American

Tailgating in the American South isn’t an excuse to eat and drink—it’s religion. Brett Martin goes to church in Oxford, Mississippi, and discovers fried alligator nuggets, a smoker made from a keg, and a carnival scene where food matters as much as who wins.

Homemade stock made from a whole bird has two upsides: You get a rich, balanced liquid for the gumbo, and plenty of tender poached chicken meat.

Use a very sharp cheddar to make this—it’s the difference between pimiento cheese and cheesy mayonnaise.

Shortening makes for the flakiest pie crust. But you won’t miss the buttery flavor—there’s plenty in the filling.

The second rise is key to the finished pie’s texture; if baked too soon, the dough will be firm and too chewy. Make sure it feels floppy, with plenty of puffy air bubbles.

Jaew is a tart, smoky dipping sauce from Thailand, usually served with grilled meats and sausages. Hot Joy chef Quealy Watson takes it to a Tex-Mex place in this eggy, cheesy rice dish that might remind you of nachos (it works). Watch the step-by-step video here.

Hot Joy chef Quealy Watson, who’s from Louisiana, grew up on his mom’s dirty rice; that dish helped inspire this bastardized fried version. The chicken-liver base tastes very concentrated and intense on its own, but becomes nicely balanced in the finished dish. Watch the step-by-step video here.

Rose's Luxury chef Aaron Silverman combined his buttermilk biscuit recipe with his sous chef’s to create what he says are “the best biscuits I’ve ever tasted.”

How does the fried chicken from Rose's Luxury achieve No. 1 status? Brined, boneless thighs are responsible for incredible dark-meat flavor, and the dredge technique creates an insanely crunchy coating.

It doesn’t come out of a soft-serve machine, and you can’t twist it, but our version of fro-yo wins at everything else.

Keep summer going just a little bit longer: Serve these with a pile of steamed, buttered corn.

Says Del Posto pastry chef Brooks Headley of these crisp, buttery-sweet biscuits, “Serving them hot is all that matters.”

A version of this recipe helped chef Danny Bowien win the Pesto World Championship in Italy in 2008. He was kind enough to let us adapt it a bit.

The firing of the CEO of Market Basket, a New England supermarket chain, has sparked a serious employee protest. Here's what to know—and why you should care

Keep a batch of tuna salad in the fridge to use in a DIY toaster-oven snack.

This white chili recipe works well with ground chicken or turkey, too.

Leftovers are the key to packing lunches easily—and this recipe is perfect for that. Plus it freezes well, too; if you freeze in small portioned containers, all you have to do is reheat and go.

Try pouring the soup directly over the sliced sandwich for an irresistible cheesy bread soup.

Waste not, watermelon lovers: This Southern pickle deserves a spot in your fridge. It's great alongside grilled pork chops, but we'd happily snack on it right out of the jar.

How is this shortcake different from all others? Cake flour makes it extra-tender, for starters, then it’s baked in one big circle and bathed in tarragon-infused butter. You might never go back.

Separate compartments are key to packing this lunch. Switch up the fixings to keep it fresh: Salsa, guac, and sour cream are all good options.

A fish taco dream come true: crispy, light-as-air fried fish, balanced by a creamy slaw and fiery, cooling, and crunchy fixings.

Don’t peel the peaches; simply rub off the fuzz with a damp paper towel.

A hit of marjoram gives this summer classic an herby back note. (This recipe was developed with IBM's Chef Watson.)