meat tutorials

How To Cook a Whole Chicken Dinner in the Dutch Oven with Just 5 Ingredients

(3- to 4-pound) whole chicken,

salt

dry bread cubes (approximately 1-inch cubes)

(1/2-inch) butternut squash cubes (from about 1 small squash)

red onion, chopped

thyme

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven, remove the racks above it, and heat to 375°F. 

Season the chicken with the salt. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season inside and out with the salt. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine if desired. Set aside while the oven preheats and while you prepare the dressing ingredients. 

Layer the bread, squash, and onions in the Dutch oven. Layer the bread cubes, squash, and thyme in a 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven. Make a sort of well in the center for the chicken to sit in. 

Add the chicken and roast covered for 1 hour. Place the chicken in the well. Cover and roast for 1 hour. 

Roast uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and tender. Uncover and continue to roast the chicken for another 30 minutes. The skin will become crisp and golden and the meat will be quite tender, like a rotisserie chicken. The juices should run clear and an oven thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh should be at least 165°F. 

Rest the chicken for 15 minutes in the pot. Remove the pot from the oven and let the chicken rest uncovered for 15 minutes. 

Carve and serve.  Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and carve. Serve with the dressing (bread and squash). 

How To Cook a Frozen Turkey

frozen turkey

butter

Salt

Pepper

Heat the oven to 325°F. Place a rack in the bottom third of the oven.

Place the turkey in the roasting pan: Unwrap the turkey and place it on top of a roasting rack inside a roasting pan. Don&#x27;t try to remove the giblets or season the turkey right now.

Roast for 2 1/2 hours. Try not to open the oven door or let out too much heat. After 2 1/2 hours, your turkey should just be starting to turn golden.

Check the temperature: This temperature check is just to get a reference point for how quickly the turkey is cooking. At this point, the breast and thighs will likely be in the low-100°F range.

Remove the giblets: The turkey should be thawed enough at this point that you can remove any trussing mechanisms (although most are safe for roasting in the oven; check the turkey&#x27;s packaging for information). Check the neck cavity and remove the bag of giblets if you see it. Check the cavity of the turkey for the neck or giblets, and remove them if you can. If you can&#x27;t get to the giblets, or if the giblets are still frozen inside the turkey&#x27;s cavity, continue roasting, but check every 30 minutes to see if you can remove the giblets. Be careful — the turkey is still mostly frozen, but the juices around the surface are hot.

Tuck the wings behind the turkey: You can also leave them untucked — either way is fine.

Season the turkey: Brush the turkey with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other seasonings you&#x27;d like to use. Rub in the spices with your fingers.

Tip the turkey to pour out any juices: Juices tend to collect inside the cavity of the turkey as they melt. Lift the roasting rack and tilt the turkey so these juices pour out into the pan.

Continue roasting: Refer to the chart above for estimated total roasting times. Check the temperature in the breast and thigh meat every hour or so to gauge how fast it&#x27;s cooking, and tilt the pan to pour out any juices. Brush the turkey with more butter if you&#x27;d like. If the skin over the breasts is browning more than you like, cover loosely with foil. If the pan starts looking very dry or if the drippings start looking burnt, add a few cups of water or broth.

Cook until the turkey registers at least 165°F in all areas: The breast meat is the thickest part of the turkey and will cook the slowest. The middle of the turkey, closest to the bone, will also be the last to cook through; the temperature may be well above 165°F close to the surface, but below temperature deeper in the meat. Make sure you take the temperature in multiple places and also at multiple depths in the meat to be sure you&#x27;re getting an accurate temperature reading throughout. (Just be sure not to hit the bone, which will give you a false temperature.)

Rest the turkey for 30 minutes. Set the turkey aside to rest for at least 30 minutes. Use this time to make gravy, if desired.

Carve the turkey and serve. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and carve.

How To Cook Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs in the Oven

chicken thighs

black pepper

Olive oil

olive oil

Dijon mustard

balsamic vinegar

brown sugar

garlic,

red pepper flakes

Heat the oven and season the chicken. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F. Place the chicken in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. The most basic seasoning that this meat really needs is salt and pepper. At this point, if I&#x27;m not adding another sauce, I drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the meat too, to help it brown well in the oven.

Make a sauce (optional). Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl.

Toss the chicken with the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken and toss to combine.

Transfer the chicken to a baking dish. Place the chicken in a single layer in an 8- or 9-inch baking dish. No need to grease the dish, just lay the chicken inside.

Roast the chicken. Boneless, skinless thighs cook quickly. Roast until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°F, about 20 minutes. If they are not ready, continue roasting and checking the temperature every 5 minutes.

Rest the chicken. Remove the baking dish from the oven, cover with aluminum foil, and let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. This will help it be more tender. Eat and enjoy!

We'll show you how to make juicy, totally tender burgers on the stove top, start to finish. No need to go out - stay in tonight and have a homemade burger!

How To Make Burgers on the Stovetop

beef (80% to 85% lean)

Kosher salt

hamburger buns, split

Butter

Burger toppings: sliced tomatoes, sliced onions, lettuce, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce, pickles, relish

Divide the ground beef. Divide the ground beef into 4 or 6 portions, depending on the number of burgers you would like to make.

Shape the patties. Gently press each portion of ground beef into a disk about 1-inch thick. Press the middle to create a shallow &quot;dimple&quot; and pat the edges into a round — the patty should look like a frisbee and be slightly larger than your burger buns. Don&#x27;t worry if there are some cracks in the edges; try not to mash the beef too much as you shape the patties. 

Warm the pan. Heat a pat of butter or a teaspoon of oil in a griddle or large skillet over medium heat.

Toast the buns. Working in batches if needed, place the bun halves cut-side down in the warm butter or oil. Toast until the surface is golden-brown. Transfer the toasted buns to a serving plate.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Increase the heat to medium-high, and keep a careful eye on the pan. When you see the first wisp of smoke, you&#x27;re ready to cook the burgers.

Cook the burgers for 3 to 5 minutes. Place the burger patties in the hot pan, leaving a little space between each one. Work in batches if necessary. The burgers should sizzle on contact — if they don&#x27;t, nudge the heat up a little. Generously season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

Flip the burgers and cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Quickly slide a spatula under the burgers and flip to the other side. You should see a dark brown sear on the underside — if not, increase your heat next time. Season the other side generously with salt and pepper, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes to your preferred doneness. If the burger falls apart when you flip, just press the edges together and carry on — your burger will still be great!

To make cheeseburgers. If making cheeseburgers, top the burgers with cheese as soon as you flip them. If the cheese isn&#x27;t melting fast enough, cover the pan with a lid or other dome to encourage the cheese to melt.

Finish the burgers. When the burgers have finished cooking, transfer them to the toasted buns and finish with your favorite burger toppings.

Kitchn&#x27;s easy recipe for brining a turkey for Thanksgiving.

How To Brine a Turkey

turkey

Aromatic options: bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, juniper berries, allspice berries, orange peels, lemon peels, etc.

divided

kosher salt, salt

Find a pot and make fridge space. Find a pot or food-safe bucket large enough that you will be able to entirely submerge the turkey. Next, clear some refrigerator space and make sure your pot will fit.

Place the turkey in the pot. Unwrap your turkey and remove the giblets, then transfer it to the pot. Add any aromatics you&#x27;d like to use.

Mix the brine solution. Heat 1 quart of water in the microwave until warmed — it doesn&#x27;t need to come to a boil, just be warm enough to dissolve the salt. Add the salt and stir until the salt is dissolved. Let the liquid cool slightly; it&#x27;s fine if it&#x27;s still a touch warm.

Pour the brine solution over the turkey. Pour the salt water over the turkey.

Pour the remaining 3 quarts of water over the turkey. Add the remaining 3 quarts cold water. This dilutes the salt solution to the best ratio for brining and also helps further cool the solution.

Make sure the turkey is completely submerged. If needed, prepare more brine solution at a ratio of 1/4 cup salt per quart of water to completely submerge the turkey.

Cover and refrigerate. If the turkey floats, weigh it down with a dinner plate. Cover and place it in the refrigerator.

Brine for 12 to 24 hours. Brine the turkey in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.

Rinse the turkey in cool water and pat dry. Remove the turkey from the brine and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Clean your sink thoroughly after doing this step to avoid cross-contamination. 

Dry for another 24 hours for crispier skin (optional). If you have time, let the turkey air-dry overnight in the refrigerator. Place the turkey on a roasting rack set inside a roasting pan and cover loosely with plastic wrap to prevent cross contamination. This drying step will give your turkey crispier skin.

Roast as usual, but check your turkey early. You can roast the turkey either immediately after brining or after air-drying. I&#x27;ve found that brined turkeys tend to cook a bit more quickly, so roast as usual, but start checking the turkey&#x27;s temperature an hour before the end of your estimated cooking time.

How to make spectacular bacon, the easy way. Learn what pan to use, how long to cook it, and more, plus a tip for extra-crispy bacon. 

How To Make Perfect Bacon in the Oven

bacon

Heat the oven to 400°F and prepare the baking sheet. Arrange rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil, making sure there is overhang on all 4 sides (overlap a few sheets if needed, this makes cleanup easier).

Arrange the bacon on the baking sheet. Arrange 12 ounces bacon on the baking sheet in a single layer. The slices can be close together or touching, but don&#x27;t let them overlap or they&#x27;ll stick together during cooking.

Bake the bacon. Bake until the bacon is deep golden-brown and crispy, about 14 minutes for regular bacon and 18 minutes for thick-cut bacon. Exact baking time will depend on the thickness of the bacon and how crispy you like it. Begin checking the bacon after 12 minutes. The bacon fat will sputter and bubble as the bacon cooks, but shouldn&#x27;t splatter the way it does on the stovetop.

Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to the paper towels to drain and finish crisping. Serve immediately. 

Clean up. If you want to save the bacon grease, let it cool slightly, then pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof container and refrigerate. If you don&#x27;t want to save the grease, let it solidify on the baking sheet, then crumple the foil or paper around it and discard.

The easiest recipe for tender, juicy pork chops that turn out perfectly every time. All you need? Cast iron skillet and your oven. No brining necessary!

How To Cook Tender & Juicy Pork Chops in the Oven

water, divided

kosher salt (or 2 1/2 tablespoons table salt)

garlic

pork

Brine the pork chops (optional). If you have time, brining the pork for even a brief period adds flavor and ensures juiciness in the finished chop. Bring 1 cup of the water to a boil, add the salt and optional flavorings, and stir to dissolve the salt. Add 2 more cups of cold water to bring the temperature of the brine down to room temperature. Place the pork chops in a shallow dish and pour the brine over top. The brine should cover the chops — if not, add additional water and salt (1 cup water to 1 tablespoon salt) until the chops are submerged. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Heat the oven and skillet. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F. Place a large ovensafe skillet in the oven to heat as well. While the oven heats, prepare the pork chops. 

Season the pork chops. Remove the chops from the brine; if you didn&#x27;t brine, remove the chops from their packaging. Pat dry with paper towels. Rub both sides with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Set the chops aside while the oven finishes heating.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Using oven mitts, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven and set it over medium-high heat on the stovetop. Turn on a vent fan or open a window.

Sear the pork chops. Place the pork chops in the hot skillet. You should hear them immediately begin to sizzle. Sear until the bottom of the chops are golden-brown, about 3 minutes. The chops may start to smoke a little — that&#x27;s ok. Turn down the heat if it becomes excessive.

Flip the chops and transfer to the oven. Use tongs to flip the pork chops. Using oven mitts, immediately place the skillet in the oven.

Roast the chops until cooked through. Roast until the pork chops are cooked through and register 140°F to 145°F in the thickest part of the meat with an instant-read thermometer. Cooking time will be 6 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops, how cool they were at the start of cooking, and whether they were brined. Start checking the chops at 6 minutes and continue checking every minute or two until the chops are ready.

Rest the chops. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and pour any pan juices over the top (or reserve for making a pan sauce or gravy). Tent loosely with foil and let the chops rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Bone broth is made by simmering beef bones with vegetables until you end up with a rich, nutritious, deeply savory broth. It's a perfect base for soups.

How To Make Bone Broth on the Stove or in the Slow Cooker 

beef

filtered water,

apple cider vinegar

carrot

onion

Preheat the oven to 400°F and rinse the bones. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 400°F. Place the bones in a colander, rinse under cool water, and pat dry with paper towels. 

Roast the bones for 30 minutes. Arrange the bones in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until golden-brown, about 30 minutes. 

Cover the bones with water and the vinegar and rest for 30 minutes. Transfer the hot bones to a large stockpot. Add the water and vinegar and stir to combine. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. 

Bring the pot to a simmer over high heat. Bring the water to a rapid simmer over high heat. 

Skim the broth for the first hour. Immediately turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Check the pot occasionally, skimming off any foam that collects on the surface and adding additional water as needed to keep the ingredients covered. Cover and keep the broth at a low simmer for 24 hours. 

Add the onions and carrots and cook for another 12 to 24 hours. Add the carrots and onions and continue to simmer for 12 to 24 hours more, adding more filtered water as needed to keep the bones covered. The broth is done when it is a rich golden-brown and the bones are falling apart at the joints.  

Strain the bone broth. When the broth is finished, strain and cool the bone broth as quickly as possible. Set a strainer over a large pot or even a stand mixer bowl and line it with cheesecloth if desired. Carefully strain the bone broth into it. Discard the spent bits of bone and vegetables. 

Cool the bone broth and store. Prepare an ice bath by either filling a sink or basin with cold water and ice and set the pot of broth inside the ice bath. Stir regularly until the broth is cooled to about 50°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer the broth to airtight containers or jars. Refrigerate or freeze. 

Stovetop Instructions

Cover the bones with 3 quarts cool water and the vinegar and rest for 30 minutes. Transfer the bones to a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the water and vinegar and stir to combine. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.  

Bring to a simmer on the HIGH setting. Turn the slow cooker to the HIGH setting high and bring the broth mixture to a simmer.

Skim the broth for the first hour. Check the slow cooker occasionally, skimming off any foam that collects on the surface the first hour and adding additional water as needed to keep the ingredients covered. Keep the broth at a low simmer on HIGH for 24 hours. 

Add the onions and carrots and cook for another 12 to 24 hours. Add the carrots and onions and continue to simmer on the HIGH setting for 12 to 24 hours more, adding more filtered water as needed to keep the bones covered. The broth is done when it is a rich golden-brown and the bones are falling apart at the joints.  

Slow Cooker Instructions

Here is our super basic, super simple, super easy recipe for roasting a super beautiful turkey.

How To Cook a Turkey for Thanksgiving

turkey,

low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth, water, or other liquid

(1 cup) melted unsalted butter

Prepare the turkey for roasting. Thirty minutes to an hour before roasting, take the turkey out of the refrigerator. Remove any packaging and the bag of giblets (check in the body cavity and in the neck cavity). Set the turkey breast-side up on the roasting rack set in a roasting pan and let it sit while the oven preheats. This takes the chill off the meat, which helps the meat cook faster and more evenly. It also gives the skin time to dry out, which promotes browning and crisping. (Note: Your turkey will likely still feel cool to the touch after sitting at room temperature — that&#x27;s fine and you can continue on with roasting.)

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Position an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven, remove any racks above it, and heat the oven to 450°F. If you brined your turkey, as we did, no need to do anything now. If your turkey is straight out of the package, rub it with some salt and pepper before putting it in the oven. We recommend leaving your turkey un-stuffed and un-trussed, both because it&#x27;s easier and because the turkey will cook more evenly.

Add liquid to the roasting pan. When ready to roast, pour the broth or water into the roasting pan.

Place the turkey in the oven and turn down the heat. Place the turkey in the oven and turn down the heat to 350°F. We recommend roasting turkeys breast-side up. Some people like starting the turkey breast-side down to shield the breast meat, but the idea of flipping a hot, sputtering turkey is not our idea of a good time. Instead, we prefer to simply shield the breast meat with aluminum foil toward the end of cooking if it starts getting too browned.

Roast the turkey. The rule of thumb for cooking a turkey is 13 minutes per pound. So our 16-pound turkey was estimated to cook in about 3 1/2 hours. However, some factors like brining the bird, cooking with an empty (un-stuffed) cavity, and leaving the legs un-trussed will contribute to much faster cooking. Plan on the 13-minute-per-pound rule, but start checking the temperature of your turkey about halfway through the scheduled cooking time to gauge how fast it&#x27;s cooking.

Baste the turkey every 45 minutes. Every 45 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven, close the oven door (don&#x27;t let that heat out!), and baste the turkey all over. To baste, tilt the pan if needed and use a turkey baster or spoon to scoop up the pan liquids and drizzle them on top of the turkey. Basting with pan juices cools the surface of the turkey and slows down cooking, which in turn keeps the breast meat cooking at close to the same rate as the legs and thighs. In the last 45 minutes or so of cooking, you can also baste the turkey with melted butter or oil. This helps crisp up the skin and turn it a beautiful deep golden brown.

Check the turkey&#x27;s temperature. Begin checking the turkey&#x27;s temperature about halfway through the estimated cooking time. Check the temperature in three places: the breast, outer thigh, and inside thigh (see photos above). In every case, the meat should be at least 165°F when the turkey has finished cooking. If any place is under that temperature, put the turkey back in the oven for another 20 minutes. Shield the breast meat with foil if needed to keep it from overcooking.

Rest the turkey before carving. Remove the turkey from the oven. Grab one side of the roasting rack with an oven mitt and tilt the whole pan so the liquids inside the turkey cavity run out into the pan. (These juices are used to make the gravy.) Then, lift the whole turkey (still on the rack) and transfer it to a clean cutting board. Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This gives time for the meat to firm up and the juices to be re-absorbed into the muscle tissue, making the turkey easier to slice and taste juicier.

Carve the turkey. Carve the turkey the same way you would carve a chicken; see the video above for a walk-through of the process. Remove the wings first, then the thighs, then the breast meat. Once you have the meat off, you can separate the thighs into thighs and drumsticks and carve the breast meat into individual slices.

Don&#x27;t forget about the leftovers. One final note! Once you&#x27;ve sat down at the table, don&#x27;t forget about the turkey back on the counter. The leftover meat needs to be refrigerated within two hours of cooking, after which the risk of something nasty taking up residence starts to increase exponentially. Be safe!

This lemony chicken marinade will leave you with juicy chicken hot off the grill. 

How To Make the Ultimate Marinade for Juicy Chicken

lemon juice

water

honey

Make the marinade. Place the olive oil, lemon juice, water, garlic, honey, salt, and pepper in a gallon zip-top bag and stir to combine. If using drumsticks or thighs, place in the marinade.

Pound any chicken breasts. If using chicken breasts, place 1 or 2 in another gallon zip-top bag. Press out extra air, seal the bag, and use the flat side of a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the thickest part of the breast so that it is the same thickness as the rest of the breast. 

Marinate the chicken. Add the chicken breasts to the bag of marinade. Seal the bag and massage the chicken to coat in the marinade. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and position it so that the bag sits flat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight. 

Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels. Place on the baking sheet for easy transport to the grill.

Grill the chicken. Heat an outdoor grill for both high direct and indirect heat. Scrape any debris from the grill grates and oil well. Place the chicken on the grill over direct heat, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken, cover, and cook for 3 minutes more. Move the chicken to indirect heat and cook, covered, until the thickest piece registers 165°F on a instant-read thermometer, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a clean serving platter.

How To Dry-Brine a Turkey

herbs,

Mix the dry brine together. Mix the salt, pepper, and herbs together in a small bowl.

Remove the turkey from the packaging and remove any unnecessary parts. Take the turkey out of the packaging and place on a cutting board. Remove the giblets and neck from inside the cavity and discard or save for another use. Remove or discard any plastic or metal cages or pop-up thermometers.

Pat the turkey dry. Pat the outside of the turkey dry with paper towels. (If you are planning to spatchcock your turkey, do it now before you proceed with the next step.)

Loosen the skin. Using your hands, loosen the skin over the breast and separate it from the meat, making sure to break through the thin membrane between the skin and breast while leaving the skin itself intact. Loosen the skin over the meaty part of the legs.

Season the cavity. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the cavity of the turkey.

Season the meat. Rub another 2 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the meat of the legs (under the skin). Rub 4 teaspoons of the salt mixture into the meat of the breasts (under the skin).

Season the skin. Sprinkle the remaining salt mixture over all the skin of both the breasts and legs.

Tuck the wings back. Bend the wings back and tuck under the breast.

Refrigerate. Place the turkey breast-side up in a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 day but ideally 3 days. You do not need to pat it dry before cooking — it&#x27;s ready to be roasted, grilled, or deep-fried!

How To Make Braised Short Ribs in the Oven

bone-in beef short ribs

vegetable oil

onion,

liquid,

Heat the oven and season the meat. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven, remove the racks above it, and heat to 325°F. Brush each short rib with the oil, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Brown the short ribs. Heat a deep, wide Dutch oven or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the short ribs in one layer, leaving room between each and working in batches if necessary. Now would be a good moment to turn on your hood vent or fan, if you have one! Sear the short ribs without moving for several minutes on each side, letting them brown deeply. Use tongs to turn and sear all sides. This will take about 15 minutes total.

Cook the onions. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion and garlic around the browned short ribs. Let the onions cook until they soften, about 5 minutes.

Add liquid. Add the liquid — beer, wine, or broth — and bring to a simmer.

Braise in the oven. After the liquid comes to a simmer, add the herb sprigs. Cover and place in the oven. (Alternately, this is the point where you can transfer to the slow cooker for 8 hours on the LOW setting, or continue cooking on very low heat on the stovetop.) Braise in the oven until the meat is very tender and pulling away from the bone, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

Rest the meat. When the meat is done, rest in a covered pan for 20 minutes before serving. Serve by gently tugging the chunks of meat away from the bone and spooning the saucy onions over top.

OPTIONAL STEP — Refrigerate overnight. While short ribs can be served immediately, they are a very fatty cut, which makes the dish very rich and even greasy. I prefer to let the ribs sit in the sauce and cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate them overnight. At this point, you can scrape away the hardened layer of fat from the top before reheating. They will also improve in flavor and tenderness while resting overnight.

Reheat. To reheat, cover and warm over low heat on the stove for 15 to 20 minutes.

All you need is your handy cast iron skillet and few key techiniques to make crispy, juicy pan-fried pork chops.

How To Make Easy Pan-Fried Pork Chops

bone-in pork chops, preferably rib chops (1 1/2 inches thick, 8 to 10 ounces each)

room-temperature water

sugar

unsalted butter

Tenderize the pork chops with a fork. Place the pork chops on a large plate or baking sheet. (Optional — place a wire rack on a baking sheet.) Prick the chops all over with a fork, about 1/8 inch deep. Flip the pork chops and repeat pricking the other side. 

Brine the pork chops. Place the water, salt, and brown sugar in a gallon zip-top bag and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add the pork chops and seal the bag. Place the bag on a rimmed baking sheet and arrange so that the pork chops are sitting in a single layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. 

Drain and pat the chops dry. Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat and sear. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot and just beginning to smoke. Add the pork chops and cook for 1 minute on each side — they should begin to brown and release some fat into the pan. 

Continuing flipping and cooking for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes more, flipping the chops every minute, until they register 135°F in the thickest part. 

Butter baste off the heat. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter, thyme, and garlic. Use a large spoon to spoon the melted butter over the pork chops. Flip the pork chops and baste again. Let the pork chops rest in the pan until they reach 140 to 145°F, 5 to 7 minutes.

Slice and serve. Slice the pork chops across the grain and serve with the butter sauce. 

Turkey breasts are a cinch to roast — no flipping, no basting, no fuss. Here&#x27;s a recipe to show you how to cook it, step by step.

How To Cook Turkey Breast

unsalted butter olive oil

Transfer the roasting pan to a roasting pan. Transfer the turkey breast to a roasting rack set in a roasting pan, or place on top of vegetables in a skillet or other baking dish. Set aside while the oven heats.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Arrange a oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat the oven to 450°F.

Rub the turkey breast with butter and seasonings. Pat the skin of the turkey breast dry with paper towels. Rub the turkey breast all over with the butter or oil. If desired, loosen the skin and rub some butter into the meat under the skin as well. Season the breast all over with salt and pepper (with some under the skin, if desired). Rub the seasonings into the skin. If you&#x27;re cooking a half-breast, pull the skin to cover the meat as much as possible.

Lower the oven to 350°F and roast the turkey for 1 hour. Place the turkey in the oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350°F. Roast for 1 hour, then begin checking the temperature.

Check the turkey&#x27;s temperature. The turkey is done when it reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast meat. Start checking after 1 hour of roasting and continue checking every 10 to 15 minutes until the breast is cooked through.

Cover the turkey to prevent over-browning. If the skin over the breast meat begins to brown too darkly toward the end of cooking, cover it with aluminum foil to prevent scorching.

Rest the turkey. When cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and cover it loosely with foil. Let the turkey rest for 15 to 20 minutes; this gives the juices time to redistribute and the turkey time to firm up. (Pour the drippings and juices from the pan into a measuring cup for making gravy!)

Carve the turkey. Transfer the turkey to a clean cutting board. Starting at the breast bone, carve the turkey. Continue carving, keeping your knife as close to the ribs as possible, until the whole breast is carved from the bone; some meat will still be left on the bone. Once no longer attached to the bone, slice the breast crosswise into slices.

How To Cook Salmon in the Oven

salmon

Lemon

Preheat the oven to 425°F: Heat the oven to 425°F with a rack placed in the middle. Line a roasting pan or baking sheet with foil.

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