Roast

A little soy sauce in the glaze ensures the burnished mahogany skin that holiday memories are made of. But it’s not just for looks; this brined and buttered bird is seasoned inside and out.

Deboning a turkey breast isn’t difficult (just like cutting the rib bones away from a chicken breast, but bigger), but most butchers will do this for you. Ask for a whole breast, skin on, bones removed when you order it at the meat counter. Click here for step-by-step photos and instructions on butterflying the breast.

A smaller chicken (something in the two- to three-pound range) will fit in a cast-iron skillet and can go straight from oven to table.

Got some burned bits? Great job! The natural sugars in the root vegetables, along with the brown sugar, will caramelize, giving you a little bitterness to counter all that sweetness.

Ask your butcher for a square piece of pork belly: It’ll make for even slices and a good fat-to-meat ratio.

One of the centerpieces of Butch Anthony’s outdoor dining room is a massive firepit-grill outfitted with vintage Dutch ovens, which were buried in embers to cook these chickens. We’ve adapted the method for a regular oven.

Use your newly skinless thighs in a braise.

For the best results, use San Marzano plum and mixed heirloom cherry tomatoes if you can find 'em.

Forget dry salmon. Nobody needs that.

Schmear this on sandwiches, use it to marinate shrimp or chicken, or spoon a dollop onto eggs.

The beet juices will tint the potatoes swirly-pink when tossed together; it’s best not to fight it.

You can make this dish with whatever vegetables you have on hand—potatoes, shallots, carrots, and leeks are all good options. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

Puffed and pulverized wild rice is the new breadcrumb, coating any meaty white fish you like in a nutty, crispy exterior.

This recipe makes more spice mix and chile paste than you’ll need for a single batch of mole. Keep the extras on hand for chili, stews, braises, or another batch of mole!

This beet salad is a perfect show-stopping side dish as well as a healthy, meatless lunch.

The secret to removing the pin bones from black cod is to wait until after it’s been cooked.

If you’re short on time or refrigerator space, you can preseason the pork for only one to two hours.

A beautiful winter-white salad; the natural bitterness of the endive is balanced by sweet roasted parsnips and a tad of sugar in the dressing.

Don’t like it hot? Remove the seeds to tone it down, or make this addictive condiment with sweet peppers alone.

Grab a party hat; these cherries are having a jubilee.

A peppy cherry dressing is a natural pairing for pork.

Nectarines, all types of plums, or apricots are easy swaps for the peaches.

Imminently adaptable and riffable: Use any leftover protein or shred a rotisserie chicken in place of the tofu, and use whatever crunchy vegetables you’ve got in the produce drawer.

Some kids like it hot. If so, add a small handful of pickled jalapeños or a few dashes of their favorite hot sauce to the mix.