Jarren Vink

Broiling the brisket gives it a nice crisp top layer, but you can skip this step and it will still be delicious. Braising the meat with beer in the slow cooker, however? Absolutely necessary.

Blanching the garlic neutralizes some of its bite, and the spinach lends an earthy base note. This goes great with our beer-braised brisket.

Why this spicy caramel popcorn didn’t already exist, we have no idea.

Put a tray of these in the oven when the first guests show up.

Serve brisket with sauces, slaw, pickles, and rolls so guests can assemble into sandwiches. Get the recipe for the Herb And Spinach Salsa Verde here and Smoky Salsa Roja here.

The ribbon of brown butter plays a raw cookie dough role in the center of these pecan blondies.

Cold-brine is just another way of saying pickled. Packing the vegetables separately prevents the colors from bleeding.

The ice in this spicy grapefruit cocktail dilutes the drink over time, so you can keep sipping well into the party.

As any deli aficionado will tell you, shredded lettuce—especially iceberg—is a glorious thing.

The same technique and proportions will work for a pork chop, lamb chops, or any other steak you like.

The pasta absorbs the flavor of the broth as it cooks, and the pasta starches thicken the liquid to a lip-smacking consistency.

Stuck with too many herbs? Don’t fret! This elemental dehydrating technique we learned from the team at San Francisco’s Bar Tartine will transform them into bold, easy-to-deploy flavor boosters you can use to upgrade any meal. Try using this dried herb powder on rice to give it new life, or whisking it into salad dressings or folding it into yogurt for a bright green tzatziki. You’ll never be tempted to buy packaged powders again.

Add this to baked goods like biscuits or use it to rim a cocktail glass.

Use this smoky bread powder as your new crouton: Put it on salads, roasted veggies, and oil-and-garlic pasta.