I’m so excited to share Made In’s 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Menu, a thoughtfully curated collection of recipes from a few of our most innovative chef customers. This group of chefs embodies modern culinary culture across the United States, and we are so grateful to work with each of them. With such an impressive group, rather than going for quick and easy, we asked each chef to give us their “flex” recipe for Thanksgiving, something that would challenge and inspire home cooks while expanding their culinary knowledge and skill. If you are looking for a recipe (or six) to shake up your holiday routine, look no further than this menu!
One of the best parts of my job is working with our chefs to translate their ingenious recipes into something a cook can execute in their own home (with the right cookware of course!) That means dialing down recipes designed for 100 turkeys or 100 pies to make just one, or interpreting “chef speak” for folks that have never confited a potato or smoked a vanilla bean. Some of these recipes even had me stumped. So we asked two of the chefs to come to the Made In Studio to show me how to make their dishes in person. I would love for you to follow that journey in our series, Rhoda's Road to Thanksgiving.
This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for our relationships with our chefs and home cooks that have grown over the years because of their trust in our products. Happy cooking and let us know which of these recipes you decide to add to your table this year!
-Rhoda Boone, Culinary Creative Director, Made In Studio
Roast Turkey with Herbed Compound Butter
By Chef Grant Achatz, Alinea Group, Chicago, IL
From Chef Grant Achatz of Michelin-starred Alinea, this recipe takes a hybrid two-step method to cooking your Thanksgiving turkey. First, start in a hot oven to jumpstart the Maillard reaction, which helps achieve perfectly browned skin, then drop the temperature down to cook the interior of the bird slowly the rest of the way through. This method achieves an even balance between breast and thigh, so you don’t have to pick through dry white meat in favor of juicier dark meat.
The herbed compound butter is inserted under the skin as well as slathered on top, which results in the bird being bathed with all the good things—fat, moisture, and flavor—as it roasts. You’ll be rewarded with a tender, juicy, and flavorful turkey that tastes restaurant-quality but is easy to achieve in a home kitchen.
Southern-Style Stuffing with Gizzards and Gravy
By Chef Matt Horn, Horn Hospitality, Oakland, CA
This blended approach to a Southern-Style stuffing makes use of both white French bread and homemade Southern-Style Cornbread, so it’s anything but dry or tasteless. Making use of both our 9x13 Baking Dish and Carbon Steel Frying Pan, this recipe can be assembled the day before, so you can keep it in the fridge in the Baking Dish overnight, then put it straight in the oven come Turkey Day. Don't forget to top it off with our killer recipe for Make-Ahead Gravy.
Albi’s Spicy Potatoes
By Chef Michael Rafidi, Albi, YELLOW, and La’Shukran, Washington, D.C.
Mashed potatoes is about as synonymous with Thanksgiving as you can get—but this year, why not try something a little different? This recipe from Chef Michael Rafidi of Albi utilizes thinly sliced potatoes, first confited in infused butter in the 9x13 Baking Dish, then deep fried to golden brown perfection in our Dutch Oven. With two kinds of Spanish paprika for a kick paired with labne to help cool things off, it’s an unexpected—but absolutely delicious—way to use potatoes this Thanksgiving.
Fennel Panzanella Salad
By Chef Karen Akunowicz, Fox & The Knife and Bar Volpe, Boston, MA
Thanksgiving tends to lean beige—between the turkey, gravy, and accompanying starches, a pop of color can be desperately needed. This recipe from Boston-based Chef Karen Akunowicz’s new cookbook “Crave: Bold Recipes That Make You Want Seconds” provides some much-needed color without compromising on taste. It’s verdant, zesty, fresh, and exactly what you need between heavier holiday dishes—not to mention an absolutely stunning centerpiece in our English-made Serving Bowl.
Chocolate Rye Pecan Pie
By Chef Amanda Rockman, New Waterloo, Austin, TX
The pecan pie to end all pecan pies comes to us from “recovering pastry chef” Amanda Rockman. There is no flaky pie crust here, instead a dough that’s much more like a chocolate shortbread cookie. The filling is nuanced and complex, with hints of rye whiskey and puddles of dark chocolate—a far cry from the standard saccharine pecan pie. To top it all off, smoked (yes, smoked) vanilla whipped cream is piped on top of the pie with a gentle dusting of more chocolate. Served at last in our Pie Dish, this pie is a project, but totally worth the effort.
Autumn Spritz Cocktail
By Beverage Director Andy Miller, Great White and Gran Blanco, Venice, CA
Instead of opting for either sangria or mulled wine this holiday season, Chef Andy Miller thinks you can—and should—have both. This autumnal cocktail features a spiced simple syrup that pairs perfectly with gentian-driven Amarao, while sherry rounds it out with a dry finish and nutty, herbaceous aromatics. Serve in our White Wine Glass with plenty of ice, a cinnamon stick, and orange wedge for garnish.
Ready to Cook?
Whether you follow the menu to the letter or pick and choose, we hope you’ll find a new recipe (or two) to become a new family tradition. From our table to yours, happy Thanksgiving!
