Thanksgiving

Like any chef, John Besh is obsessive about his knives. And on Thanksgiving Day, there's only one carving set he'll use.

Why is the most important thing on the plate so easy to screw up? Just follow our lead and you'll (finally) get it right.

It's time to rethink the most important dessert of the year.

The hours between when your guests arrive and when the turkey hits the table might just be everyone’s favorite part of the day. Here are 20 smart ways to kick-start your meal.

The best Thanksgiving sides are fresh, fuss-free, make-ahead—and don't compete with your beloved green bean casserole for table space.

From a bacon-wrapped "turketta" to a barbecued bird, we've got your Thanksgiving table covered with four new recipes.

Marisa Tomei doesn't like turkey for Thanksgiving—unless it's in meatball form.

Instead of lemon juice, you can use fresh grapefruit or orange juice; bourbon is a great sub for rye.

For a young Patti Smith, it took a couple of strangers at the table to teach her the meaning of Thanksgiving.

You’re familiar with French dip, of course. In a stroke of holiday genius, you’ll use the turkey carcass to make a dark poultry stock with warming spices, a little sugar for lip-smacking goodness, and fish sauce for saltiness and “can’t-quite-put-my-finger-on-it” depth. Sandwiches never had it so good.

A Thanksgiving-worthy dessert that can be baked in your toaster oven? Yes, please!

Meaty mushrooms compliment nutty, chewy grains in this savory dish.

A vinegar-and-chile glaze adds heat to sweet squash, spicing up the traditional Thanksgiving flavor profile.

A protein like sausage lends the stuffing those all-important crispy bites, and the fat contributes essential flavor.

This kicky sauce, inspired by Spanish romesco, uses cherry tomatoes.

This apple turnover recipe calls for almond paste, which some brands sell in a tube; other brands will be in a can in the baking aisle.

For cornbread stuffing, toasting the dried-out cornbread is essential; this will keep it from falling apart during mixing.

Toasting the seeds and nuts in oil forms the base of a complex vinaigrette.

You know how sometimes the turkey is dry and there’s not enough gravy? We fixed that by braising dark meat in a robust pan sauce. Ta-da!

A press-in crust, short bake time, and do-ahead option liberate you (and your oven) on Thanksgiving Day.

Use the largest skillet you have and a fish spatula—the thin angled edge is just right for helping potatoes release from the skillet.

Wondra is much more finely ground than all-purpose flour and is one step on the way to super-silky sauce. AP will work too, of course, but Wondra is wonderful.

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.

Adding oysters and bacon incorporates textural contrasts and bold flavor hits to up the intrigue.