The Thanksgiving Recipes You'll Come Back to Forever

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Steps

From-Scratch Green Bean Casserole

1. 1
   Drop 900 g of chopped green beans (cut into 1.5-inch planks) into a pot of well-salted boiling water and cook for 4–5 minutes until quite tender. Drain and move to a bowl.

   Tip: Lean towards slightly more cooked than less — green beans have a lot of fiber that needs to be softened for a cozy, comforting casserole texture.

   ~8 min
2. 2
   Melt butter in a large pan. Add 450 g chopped mushrooms, 15 g minced garlic, and 10 g salt. Stir and sweat for 5–6 minutes until the mushrooms have cooked off all their water and are golden and frying in the butter.

   ~8 min
3. 3
   Add 5 g chopped fresh thyme to the mushrooms and stir. Then add 65 g flour and stir to combine. Cook for about 90 seconds to remove the raw flour flavor.

   ~3 min
4. 4
   Pour in 400 g chicken stock and 125 g heavy cream. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3–4 minutes until thickened into a homemade cream of mushroom soup.

   Tip: If the sauce looks super thick at this point, add a little more stock to adjust.

   ~5 min
5. 5
   Add the cooked green beans to the sauce along with 50 g grated parmesan and 3 g black pepper. Stir to combine. Transfer to a metal 9x13 pan and spread evenly.

   Tip: Metal pan is preferred over ceramic for a roastier, fried edge on the casserole.

   ~5 min
6. 6
   Top with crispy fried onions or shallots. Bake at 375°F for 18–20 minutes until bubbling and the topping is golden and crisp.

   Tip: Making fried shallots from scratch is absolutely worth it if you have an extra 30 minutes and want to dazzle your guests.

   ~20 min

Potato Puree

1. 1
   Peel and chop 10 lbs of russet potatoes into large chunks. Place in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a lazy simmer. Cook gently for 35–40 minutes until fully tender.

   Tip: Simmer gently — do not boil aggressively. Undercooking makes gluey mash; overcooking makes waterlogged, mealy potatoes. The sweet spot is fully tender but not falling apart.

   ~40 min
2. 2
   Drain all the cooking liquid. Return the potatoes to the pot and smash roughly with a wooden spoon or potato masher. Add 450 g melted butter and 350 g hot heavy cream and stir to combine while breaking things up further.

   Tip: Hot cream is critical — cold cream will tighten the puree and damage the silky texture.

   ~5 min
3. 3
   Working in batches, place large ladles of the potato mixture into a fine mesh strainer and push through using a spatula or 2 oz ladle into a clean pot. This is labor-intensive but gives the smoothest, most supple restaurant-level potato texture.

   Tip: A cone-shaped fine mesh strainer (chinois) makes this process much easier. The fine mesh strainer is what makes this entire process possible.

   ~15 min
4. 4
   Add 15–20 g of salt to the puree, then adjust consistency with the remaining cream as needed. Transfer to a slow cooker or crockpot to keep warm until serving.

   Tip: Once the butter and cream are incorporated, do not let the puree cool down — you will lose a lot of the silky texture.

   ~5 min

Sheet Pan Apple Pie

1. 1
   In a food processor, combine 400 g flour, 40 g sugar, 6 g salt, and 300 g frozen-then-grated butter. Pulse 5–6 times until the mixture breaks into fine, even flakes.

   Tip: Freeze the butter first, then grate on the large holes of a box grater. Keep the butter bits distinctly separate from the flour for maximum flakiness.

   ~5 min
2. 2
   Add about 130 g of ice cold water, pulsing in short bursts and adding a little more as needed, until the dough just comes together. Move to a bowl and squeeze firmly to form a solid mass without kneading.

   Tip: Add the minimum amount of water necessary — less spinning equals more tenderness and flakiness.

   ~5 min
3. 3
   Turn the dough onto plastic wrap and gently massage it into an 8x12 flat rectangle roughly matching the shape of a sheet tray. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

   Tip: Pre-shaping now means less rolling later, which means less gluten development and a more tender, flaky crust.

   ~35 min
4. 4
   Peel and cut 8 Granny Smith apples into chunky 1-inch cubes. Toss with 125 g brown sugar, 6 g cinnamon, 5 g salt, 50 g cornstarch, 15 g lemon juice, and a couple cranks of nutmeg until evenly coated.

   Tip: Use Granny Smith — their acidity balances the sweet streusel topping. Avoid sweeter apple varieties.

   ~10 min
5. 5
   In a bowl, combine 375 g flour, 225 g brown sugar, 6 g cinnamon, 5 g salt, and 75 g chopped pecans. Pour in 230 g melted butter and stir with a fork until evenly combined into a crumbly texture with nuggets about 1/2-inch big.

   ~5 min
6. 6
   Remove the chilled crust from the fridge and let it soften for 15 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out into a large rectangle about 1–2 inches beyond the width of a half sheet tray. Trim excess dough to a half-inch outside the pan outline.

   Tip: Dust liberally with flour to prevent sticking. Roll the dough onto the rolling pin to transfer it to the pan.

   ~20 min
7. 7
   Unroll the crust over a well-buttered half sheet tray, tuck it into the corners, and crimp the edges to make a fluted border all the way around. Poke the bottom of the crust all over with a fork to prevent bubbling during baking.

   ~5 min
8. 8
   Add all of the sugared apples into the crust and spread evenly from edge to edge. Top evenly with the streusel. Bake at 375°F for 45–50 minutes.

   ~50 min
9. 9
   Pull from the oven and let cool before serving. Can be made the night before and served at room temperature or slightly warmed.

   Tip: This is the guest favorite — expect people to ask for the recipe.

Simple Cranberry Sauce

1. 1
   Combine 340 g cranberries, 100 g water, 125–150 g sugar, and 3 g salt in a saucepan. Bring to a hard simmer over medium-high heat.

   ~3 min
2. 2
   Cook for 10–15 minutes over medium-high heat until the cranberries have released their juices, cooked down, and are fully softened to a jammy consistency.

   Tip: Cranberries have an insane level of natural pectin — the sauce will thicken considerably in the fridge. Add a splash of water to loosen on game day if needed.

   ~15 min
3. 3
   Transfer to a container to cool, then refrigerate until serving. Can be made 2–3 days ahead.

Turkey Dressing (Stuffing)

1. 1
   Cut 750 g of hardy white bread into 1.5-inch cubes (crust and all). Spread on two half sheet trays and dry in a 275°F oven for 25–30 minutes until firm and dry but not totally parched. Alternatively, leave on the counter overnight.

   ~30 min
2. 2
   Melt one stick of butter in a large pan. Add 350 g diced onion, 250 g diced celery, and 5 g salt. Stir and sweat in the butter for about 5 minutes until they release all their water.

   ~8 min
3. 3
   Meanwhile, simmer 150 g golden raisins in 400–500 g water for 5 minutes to soften, then soak off-heat for 15–20 minutes until ready to use. Drain before adding to stuffing.

   Tip: Raisins might be controversial but they bring a nice pop of sweetness in the midst of a very savory plate.

   ~20 min
4. 4
   Once the onions and celery are translucent, add 5 g chopped fresh sage. Fry in the butter for another 4–5 minutes until the vegetables are fully tender with no fibrous crunch. Set aside.

   Tip: There should be absolutely no fibrous crunch from the vegetables in the final stuffing.

   ~5 min
5. 5
   In a large bowl, whisk together 5 eggs, 950 g chicken stock, and 50 g Better Than Bouillon chicken base. Add the dried bread cubes, then the buttery onion-celery mixture, the drained golden raisins, 15 g minced parsley, 2–3 g poultry seasoning, 2–3 g black pepper, and 5 g salt. Toss to saturate the bread evenly.

   Tip: If the mixture looks dry and tight, add extra stock. The bread should be thoroughly saturated.

   ~10 min
6. 6
   Transfer the stuffing to a 9x13 baking dish and press in. Top with 6–8 thin pats of butter spread evenly over the top. Cover with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes.

   ~45 min
7. 7
   After 45 minutes, remove the foil. Increase heat to 450°F and bake for another 15–20 minutes until the edges are crisped and the top is deeply golden brown.

   ~20 min

Turkey Gravy Base

1. 1
   Break down the turkey neck and reserved wing pieces into 2–3 inch chunks. Place on a sheet tray with the chopped onion, carrots, and celery stalks. Roast at 450°F for 15–20 minutes until browned.

   ~20 min
2. 2
   Deglaze the sheet tray with about 1 cup of water and scrape up the caramelized fond with a wooden spoon. If stubborn, move the tray to the stovetop and heat for a minute to loosen.

   Tip: The fond (caramelized residue) is where the real flavor in this gravy lives.

   ~5 min
3. 3
   Pour the roasty drippings into a saucepan along with 1500 g of chicken stock. Add the roasted bones, all the vegetables, 2–3 bay leaves, and a few thyme sprigs. Simmer for 30–45 minutes to make a rich roasted poultry stock.

   ~45 min
4. 4
   Strain off the bones and vegetables. In a separate saucepan, whisk 100 g of flour into 115 g of melted butter and stir until smooth. Cook the roux for about 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.

   Tip: There is no salt in this gravy base — the brined turkey drippings added on serving day are very salty, so headroom is essential.

   ~5 min
5. 5
   Whisk in all of the roasted turkey stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until thickened and slightly reduced. Transfer to a quart container, cool, and refrigerate until Thanksgiving Day.

   ~10 min

Wet-Brined Roast Turkey

1. 1
   Thaw the turkey in the lower drawer of the fridge 7 days before serving. Remove giblets, neck, and the plastic piece from the cavity. Cut off the outer two wing segments at the drum joint and reserve them for gravy.

   Tip: You can speed-thaw in a sink of cold water in about 8 hours if needed, though this is a food safety gray area.
2. 2
   In a large pot, combine 4000 g water, 300 g salt, 100 g sugar, 3–4 bay leaves, 4 halved garlic heads, and several sprigs of rosemary, thyme, and sage. Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes, then kill the heat and infuse for 30 more minutes.

   Tip: Use a single clamshell of poultry herb blend to avoid buying rosemary, thyme, and sage separately.

   ~40 min
3. 3
   Pour the infused brine over 4000 g of ice in a large container and stir to melt. This cools the brine instantly so it can be used right away and dilutes it to the correct salinity.

   ~5 min
4. 4
   Using a food-grade injector, inject each breast 5–6 times and each leg 2–3 times with the brine. Then, stab each breast about 50 times with the injector needle to create channels for the brine to seep into deeply.

   Tip: This stabbing technique mimics industrial injectors used to make deli turkey, helping the meat absorb the brine more evenly.

   ~10 min
5. 5
   Submerge the turkey breast-side down in the brine bucket. Refrigerate for 3 days.

   Tip: If fridge space is limited, brine in a large bottom drawer. If it is below 45°F outside, you can brine in the garage.

   ~4320 min
6. 6
   About 3.5 hours before serving, remove the turkey from the brine and inject each breast 3–4 more times. Set a triple layer of foil in a roasting pan with a rack and spray with pan spray. Add about 1 cup of water to the pan. Place the turkey breast-side down on the foil.

   Tip: Insert probe thermometers into both the breast and the thigh-leg area for reliable temperature tracking.

   ~15 min
7. 7
   Wrap the whole turkey with foil and roast breast-side down at 425°F for 1 hour.

   Tip: Starting breast-side down gives the dark meat a head start, creating a temperature offset needed for even cooking.

   ~60 min
8. 8
   Remove the foil and return the turkey to the oven at 325°F. Roast until the breast reaches 150°F and the thighs reach 165°F, about 90 minutes.

   ~90 min
9. 9
   Tent the cooked turkey with foil and let it rest for 1 hour. This stabilizes the juices in the breast meat and gives you time to bake the side dishes.

   ~60 min
10. 10
    After resting, carefully flip the turkey breast-side up using a towel and tongs. Pour the drippings into the gravy base a little at a time, tasting as you go. Brush the skin liberally with butter or neutral oil.

    Tip: This is the trickiest moment in the turkey process — be careful when flipping the hot bird.

    ~10 min
11. 11
    Return the turkey to the oven at 500°F for 15–20 minutes until deeply golden brown. While the turkey finishes, reduce the gravy on the stove for about 15 minutes to the desired thickness. Carve and serve.

    ~20 min

Nutrition (per serving)

Brian Lagerstrom

The Thanksgiving Recipes You'll Come Back to Forever

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