. Top notch work, internet friend.

[@vintage_houston]

LET’S GET IT HOLIDAY SHAQ 🌵🌵🌵

[@cloudyview]

This is honestly one of the best videos for dinner party prep and planning I've ever seen, holiday or not 👍

[@thisisnotaclipshow4129]

Just for the algorithm Shaq. Don't celebrate Thanksgiving as I'm not an American but you're my hero xo

[@bigdrippy4104]

>don't get drunk halfway into dinner preparation shaq, thats the only way i know how to cook