Move Over, Turkey! Exciting New Mains for Thanksgiving


Hi Reader,

Some will call it sacrilege. I simply call it your Thanksgiving plot twist.

While everyone else wrestles with their 20-pound bird at 4 AM, you'll be calmly creating something that doesn't require a physics degree to cook properly.

Thanksgiving Main Courses (that Aren't Turkey)

Let someone else bring the turkey this year, while you collect the rave reviews for your delicious "change of pace".

Pork Loin in the Style of Porchetta

This pork loin in the style of porchetta is an Italian classic that blends pork loin with a pork shoulder, fennel, and rosemary filling, to make an impressive, celebration-worthy entrée.
☞ ​Try this recipe

Smoked Prime Rib

This smoked prime rib, coated with a sugar spice rub and smothered with a horseradish mustard mixture, becomes slowly infused with smoky flavor and is simply the best prime rib we've ever tried.
☞ ​Try this recipe

Mustard-Glazed Ham

This mustard-glazed ham is covered with mustard, brown sugar, and maple syrup and is simple, subtle, and super impressive. And is perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and any other holiday dinner (or insatiable pork craving).
☞ ​Try this recipe

Roast Leg of Lamb

This roast leg of lamb is a simple yet impressive recipe that celebrates the rich, sigh-inducing good flavor of the best, most perfectly cooked bone-in lamb accented with garlic and lemon. And in a shorter cooking time than usual.
☞ ​Try this recipe

Jamie Oliver’s Sunday Roast

Jamie Oliver's Sunday roast is entirely worthy of a special occasion although it's also an easy way to transform any old day or night into a meal to remember.
☞ ​Try this recipe

David Leite’s Best Brined Roast Chicken

This best brined roast chicken is the best method for brining your chicken, as far as I know. It blends aromatic vegetables and herbs to the brining solution before adding your chicken. The meat gets infused with lush flavors and juiciness beyond the average brined chicken.
☞ ​Try this recipe

Mustard and Garlic Roast Goose

This dish from my Connecticut neighbor is the best goose I've ever eaten. But in Danny's inimitable way, she simply insists it be served with red currant jelly. Nothing else will do.
☞ ​Try this recipe

Portuguese Carne Assada

This Portuguese carne assada from David's VERY Portuguese Mama Leite, is a traditional Azorean braised beef dish made with meltingly tender meat, small red potatoes, chouriço, and onions.
☞ ​Try this recipe

Mushroom Wellingtons with Spinach

This mushroom wellington with spinach is essentially a meaty portobello mushroom and spinach-walnut filling in flaky puff pastry. A spectacular vegan and vegetarian option, whether for Thanksgiving or any time of year. And you can easily assemble it ahead of time and bake it at the last moment.
☞ ​Try this recipe

Wine-Braised Pork Shoulder

This braised pork with red wine is an easy, set-it-and-forget-it one-pot meal. Made with meltingly tender shredded pork shoulder, red onions, and a rich red wine and herb sauce, it boasts French overtones but without any fussiness.
☞ ​Try this recipe

Leite's Culinaria

Why, hello! Leite's Culinaria is the James Beard Award-winning site that helps home cooks and bakers put dinner on the table and laugh in the kitchen. Hungry for more? Join more than 21,000 food lovers and subscribe.

Read more from Leite's Culinaria

Hi Reader, The annual holiday party is coming up...and remember last year's incident with the mysterious brown dip?Let's make sure you're not THAT person this year. Holiday Party & Potluck Appetizers Walking into a party carrying these snacks?You'll have the same swagger as a mall Santa who knows he's rocking that velvet suit. Hot Artichoke Dip Artichoke hearts are an essential store-cupboard ingredient for me. This recipe is one of my favorites—delicious, quick, and simple to make, it's...

Hi Reader, Take a hike, lords-a-leaping—we've got stand mixers-a-mixing.Instead of twelve drummers drumming, may I introduce you to a dozen friends who are far more attractive and certainly more tasty! 12 Days of Christmas Cookies And, unlike those golden rings everyone's singing about, these won't require a second mortgage on your house. Cranberry Pistachio Cookies These festive cookies are adorned with sweet-tart dried cranberries and crunchy pistachios. They're the perfect addition to your...

Hi Reader, In a world where pie has ruled Thanksgiving dessert since the beginning of time...One brave soul dares to suggest something different. (That's you, by the way.) Thanksgiving Desserts that AREN'T Pie Traditionalists might clutch their rolling pins in horror, but this list of proven recipes are worth every "side-eye" glance. Cranberry Apple Crostata Cranberry apple crostata is so easy to make and so unexpectedly lovely to experience it may end up displacing the more familiar dessert...