How to Cook Everything: Thanksgiving: 20 Recipes for the Big Day and 29 Variations

By Mark Bittman

From turkey to trimmings to vegetarian options, the #1 New York Times-bestselling author brings you Thanksgiving cooking, simplified.

 


Cooking Thanksgiving dinner is a bit of a project—but a rewarding one—and with this inspiring collection of recipes from Mark Bittman, author of the award-winning How to Cook Everything series, anyone can be confident preparing the big meal. Here is a quick reference that's sure to be your kitchen companion for many holidays to come.


 

How to Cook Everything Thanksgiving includes 20 of Bittman's favorite celebration recipes—plus 29 variations and helpful how-to illustrations—to ensure you feast well without all the hassle. Complete with both beloved classics and non-traditional ideas, from easy appetizer dips and autumnal sides to the iconic turkey, vegetarian mains, and delicious, make-ahead desserts, this is one guest that's always invited to Thanksgiving dinner.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Oct 5, 2012
• ISBN: 9780544186934

Mark Bittman

Mark Bittman is the author of more than thirty books, including the How to Cook Everything series and the #1 New York Times bestseller VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good. Over his long career at The New York Times, Bittman wrote for both the food and opinion pages, and was the lead Magazine food writer before launching his own popular web site, The Bittman Project. Bittman has starred in four television series, including Showtime’s Emmy-winning Years of Living Dangerously. He is a longtime TODAY regular and has made hundreds of television, radio, and podcast appearances, including on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Real Time with Bill Maher, and CBS’s The Dish; and on NPR’s All Things Considered, Fresh Air, and Morning Edition. Together with daughter Kate Bittman, he has hosted their own podcast, Food with Mark Bittman since 2021. Bittman has written for countless publications and spoken at dozens of universities and conferences; his 2007 TED talk “What’s wrong with what we eat?” has over five million views. He was a distinguished fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, and a fellow at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He has received six James Beard Awards, four IACP Awards, and numerous other honors. In addition to his role as editor-in-chief for The Bittman Project, Bittman is currently special advisor on food policy at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, where he teaches and hosts a lecture series. He is also the editor in chief of Heated. His most recent books beyond the How to Cook Everything Series are How to Eat; Animal, Vegetable, Junk; and Bittman Bread.

Book preview

How to Cook Everything: Thanksgiving by Mark Bittmantitle

List of Recipes and Sidebars

Please Pass the Gravy

Timing the Big Meal

Starters and Soups

5 Easy Dips

Sour Cream or Yogurt Dip

Onion Dip

Mustard-Horseradish Dip

Smoked Salmon or Trout Dip

Watercress or Arugula Dip

Butternut Squash Soup

Turnip or Celery Root Soup

Carrot-Ginger Soup

The Turkey

Classic Roast Turkey, with Gravy

Turkey Gravy

Stock Options

Timing for Defrosting Large Birds

Timing for Roasting Turkey

To Brine or Not to Brine?

Other Good Main Dishes

Autumn Millet Bake

White Bean and Celery Root Gratin

White Bean and Celery Root Gratin, Tuscan Style

White Bean and Vegetable Gratin with Bulgur Crust

Salmon Roasted in Butter

Salmon Roasted with Herbs

Salmon Roasted with Buttered Hazelnuts

Cornish Hens and Sauerkraut

Crown Roast of Pork

Stuffing and Bread

My Favorite Bread Stuffing

Bread Stuffing with Sage and Chestnuts

Bread Stuffing with Sausage

Bread Stuffing with Mushrooms

Corn Bread

Corny Corn Bread

Bacon Corn Bread

The Sides

Cranberry Relish with Orange and Ginger

Quick-Glazed Carrots

Maple-Glazed Carrots or Parsnips

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Caramelized Onions

Green Beans with Crisp Shallots

Beets with Pistachio Butter

Mashed Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes

Garlicky Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

More Ways to Flavor Mashed Potatoes or Sweet Potatoes

Rich Spinach Gratin

Smoky Onion Gratin

Wild Rice Pilaf

Wild Rice with Dried Fruit

Wild Rice with Curried Nuts

Wild Rice with Chestnuts

Wake Up Those Thanksgiving Leftovers

Desserts

Pumpkin Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

Apple Crisp

Cranberry-Orange Crisp

Poached Pears with Vanilla

Poached Pears in Red Wine

Menus

Recipes by Icon

Read more from Mark Bittman

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Please Pass the Gravy

Thanksgiving is the great American holiday for eating. Is dinner at your place this year? Then be prepared to serve up a feast, even if you’re delegating some dishes to guests. Whether you go it alone or decide to let others pitch in, your job as host is to get a great meal on the table while trying to keep everyone relaxed and happy. And that’s precisely why the day also can be more than a little stressful, especially if it’s your first time making the turkey, you’ve never baked a pie, or you’re cooking for a bunch of family and friends. (Or all of the above!)

But with a little planning, the process can actually be a pleasure—one where the payoff is enormously rewarding. The goal of this ebook is to provide all the recipes and information you need to get the most out of the holiday meal, whether your table is set for a crowd or a cozy dinner for two.

As far as I’m concerned, a Thanksgiving menu can be classic or unorthodox. Though of course the choice isn’t that simple: There are expectations, special requests, and cherished dishes. (Just remember, this year’s change-up could become next year’s family tradition.) If you’re the host, start by evaluating your options. You could stick with the classic: turkey and all the trimmings. Or maybe go for an alternative centerpiece with the usual sides; or start with soup and serve lots of snacks and everyone’s favorite minor dishes. You could even go all vegetarian. If entertaining guests is a priority, you might want choose a meal you can make entirely ahead of time. The recipes in this collection will help you take the meal in all of these directions. Whatever you decide, remember that you will do no one—not your guests, not the meal, and certainly not yourself—any favors by attempting more than you can handle. So be realistic about what can be accomplished, do as much as you can in advance,