Menu planning is deceptively difficult, especially on holidays when you’re trying to appease both the staunch menu traditionalists and the more adventurous reformists. That’s why this year, we worked with chefs to design a Thanksgiving menu that strikes the perfect balance of familiar traditions and new flavors.
Featuring 8 recipes from Chefs Tom Colicchio, Nancy Silverton, Mashama Bailey, Jo Chan, and more, it covers all your bases from sweet to savory to boozy. Keep reading for the full menu, then scroll for the recipes and essential tools you’ll need to get it done.
Cranberry Spritz Cocktail by Chef Kevin Scharpf
Cranberries deserve more this Thanksgiving. For an effervescent holiday spritz, simmer them with juniper, rosemary, and lemon before topping off with sparkling wine and Amaro.
Slow-Roasted Turkey with Gravy by Chef Tom Colicchio
If you don’t love turkey, it’s because you haven’t tried this one. From Chef Tom Colicchio, this juicy bird is slow cooked and made decadent with herbaceous compound butter.
Swiss Chard and Kale Stuffing by Chef Nancy Silverton
Ditch the box for a very Californian take on everyone’s favorite side. Full of silky greens, alliums, and fresh toasted bread, Chef Silverton’s stuffing is a great vehicle for your favorite rustic loaf.
Braised Red Cabbage by Chef Mashama Bailey
Sweet, sour, and ready in less than an hour, Chef Bailey’s standout side is loved by omnivores and vegans alike. A beautiful jammy plum color, it may just outshine the turkey.
Twice-Cooked Mashed Potatoes by Chef Melissa Perello
Mashed potatoes are traditional, but often bland—Chef Perello’s are anything but. Caramelized vegetables and a unique cooking method impart more flavor than you thought possible.
Spicy Mac and Cheese by Chef Jo Chan
Mac and cheese is good, but Chef Chan’s is transcendent. A shio koji roux and chili-laced panko topping create an umami-packed dish that balances an otherwise familiar meal.
Raw Brussels Sprout Salad by Izzy Johnson
Here, our very own writer Izzy Johnson challenges home cooks to resist the urge to roast. Requiring less than 30 minutes, no side is faster—except perhaps canned cranberry sauce.
Bourbon Pecan Slab Pie by Rhoda Boone
Pecan pie can be overly saccharine, but Culinary Director Rhoda Boone solves that with a flavorful syrup, touch of bourbon and cocoa powder, and an improved filling to crust ratio—one of the many benefits of slab pies.
What You’ll Need
Stainless Clad Essentials
Even if you only plan to host one or two large holiday meals per year, a full suite of Stainless Clad Cookware is completely justifiable for special occasions and everyday meals alike. Our menu’s cookware needs range from basics like Frying Pans and Saucepans to slightly chef-ier pieces like the Saute Pan and Saucier. And because mac and cheese is non-negotiable at Thanksgiving, the Stock Pot and Pasta Insert are too.
Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
According to Chef Tom Colicchio, most Roasting Pans have 3 major flaws: moisture loss, ingredients getting stuck in corners, and uneven or insufficient browning. In designing this one with Chef Colicchio, we began with Carbon Steel, knowing that it’s a chef favorite for flavor-building and high-heat searing. High walls retain moisture for tender, juicy, and always crispy roasts, and rounded corners prevent anything getting stuck. In short: it’s the perfect Roasting Pan.
Hand-Enameled Dutch Oven
Made from hand-enameled Cast Iron, the Dutch Oven is a true culinary heirloom. Able to do just about anything, it could sub in for a number of other Cookware pieces used in our menu. In colder months, it more than earns its keep by providing fall-off-the-bone braises, lofty loaves, golden roasts, and even deep-fried apple cider doughnuts. Around the holidays, it’s indispensable.
Professional Quality Knives
This one really should be self-explanatory, but: without a dependable and (extremely) sharp knife, prep will take longer and be more dangerous. The Chef Knife is our general purpose go-to, but on Thanksgiving a Carving Knife is usually also in order. All our Knives are crafted in the Knife capital of the world—Thiers, France—by 5th-generation bladesmiths.
French Bakeware
Bakeware that comes out only on special occasions in the summer is suddenly booked and busy as soon as November rolls around. On Thanksgiving alone the Bakeware Set is used for casseroles, stuffing, mac and cheese, potatoes (sweet and mashed), and rolls—and that’s only dinner. For dessert, a Baking Slab makes pie for a crowd feel like a walk in the park.
Dinnerware and Glassware
Everyone knows that during the holiday season, what’s on the table is just as important as what’s on your plate. With any luck, there’s a cocktail or sparkling wine necessitating Coupes, but the real MVP of Thanksgiving is the turkey, beautifully golden and arranged on a Serving Platter. This holiday season, bring modern elegance to your table with our Tabletop Collection.
