Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and that means it's time for a big dinner! 

But, if you're still unsure of how to make that turkey and the sides to go with it, no worries! Chef Bill Fuller is here to make sure you're ready to provide a delicious dinner. 

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Ingredients

• ½ Piece of uncooked pancetta, diced small
• 1 Medium onion
• 3 Brussels sprouts
• ½  cup of white wine
• Black pepper
• Salt to taste 

Directions

1. Dice pancetta into 1/8" dice.  Be careful and use a sharp knife as the ham has a very heavy texture in this state.  Dice the onion small. 
2. Trim hard root ends off Brussels sprouts. If they are not small, halve or quarter.
3. Place pancetta in a shallow pot and render. 
4. When rendered, scoop out pancetta and set aside.  Add onions. Place on medium flame and bring up to a sizzle. Sauté/sweat onions until lightly browned. 
5.  Meanwhile, roast Brussels sprouts on the grill. When dark and mostly cooked, place in the pan with onions and pancetta fat. 
6. Add wine. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Lightly season with pepper.
7. Cook with occasional stirring until Brussels sprouts are tender and the wine is evaporated, 10-20 minutes.
8. Season with salt only at the end and only if necessary.

Gravy

Ingredients

• ½  cup fat (butter and skimmed turkey fat is a good combination)
• ½  cup AP Flour
• 2 qt. Turkey Stock (Pan liquid and additional turkey stock)
• Salt and pepper (Very important to the success of the gravy.  Season and taste, season and taste)
• 1 Tbs. Chopped fresh thyme
• 1 Tbs. Chopped fresh sage

Directions

1. Heat oil in a high-sided saucepan.
2. Whisk in flour. Stir continually with a whisk until lightly browned. This is the roux.  CAUTION!!!!  Roux is hot and sticks like napalm. Whisk with meaning and purpose but with respect for the roux as well.
3. When the roux is ready, set it aside.  It is better to make the roux well ahead and have it ready at the moment that it is time for gravy.  Additionally, it is better to add cooled stock to a very hot roux or hat stock to somewhat cooled roux.
4. Return roux to heat. Begin to add stock while whisking. Make sure you whisk thoroughly and get into the corners of the pot.
5. When all stock is added, bring to a simmer, adjust seasonings and consistency, and add thyme and sage. Do not boil, as this will reduce the effectiveness of the roux.

Turkey with Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 Turkey
• Stuffing – Everyone has their favorite.  I go traditional: bread, celery, egg, stock.
• 1  Large carrot, chopped into large chunks
• 2  Large onions, peeled and rough chopped
• 2 stalks of Celery, roughly chopped
• 1 head of Garlic, split cross-ways
• Numerous sprigs of fresh Thyme and Sage
• Clean, white kitchen towel that you don't mind discarding.
• Duck fat (or olive oil if you don't have rendered duck fat lying around)
• Chicken stock, at least 3 quarts
• Some semi-sweet white wine
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat grill to 425˚. 
2. Rinse the turkey inside and out. Pat dry.
3. Stuff both cavities as you see fit.
4. Place carrot, onion, celery, garlic, and herb sprigs in the bottom of the roasting pan.  Place the rack in the roasting pan.  (Not to endorse other products here, but I really dig my large All-Clad roasting pan with heavy-duty rack for this process.)  Place the turkey in the rack.
5. Season the surface of the turkey with salt and pepper. 
6. Soak a clean towel with fat/oil.  You don't want it dripping, but you want it filled with fat.  Drape the towel over the whole bird. Kiss the towel goodbye.
7. Place the turkey in the grill and close the lid, reduce the heat to 325˚.  After 10 minutes, baste with stock. Baste all the time (every ten minutes or so) for the entire cooking process.
8. As you baste, baste over the towel. Baste with excess stock.  Occasionally, baste with the white wine. Use the juices in the pan,    alternating with the extra stock and the white wine. It should become creative and fun, basting the turkey with wine, basting your tongue with wine, assigning basting schedules, forgetting to baste, then relaxing about it because you already basted so much and will baste some more, and it will be okay. 
9. Cook turkey for about 20-25 minutes per pound for larger birds.  "The Joy of Cooking" has excellent directions on roasting fowl, stuffed and unstuffed, small and large, and is an excellent reference for turkey cooking in general.  Have a copy on hand for Thanksgiving because you can't call me. I'm off.
10. About 1 hour before the turkey is scheduled to be done, remove the towel. Try to wring the great basting liquids out. At this point, you can chew on it, throw it in the laundry, or simply discard.
11. Keep basting.
12. Cook until the thigh meat has an internal temperature of 160˚.  Remove the turkey and allow it to rest while you make gravy and get everything else together.  Strain all the drippings and save.  Discard roasting vegetables.