Best Gizzard Recipes

When the food magazines come out the month before Thanksgiving, all you see on the covers are the huge, golden brown, perfect-looking turkeys. I have trouble believing that they taste as good as they look. Turkeys have a variety of different muscles that require different cooking methods to be served at their peak. As a chef, I prefer to break down my turkey and serve each part at the height of its flavor rather than carry a whole bird to the table. So I’ve broken it down for you here.The drumsticks are smoked and then roasted for maximum tenderness and flavor. The thighs and wing flats are braised with a white mirepoix until they are so tender and juicy they practically melt in your mouth. Finally, the breasts are injected with a flavorful marinade made with mayonnaise. I love this technique because the mayonnaise doesn’t liquefy and run out of the meat; it stays in there throughout the marinating period and oven time, so you end up with moist, juicy, perfectly seasoned white meat. This is one turkey dinner that is much more than the sum of its parts.HOME: Recipes to Cook with Family and Friends courtesy Little, Brown and Company Copyright © 2015 by Bryan Voltaggio

Turkey stock is a great way to add a little oomph to your pan gravy. It's a flavorful base that's a snap to make and adds complex flavor to many other dishes as well. Once you try it, you'll never go back to using just water again. Click here to see A Gluten-Free Thanksgiving.