Thanksgiving

Epic Charcuterie Cheese Board on a Budget

If you are throwing a holiday party or having a lots of guests over for a shindig and you want to create a show-stopping platter, then you need to make this Epic Charcuterie Cheese Board on a Budget!

In this post we’ll cover:

How to raid your pantry for charcuterie board items
What types of nuts, dried fruit, and fresh fruit to buy
What are the best cheeses on a charcuterie board
Delicious options for olives and pickled items, jams, crackers, and additional add-ons
Several options for each item category so you can mix and match based on your budget
Where to shop for these items (in the U.S) to find the best deals
Options for charcuterie serving boards
How to assemble a charcuterie platter with WOW factor
I’ll include a free downloadable checklist so you can check off things you already have in your fridge or pantry and to use as a shopping list too!

Raid your pantry and fridge first

When creating this charcuterie cheese board I was amazed at how many different items I had on hand in my pantry and fridge. I had plenty of crackers, olives, stone-ground mustard, and dried fruit that was still fresh and needed to be enjoyed. I ended up buying too much at the store because I didn’t check what I had on hand first.

On the downloadable checklist you can mark off what you already have so you don’t overspend.

Please taste-test your items first to make sure everything is fresh and not stale or past the sell by date!

Where to find the best deals on Charcuterie items (U.S.)

Aldi, Costco, and Sam’s Club will have the best deals on nuts, cheeses, salami, and dry-cured sausages. It’s worth the trip to any one of these stores if you have one close by because the savings are enormous!

Pro-tip: If you are making this cheese board during the busy holiday season, buy your nuts, cheeses, and dry-cured sausages right away since some stores like Aldi will often sell out. Since these items are preserved and shrink-wrapped, they will last for at least a couple of months.

The only exception may be Brie cheese or other soft cheeses. Check the sell-by dates on these items and purchased as far in advance as possible so you can be ahead of the holiday frenzy!

Nuts, dried fruit, and fresh fruit

Based on what I found in stores, the “mixed nuts” containers were the most affordable and best option because you have a nice variety of nuts in one container instead of having to buy several different kinds and having too many leftovers. The container I purchased had pecans, cashews, almonds, brazil nuts, and hazelnuts.

Nuts, dried fruit, and fresh fruit options:

Pecans
Walnuts
Pistachios
Cashews
Marcona Almonds (they are more buttery than regular almonds…pricey but SO good)
Apricots
Dried Figs (Fresh figs are great but they spoil very quickly)
Dates
Golden Raisins
Grapes

Pro-tip: Although pears and apples are wonderful on a charcuterie cheese board, you have to soak them in lemon water beforehand to prevent browning. If you are throwing a party yourself, this is an inconvenient extra step that can’t be done far in advance.

This is why I just used grapes. They require no prep and you can leave them on the stems which looks prettier anyway!

Meats, cheeses, and olives for a charcuterie cheese board

There is really no right or wrong answer to what type of cheese goes best on a charcuterie board. It’s merely a question of how much you want to spend and what type you and your guests will love.

Usually 3-4 cheese options are a good mix. Make sure to have mild option, a soft cheese, and a firm cheese. If you or your guests like robust cheeses, then bleu cheese, goat cheese, or a fancy French cheese are good to serve.

Cheese Options:

Aged White Cheddar
Yellow Cheddar for a more affordable option
Goat Cheese
Boursin Cheese (it’s a soft spreadable cheese that’s so good)
Smoked Gouda
Provolone
Brie
Manchego (pricey, but Aldi and Costco have waaaay lower prices)
Gruyere (same as above)
Bleu Cheese
Whole Mozzarella if you like Italian cheeses

Just go into your local grocery stores and see what they have available and what their prices are. Again, Aldi and Costco will often be 30-40% less than regular grocery stores!

Olives and Pickled things:

The prices of olives depends on the brand and quality. The ones in glass jars tend to cost more than canned ones, but are better tasting in my opinion. I also prefer them to be packed in water and spices instead of oil. I usually drizzle olive oil on top before serving anyway.

Green Olives
Casteveltrano Olives (my favorite green olives, a bit pricier than regular olives)
Black Kalamata olives
Bleu Cheese stuffed olives (pricier but are great if you love bleu cheese)
Cornichons (they look like miniature pickles)
Pickled carrots and other veggies
Olives in glass jars with spices

Dry-Cured Meats:

Thin-sliced Salami (price depends on the brand)
Bite-size Salami circles (price depends on brand)
Pepperoni (most affordable option)
Dry Sausage flavored with spices or wine
Proscuitto (pricey but good)

The prices for all of dry-cured meats vary, pepperoni being the most affordable. Having 1-2 options for dry-cured sausage is great.

Pro-tip: If you look at the pre-packaged dry-cured sausages, check the price per ounce. Then go to the deli counter and check the price per ounce there to see the best deal and most flavor options. But again, Aldi and Costco have best prices!

Crackers, Jams, and add-ons

When picking a jam, go with something that pairs well with savory food. This is why I only recommend a few options.

Jams and spreads:

1-2 options for a jam or spread is perfect

Fig Jam is my absolute favorite. I splurged on the fig jam with the seeds in it because it looks and tastes wonderful. You can find more affordable fig jam without the seeds that’s still great.
Apricot Jam
Blackberry Jam
Apple Butter
Honey
Honeycomb (this is show-stopping and delicious to serve but it’s more of a splurge)
Stone-ground Mustard or Spicy Brown Mustard

Crackers and bread:

It’s time to raid your shelves for all those cracker boxes hiding in the back. You can easily find gluten free crackers at grocery stores if need be.

Sliced baguette
Seeded crackers (like sesame crackers) or gluten-free seeded crackers
Plain crackers
Pita Chips (so crunchy and so good!)
Bagel Chips
Wafer Crackers

Options for charcuterie serving boards

Believe it or not, you likely have a serving platter that’s perfect for your charcuterie board. If you don’t have one large piece, you can use 2-3 pieces to serve everything on.

I actually used my lazy susan from World Maket that I use on my kitchen counter. It’s 18 inches in diameter so it’s great for large gatherings. Plus your guests can swivel the lazy susan around to reach their food!

If you are on a tight budget there is no need to go out and buy a wood board for your charcuterie platter.

Serving Boards:

Large cutting boards (preferably wood)
Several small serving platters or one large platter
Round or rectangular wooden cutting boards
I used this large (not sponsored) Lazy Susan from World Market
A piece of slate tile from Home Depot or Lowe’s

How to assemble a charcuterie cheese board

This was my first cheese board I ever assembled that looked beautiful. So if I can do it, you can do it. I recently attended a food photography workshop and learned a lot about food styling so I was able to apply what I learned to this board.

Place bowls of items on your board in staggered positions so they aren’t perfectly lined up (olives, jams, spreads).
Start by placing some items around the rim of your board to act as a wall to hold everything in place (grapes, cheese slices, etc).
If using thin round slices of salami, fold them in half, then fold in half again. Line them up facing up in a curve, a straight line, or an S-curve for visual interest.
Wrap slices of cheese or other items around the curve of your bowls. I wrapped Manchego triangle slices around the bowl of olives as you can see below.
If you are slicing rounds of cheese, slice them into triangles and alternate every other piece (one pointing one way, and the other pointing the other direction).
Line up items in rows as you lay them down or cluster them together. Alternating between the two is visually interesting.
Pre-cut slices of brie (if using) into triangles so your guests don’t have to do that. Top the brie with jam or sweet spread of your choice. You can also add some honeycomb to the top if you have it! Add fresh or dried fruit on top that pairs well with the jam you used. I used a dried fig.
If you know your guests love brie with toppings, you can serve extra helpings on the side on another platter.
Fill in all the cracks of your board! Add extra items into any spots that need filling.
Place tiny spoons or cheese knives for the spreads, honey, and jam.

Ok, are you ready to create your own epic charcuterie cheese board?! What are your favorite things to enjoy on a cheese platter? Comment below!

Don’t forget to download and print off your charcuterie board checklist here. It’s FREE and no strings attached!

Pin this image on Pinterest

Bon Appetit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

Epic Charcuterie Cheese Board on a Budget

Learn how to assemble a show-stopping charcuterie cheese board so you can mix and match items based on your budget.

Course Appetizer

Keyword best charcuterie board, charcuterie cheese board, cheese board

Prep Time 30 minutes

Author Leslie Osborne

Ingredients

Options For the Olives and Pickled Items

1 jar Green Olives Castelvetrano are my favorite, packed in water
Black Kalamata Olives packed in water
1 jar pickled vegetables optional
olive oil for drizzling on olives
1 jar cornichons they look like tiny whole pickles
Choose 1 or all of these options above! you might not use all of each jar

Options for Dry-Cured Meats

8 oz Bite-size salami circles
16 oz Salami slices
1 package pepperoni
1 package proscuitto
or other dry-cured sausage flavor
Pick 1 or 2 of these options for your platter

Options for Nuts, Dried Fruit, and Fresh Fruit

1 container Mixed Nuts (cashews, walnuts, pecans, almonds, brazil nuts, etc) you only need about 10-12 ounces
Or mix and match nuts below, 10-12 ounces altogether
Pistachios
Almonds
Walnuts
Cashews
Marcona Almonds a bit pricey but so good!
Dried Apricots
Dried figs
you only need about 5-6 ounces of dried fruit
or a handful of golden raisins
2 bunches of grapes less than 1 bag

Jams and Spreads

1 jar fig spread
1 jar apricot jam
1 jar blackberry jam
honey
Apple Butter
honeycomb (it's fancy and a bit pricey but so good!)
choose 1 or 2 of the above jams or spreads
2 Tbsp Stone ground or spicy mustard

Options for Crackers and Bread

2 handfuls of crackers
1 handful Pita chips
1 handful Bagel Chips
Seeded crackers or gluten free crackers
1 baguette sliced
Choose 1-3 of the options above

Instructions

Use one extra large platter or wooden board or large cutting board to serve the charcuterie items. A piece of slate tile from Home Depot works too.
Assemble the cheese board ingredients by placing the items in bowls on the board first.
Then place the grapes and different items around the perimeter to keep the ingredients from falling off the board.
If using thin slices of salami, fold them in half, then fold in half again. Line them up in an s-curve, or shape them around the outside of one of the bowls, or line them up in a row.
You can line up the cheese slices, nuts, dried fruit, crackers or bread, and meats in rows or little piles.
Cut the brie and any other cheeses that are shaped as rounds into triangles and place them on the platter. Top the brie with jam or honey (and honeycomb) of choice.
Finish by drizzling the olives with a bit of olive oil if using olives packed in water.

Making the cheese board ahead of time

If you want to make it ahead of time, make sure you have room in your fridge for the board or platter you are using. Place all of the items except for the nuts, crackers and/or bread on the platter and cover with plastic wrap. Leave room for the crackers or bread and place them on the platter before serving.
If your platter is too big to fit in your fridge, prepare the cheeses ahead of time by slicing them and top the brie with jam. Then save about 15-20 minutes to style your board before guests arrive.

Sauces

EASY CRANBERRY CLEMENTINE SAUCE

Let’s make the easiest and tastiest 15-minute cranberry sauce EVER! You can make it up to three days in advance too.

This Easy Cranberry Clementine Sauce post and photos were updated in November of 2019.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and therefore deserves some RESPECT!! When I think of Thanksgiving, I feel no pressure. It’s ALL. ABOUT. FOOD. And food, I can do.

Cranberry sauce is literally the EASIEST dish you can make, yet is often overlooked as something that should be made from scratch. It takes around 10-15 minutes from start to finish, and most of that time is spent simmering.

Sure, you can buy it from a can, but once you try the homemade version, you will NEVER go back to store-bought! I love this sauce so much, that even if I’m not hosting dinner I make sure to bring some just in case the home I’m going to decides to take a shortcut with the canned version.

I normally make mine with whatever oranges are available, but this year I decided to try clementines because of their burst of citrus goodness. If you can’t find clementines, just sub with whatever type of oranges look and smell fresh.

Don’t use canned orange juice because the zest is what takes this cranberry sauce to new heights!! This cranberry sauce can be made up to three days in advance and stored in the fridge.

More Delightful Thanksgiving Recipes

Get recipe inspiration, planning tips, and a downloadable timeline guide for prepping for Thanksgiving here on my post for How to Host an Epic Thanksgiving.

And YES, you can even learn how to keep mashed potatoes warm for 4 fours!

How to make this Clementine Cranberry Sauce

Start by zesting two clementines and set aside the zest. Juice four clementines and add it to a saucepan with water and sugar over medium heat. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and add the cranberries.

Simmer the cranberries for about 8-10 minutes until all the berries have burst open.

Add the zest off the heat and stir to combine. Let cool and place in a covered container in the fridge for up to three days in advance (really this will last much longer because the sugar acts as a preservative).

Will homemade cranberry sauce thicken as it cools?

Yes! Once it cools and you let it refrigerate it will naturally thicken. However, it won’t be thick like jelly, it will be a bit looser than that, which is a good thing.

Bon appetit ya’ll,

Leslie O.

Easy Cranberry Clementine Sauce

Fresh Cranberries and clementines burst with flavor in this easy and tasty Thanksgiving side!

Course Thanksgiving

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 6

Author Leslie Osborne

Ingredients

12 oz fresh cranberries one bag
4 clementines or 1 large orange zested and juiced
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar

Instructions

Zest the rind of two clementines, set aside. Make sure not to get the white parts of the orange in the zest as it's bitter.
Extract the juice of all 4 clementines and measure to get 1/2 cup.
In a medium saucepan, heat water, sugar, and clementine juice together to dissolve sugar. Once dissolved, add cranberries.
Gently simmer cranberries for 8-10 minutes, or until all the berries have softened and popped open.
Remove from the heat and stir in clementine zest.
Cool and place in a covered container. Keep chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.
This cranberry sauce can be made up to three days in advance.

Baking

Thanksgiving Cooking Timeline | Recipes & Prep

The stress of hosting a Thanksgiving dinner is enough to give you holiday PTSD. But today I’m we’re talking about how to host an epic Thanksgiving dinner with tons of recipes (many which can be made in advance), a prep list, and Thanksgiving cooking timeline. And YES…you can even make your mashed potatoes up to four hours in advance!

MY #1 TIP TO A STRESS-FREE THANKSGIVING MEAL

If you aren’t able to bake desserts in advance, then let someone else bring desserts. There is no need to stress yourself out over making a pie from scratch on the day of your gathering. Instead, bake everything you can in advance so that the oven is free to bake the most important dish of all, THE TURKEY!

Ok….Ready, set, shop/prep/bake/cook.

When you click the box above, a black screen with the document should appear. In the upper right-hand corner, there will be an arrow pointing downward. Click the arrow to download it to your computer, then drag to your desktop, and print!

THE MENU

APPETIZERS

Warm Apple Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Make the vinaigrette up to two days in advance, toast the almonds up to one day in advance

ROLLS

Sourdough Garlic Rosemary Rolls

You can make these up to one month in advance, let cool, wrap really well and freeze. Thaw on the morning of, brush with more butter and garlic, then reheat while the turkey is resting.

P.S. You can substitute whole wheat flour for spelt flour in this recipe. There are three recipes attached to this post.

MAIN DISHES

Epic Duck Fat Roasted Turkey

Read the full post for the 5 Secrets to an Epic Turkey! Buy your turkey ASAP (and freeze), whenever they are available. Allow for at least two-three full days of thawing, plus one day for brining.

How to Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm (for up to 4 hours)!

There is a recipe attached to the mashed potato post, but you can also make the Creme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes and keep them warm for 4 hours (they’re my absolute favorite)!

Southern Cornbread Stuffing (it just happens to be Gluten Free)

Make the cornbread in advance, wrap well and freeze, thaw and let dry out. Then make stuffing. You can par-bake the stuffing, let cool, then wrap really well and freeze. Thaw, then add some turkey drippings on top to moisten, and pop back in the oven while the turkey is resting to finish baking!

Easy 15-Minute Cranberry Clementine Sauce

Once you make your own cranberry sauce, you will never go back to the canned crap! Make it up to three days in advance, cover and refrigerate.

Pies and Tarts

Perfect Pie Crust

Make all of your pie crusts in advance (this recipe makes two). Form into disks, refrigerate, then roll out between two sheets of plastic wrap. Place on a plate to keep flat, then freeze for up to one month (making sure it’s wrapped really well in plastic wrap).

Bourbon Apple Streusel Pie

If an apple pie and an apple crisp had a baby it would be this apple streusal pie with a bourbon sauce! The bourbon sauce flavors the apples while the the streusel topping adds texture. I have 20 step-by-step photos for how to make the pie crust and pie from scratch so you can easily replicate this utterly delicious pie.

Peach Crostata with Spiced Crumble

Use the perfect pie crust recipe above, and make a crostata instead of a pie. WHY? Because it’s SO easy to shape. It folds over the filling and looks so pretty in a cast iron skillet.

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust

There are step-by-step photos and a video for this one! Make this pie up to two days in advance. Keep covered in the fridge until serving. Tastes great cold!

When you click the box above, a black screen with the document should appear. In the upper right-hand corner, there will be an arrow pointing downward. Click the arrow to download it to your computer, then drag to your desktop, and print!

Here’s to the most EPIC Thanksgiving dinner ever!

Bon Appetit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

Baking

CREAM CHEESE PUMPKIN PIE & GINGERSNAP CRUST

When Sprouts Market asked me to create a recipe with Pumpkin as the shining star, there was no other recipe that I wanted to nail other than Pumpkin Pie with a Gingersnap Crust.

The problem is, pumpkin pie can be quite boring and ordinary if you don’t perfect the texture of the filling and the crust.

This was how a conversation with my mom went after she tried the first pumpkin pie recipe I baked:

Mom: “The pumpkin pie you made is perfect! ”

Me: “Well thanks, but I’m going to make it again because I’m not crazy about the texture of the filling.”

Mom: “YOU ARE CRAZY, it doesn’t need any tweaking. It’s perfect as is!!”

Me: “No, I can make it better, I’m positive. I’m going to make it again.”

Mom: “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!!!!! Don’t change the recipe!!!!!!!”

(We go back and forth a couple of more times).

Me: “I’m going to add cream cheese to the filling next time to make it fluffier.”

Mom: (Pauses) “Ok, well maybe that would make it better.” (THEN SILENCE)

Not to boast, but I was right. CREAM CHEESE has been the missing ingredient in basically every pumpkin pie I’ve ever tried! Yet, this isn’t like a heavy pumpkin cheesecake. It makes the most fluffy and creamy pumpkin pie filling EVER!

Of course, this Gingersnap Crust with brown sugar and butter adds that needed CRUNCH and FLAVOR to ensure every bite is deeeelicious.

I used a food processor, (affiliate link) but by all means, add the gingersnaps to a large plastic ziploc bag and pound out all your anger frustrations to crumble them. Then you can add everything to a bowl and stir together.

With this easy gingersnap crust, there is no need to worry about rolling out the perfect pie crust with 170 roses on top.

Just flatten the crust with your hands in a deep dish pie pan (affiliate link) and mold it with a flat-bottomed glass. It might be a bit crumbly but it will hold together nicely.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes until it’s set.

Take the crust out of the oven and make the filling.

Be sure that the cream cheese and butter are very soft so they cream easily in the mixture.

Fill the pie so that there is a little rim for the top of the crust. You will have a little bit of filling left over most likely.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until the center is almost fully set. It may jiggle just a tad in the very center but will continue to cook when you bring it out of the oven.

WATCH THE QUICK VIDEO BELOW! (1 MINUTE)

Let cool completely before cutting. It’s best served CHILLED as the filling and crust just taste better this way.

Served with fresh whipped cream!!!!

ADDITIONAL NOTES ON THE RECIPE

I made this version of the pumpkin pie twice. One pie baked smoothly at the top, and one pie cracked a bit in the center. The crack was right smack dab in the center, so it wasn’t visible when I sliced the pieces.

Cheesecakes have the tendency to crack down the middle, and the best way to prevent this is to have a small water bath on the rack below when baking. The steam prevents it from cracking, HOWEVER, I didn’t try that technique with this recipe so I can’t guarantee the results with that.

Again, the crack was down the middle, so it didn’t affect how the pie looked when sliced.

Thanks again to Sprouts Market for sponsoring this post. I shop there every week, so I can assure you it’s an awesome natural foods grocery store to frequent if you have one in your area.

Alright ya’ll, let’s get to baking!

Bon Appetit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

The BEST Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie with a gingersnap crust!

Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie & Gingersnap Crust

Take your pumpkin pie to the next level with cream cheese for a fluffy and creamier pumpkin pie with a flavorful gingersnap crust!

Course Baking, Dessert, Thanksgiving

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 8

Author Bessie Bakes

Ingredients

For the Crust:

3 cups Gingersnaps
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
8 Tbsp Melted Butter 1 stick

For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:

1 can or 15 oz Pumpkin Puree You can find it at Sprouts Market
6 oz Cream Cheese very soft
2 Tbsp Butter very soft
3 Eggs
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Maple Syrup
1 3/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla

Instructions

For the Gingersnap Crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a food processor, pulse the gingersnaps until they are crumbled evenly. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, and salt, and pulse a few times until fully incorporated. If you don't have a food processor, you can crush them with a rolling pin inside a large ziploc bag. Add the other ingredients for the crust in a bowl and stir everything together. (Make sure you are measuring the brown sugar and butter from the crust recipe, not the filling recipe).
Pour the crust into a deep dish pie pan and form with your hands. Take a flat-bottomed glass and gently press to mold the bottom and sides of the crust to the pie pan.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until set and it has a touch of color on it.
For the Pumpkin Pie Filling:
Mix the softened cream cheese and butter together with a stand mixer (using the paddle attachment) or a handheld mixer until combined.
Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Next, add the salt, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice and mix until incorporated.
Pour into the par-baked gingersnap crust until there is a little rim at the top for the crust. You will likely have a little filling left over.
Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees until almost completely set in the middle. It will jiggle just a tad in the very center but will continue to bake when it's removed from the oven.
This pie is BEST served chilled as the filling tastes great cold and the crust has a nice crunch to it. Serve with fresh whipped cream!

Entertaining

CREME FRAICHE MASHED POTATOES RECIPE

This Créme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes Recipe just might be the best mashed potatoes you’ve ever tried! Can’t find créme fraiche at the store or have absolutely no idea what it is? Well, read on my friends because I’ve got an easy sub for you 🙂

Ok let’s be honest. Who doesn’t LOVE soft and tender potatoes mashed with insane amounts of butter, and a little salt?

You might be thinking that you’ve tried mashed potatoes every way possible and there is really nothing more you can do to them to make any better….oh, but there is!

Créme fraiche is one of the most magical creamy dairy-licious products out there. It’s a French-style cream cheese, so you know it’s rich and delicious. It’s very similar to regular cream cheese, but it has the most lovely tang that transforms sauces, and in this case, mashed potatoes. Imagine the flavor combo of cream cheese with the tang of greek yogurt….ohhhh so good. You can generally find it in the fancy cheese or dairy section of your store.

**Can’t find créme fraiche at the store? No worries! Just use cream cheese and add a bit of greek yogurt to give it that tang.**

I prefer greek yogurt because it has less moisture so it won’t make your mashed potatoes soggy.

TASTY DISHES TO SERVE WITH MASHED POTATOES

Upside Down Cast Iron Roasted Chicken

Epic Duck Fat Thanksgiving Roasted Turkey

Southern Cornbread Dressing

HOW TO MAKE MASHED POTATOES IN ADVANCE

Pro Tip: If you are hosting Thanskgiving or a dinner party, learn a simple trick for How to Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm for up to 4 hours!

To me, nothing is better at making mashed potatoes smooth and creamy quite like a hand mixer. I don’t own a potato ricer because I like a little skin in my mashed potatoes. A hand masher just doesn’t do the trick. Even if you like your potatoes a little chunky, I recommend the hand mixer to really cream most of the mashed potatoes.

MORE CREME FRAICHE RECIPES

Créme fraiche potato salad

Buttery Salmon Pasta with Créme Fraiche, Feta + Olives

Comment below when you make these buttery, tangy, luscious mashed potatoes! It’s because of YOU that Bessie Bakes is possible.

Bon Appetit Ya’ll,

Leslie O.

Créme Fraiche Mashed Potatoes

Adding créme fraiche to mashed potatoes transforms the already wonderful buttery side item!

Course Side Dish, Side Items, sides, Thanksgiving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Bessie Bakes

Ingredients

4 large russet potatoes
6 oz créme fraiche see note below for an easy sub
12 Tbsp butter or butter to your taste
1 tsp salt or salt to taste
2 Tbsp heavy cream

Instructions

Peel and dice the potatoes. Keep a bit of the skin on if you like rustic mashed potatoes.
Add the potatoes to a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered until the potatoes are fork tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
In a large bowl, add butter, créme fraiche, heavy cream, and salt to the potatoes and mix with a hand mixer until creamy. Adjust the salt to taste. If you like extra butter, I won't judge you 🙂

Recipe Notes

Learn an easy way to keep mashed potatoes warm.

If you can't find créme fraiche, use 5 oz. of cream cheese mixed with 1/4 cup greek yogurt. Greek yogurt has less moisture and a more tangy flavor than regular yogurt.

Baking

EPIC DUCK FAT ROASTED TURKEY RECIPE

Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner and want to learn how make a roast turkey that your guests will be swooning over? Well then, this EPIC duck fat roasted turkey recipe is guaranteed to deliver an unforgettable turkey dinner!

Whether you are hosting Thanksgiving this year for the immediate family or a whole army of relatives, the turkey is by far the most important dish to serve. Nothing is more disappointing than a dry, flavorless roasted turkey.

On the flip side, nothing compares to a Thanksgiving turkey that is melt-in-your-mouth tender and moist and seasoned to perfection.

I feel like shouting on a mountaintop because I CRACKED THE CODE to creating a roasted turkey that I know will yield the same fantastic results year after year!!!! Even if you have your go-to seasonings and flavors you add to your turkey every year, the techniques I’m going to share with you will result in the best possible version of your creation, I guaran-damn-tee it.

My roast turkey recipe is filled with cinnamon, oranges, and fresh sage which permeate your home (and your turkey) with the most intoxicating aroma.

But let’s go a step further… The real reason your turkey sometimes comes out right and other times turns out to be sad and dry and makes you want to cry is because you probably have overlooked a few key steps to ensure a moist bird every time. I promise that if you follow each of these steps, you will never bake another dry and boring turkey EVER AGAIN!

EPIC ROAST TURKEY SECRET #1

Brine your turkey!

Ok folks, if you have never brined a turkey, then you have been missing out on loads of extra moisture and flavor. Brining is the process by which you dissolve salt (and often times sugar) into water and soak your uncooked meat in it for several hours to allow the meat to absorb extra moisture that is looses while cooking. Think of it this way. If you simply season the surface of the turkey and bake it, you will be loosing a lot of moisture in the bird, and when you cut into the meat, only the surface of the meat will taste seasoned. The deeper you cut into the breast meat, the more bland and dry it will taste. Brining solves this problem.

You might be thinking, “But doesn’t salt pull moisture OUT of meat?” The answer is yes, but with brining in water and salt, you are allowing moisture and seasoning to permeate deep down inside the meat, ESPECIALLY the breast meat which dries out so easily.

Case in point: While testing this recipe, I baked two turkeys that were both 12 pounds the exact same way with the same flavors. The first bird I didn’t brine. The second bird was brined overnight. The result?

The first bird was good, but lacked seasoning deep down in the breast meat and was a little dry even though I took it out of the oven at 161 degrees and let it rest before carving.

The second bird…..oh I just melted when I took ONE bite of the breast meat. It was SO much more tender than the first turkey and even my family agreed that it was the undisputed winner! It was by far, the BEST turkey I’ve ever baked.

My brine recipe is simple: Water, kosher salt, brown sugar, orange juice, fresh sage, and whole peppercorns. You can certainly play with the additional flavorings, but the water to salt to sugar ratio should stay the same.

EPIC ROAST TURKEY SECRET #2

Truss your bird!

Yes, take the extra step to secure your turkey with butcher’s twine before baking. This is going to serve a few purposes. The best reason is that it helps the bird to cook evenly because it keeps the wings and legs from fanning out. As a result, the presentation of the bird is more beautiful. But the last reason is the because of the way in which we bake the bird. We’ll get to that in a minute.

Here is a great video by Alton Brown for how to truss a turkey.

EPIC ROAST TURKEY SECRET #3

Duck fat baby!

Since last year, I have been experimenting with duck fat, and the flavor it adds to roasted meats just blows me away! I actually don’t even like duck breast because it’s too rich and fatty for my taste. However, using just a bit of duck fat for cooking literally transforms a roast chicken or turkey. There is no gamey flavor, I promise.

I personally love the Epic Duck Fat brand because sustainability, environmental responsibility, and animal welfare are at the forefront of their business model. Besides, their duck fat taste exceptional! Here is an affiliate link for Epic Duck Fat on Amazon (it’s way more affordable than you’d think). A little goes a long way and it stays fresh in the fridge for a good while!

EPIC ROAST TURKEY SECRET #4

Cook your bird UPSIDE DOWN!

The biggest problem with cooking a turkey is that the breast meat dries out so easily because it lacks the fat the dark meat has. Baking a turkey upside down solves this problem for you. The rich dark meat is exposed during most of the cooking process, thereby self-basting and protecting the breast meat. I actually baked my first turkey upside down at the young age of 19. It was glorious! I couldn’t believe how good it was. The only problem was it was difficult to turn over without damaging the bird. Remember how I said trussing the bird would help with the cooking technique? Well, trussing actually makes flipping the bird over a cinch! I only needed a wooden spoon and some kitchen thongs to turn the bird over during the last hour of cooking. I didn’t damage the bird and the wings and legs weren’t flopping all over the place.

For the record, you can absolutely bake a roast chicken upside down too!

As you can see below, I used an oven-safe thermometer to check the temperature of the breast meat once I flipped it over. Because it had a long oven-safe stem, I was able to insert the thermometer into the breast meat while keeping the base of the thermometer on the counter. I can the set the temperature and it will beep when the meat has reached that temp., keeping you from having to open the oven.

HOW TO CRISP THE SKIN

The last problem we need to solve with the methods I have recommended is that while brining adds extra moisture, it makes it difficult to crisp the skin. Cooking a bird upside down will also inhibit browning.

Solution

For starters, after I have brined the bird, I like to dry it really well and let the turkey sit in the fridge uncovered for 8-12 hours. This dries out the surface, helping it to crisp.

When baking, I actually start the oven at 450 degrees and cook the bird breast-side down for 30 minutes. Turn down the oven to 350 degrees and cook for about 1 hour (breast-side-down). Turn the turkey breast-side-up and check the temperature of the breast meat. Continue cooking breast-side-up until the breast meat has reached 155 degrees.

Now this part will require your undivided attention. Baste the turkey with a few squeezes of a fresh orange. The sugar will help to caramelize the skin and give it a subtle citrus flavor. Turn the broiler on (the turkey will be on the second lowest rack) and broil for 5-10 minutes with the oven door OPEN until the skin gets some nice color all over. Remember to remove the thermometer at this point because most can’t sustain this high temperature. You will need to stay put and turn the roasting pan throughout to evenly brown the skin. Once the skin is evenly browned, if it has reached 161-165 degrees, then you can remove it from the oven to let it rest. If it has not reached that temperature yet, then turn the oven back to 350 degrees and finish baking until it’s 161-165 degrees. Now you see why having a digital thermometer is so helpful 🙂

I used these times for a 12-pound turkey. For a 12-16 pound turkey, it should take about 2 to 2 1/2 hours to roast.

EPIC ROAST TURKEY SECRET #5

Let the turkey REST before carving!

DO NOT EVER cut a roast as soon as it comes out of the oven. The juices will come running OUT of the meat and on your cutting board instead of reabsorbing and keeping it moist. You want it to REST for at least 30-45 minutes before carving. While the meat is resting, this is the perfect time bake or reheat your cornbread dressing and finish up any last minute details.

Ok yes, cooking your turkey upside down will cause a few indentions on the surface of the breast meat (as you can see below). But once you carve the turkey, no one will ever know!

TIME MANAGEMENT FOR PREPPING THE BIRD

Time management can be the single biggest stressor if you are hosting Thanksgiving or any party for that matter. My advice for preparing for the big day is to PREP as much in advance as possible, so when Thanksgiving arrives, it’s smooth sailing.

My first tip is to buy your turkey at least one week in advance. Most grocery stores encourage you to reserve your turkey in advance, so take it home as early as possible, even a month before. Turkeys do sell out at grocery stores!
If your turkey is frozen, allow for two full days of thawing.
Brine your turkey the morning before Thanksgiving all day. Feel free to make the brine the night before and chill so all you have to do in the morning is submerge the turkey.
That night, dry and truss the turkey, separate the turkey breast skin with your hands, and let it chill uncovered in the fridge overnight to allow the skin to crisp. All you have to the next day is fill the cavity with aromatics, season with duck fat and seasonings, add the broth and wine to the roasting pan before baking, which should take just a few minutes.

how to host an epic Thanksgiving dinner

Get my guide to being the hostess with the most-ess. See the epic post here. Here’s a sneak peek:

Warm Apple Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
Sourdough Garlic Rosemary Rolls
Epic Duck Fat Roasted Turkey (you’re here!)
How to Keep Mashed Potatoes Warm (YES you CAN keep them warm and buttery and soft up to 4 hours in advance!)
Southern Cornbread Stuffing/Dressing
15-minute Cranberry Clementine Sauce
Perfect Pie Crust
Peach Crostata with Spiced Crumble
Cream Cheese Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust ( Recipe & Video)
FREE Downloadable Prep & Planning Guide for the month, week, and day of (with a cooking timeline for the day the big day)

Pin this Recipe on Pinterest

WHEW! Ok I realize that was a lot of information, but the Thanksgiving turkey deserves due diligence.

If you have any questions about this recipe don’t hesitate to comment below. Please comment too if you make this EPIC roast turkey for Thanksgiving!!!

Gobble Gobble ya’ll,

Leslie O.

EPIC DUCK FAT ROASTED TURKEY RECIPE

Take your Thanksgiving turkey to whole new level with these 4 simple, yet genius ways create the most moist and flavorful bird EVER!

Course Dinner, Main Course, Thanksgiving

Cuisine American

Prep Time 8 hours

Cook Time 3 hours

Total Time 11 hours

Servings 8 people

Author Leslie Osborne

Ingredients

1 12-16 pound turkey remove organs from the cavity and check the neck too!

For the Brine

1 gallon water 16 cups
1 gallon ice 16 cups
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
5-6 fresh sage leaves
1 cup orange juice
1 Tbsp peppercorns

Seasoning the Turkey

3-4 Tbsp duck fat
freshly cracked black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
2 onions quartered
2 oranges sliced
handful fresh sage leaves

For the Roasting Pan

2-3 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine

Instructions

Brining the Turkey

For the brine, mix 1 gallon of water with the salt, brown sugar, orange juice, fresh sage, and peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a simmer, take off of the heat and pour into another bowl to let cool. Stirring for a few minutes at a time will help speed up the cooling process. Add the ice while it's still a bit warm so that it will melt and help cool the mixture down.
While the brine is cooling, prep the turkey. Remove any organs from the cavity and check the neck cavity too! You can make the most excellent gravy from the giblets and the neck bone, so don't throw those away.
Pour the brine in a large stockpot or food-safe storage container with a lid, making sure the brine is at room temp or cooler so as not to cook the bird. Submerge the turkey in the brine with the legs facing up so that the cavity fills up with the brine which helps to weigh it down. You might need to place something on top of the turkey to weigh it down (like a small bowl). Make sure you can cover it with a lid. Place the stockpot in the fridge and let brine for 8-12 hours.

Prepping the Turkey

Remove the turkey from the brine and pour out all the liquid inside the bird. RINSE under cold water briefly to remove excess salt. Dry the entire turkey really well with paper towels.
Truss the turkey with butcher's twine. This step is essential for helping the turkey to cook evenly and it helps to easily flip the turkey over without damaging the bird. Plus the presentation of the bird is more beautiful this way. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan with a rack. Glide your hands under the turkey breast skin to separate the skin from the breasts. Place the turkey in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight uncovered to help the skin dry out to allow it to crisp.

Baking the Turkey

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Before baking the turkey, fill the cavity with a quartered onion, an orange cut in half, some fresh sage, and crushed black pepper. Rub some duck fat under the turkey breast skin that you separated and place two fresh sage leaves under the skin as well.
Rub the entire bird with duck fat and season it with fresh cracked pepper and cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon with your fingers as to not dump too much on the surface. DO NOT season with salt, as the brine has sufficiently seasoned the turkey already.
Add a half-inch worth of chicken broth to the bottom of the pan. Add the one cup of white wine as well.
Place the rack on the second to the last rack on the bottom.
Start baking the turkey BREAST SIDE DOWN first. Bake for 30 minutes at 450 degrees. Turn down the heat to 350 degrees and continue to bake breast side down for one hour.
Take the roasting pan out of the oven and with a wooden spoon and a pair of thongs inserted in the neck and cavity, gently flip the bird over to breast side up. Insert a thermometer into the turkey breast, making sure to avoid touching bone (the temp won't be accurate).
Place back in the oven and bake until the breast meat reaches 155 degrees. Remove the thermometer so it doesn't burn. At this point, squeeze a fresh orange over the surface of the skin. Turn the BROILER on and keep the door OPEN to crisp the skin. Don't walk away as you don't want anything to burn. Turn the roasting pan a half turn after a few minutes to ensure even browning. This should take 5-10 minutes TOPS.
Once the skin has browned, remove the turkey from the oven and check the temperature again. If it has reached 161-165 degrees, the turkey is done (it will continue to bake while it's resting). If the temperature hasn't reached 161-165 degrees yet, turn the oven back to 350 degrees and finish baking for a few minutes. I don't recommend waiting until the turkey has reached 161 degrees before you start broiling, as it might over cook the turkey.

Let the Bird REST!

DO NOT EVER start carving a turkey the minute it comes out of the oven as the juices will start running OUT of the bird. Instead, let the bird rest for 30-45 minutes to allow the juices to reabsorb into the meat.

Recipe Notes

Please see the "Time management for prepping the bird" in the post for how to prepare the turkey in advance for the big day. You will need to allow for thawing time, brining, and drying out the skin in the fridge for best results.

While the bird is resting, this is the perfect time to finish baking your dressing, and finishing up any last minute dishes.

Here is a link for How to Truss a Turkey.