Molly Stevens

Braising the fennel and simmering the potatoes in cream before assembling the gratin infuses them with extra flavor.

Cookbook author and culinary pro Molly Stevens created this recipe exclusively for Epicurious. Dry brining involves sprinkling salt over the entire surface of a turkey and letting it sit for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. It may look like a lot of salt, but keep in mind that the salt won't remain on the outside of the turkey and there needs to be enough salt to penetrate the entire thickness of the bird.

Keep in mind that it's best not to stuff a brined turkey, because the juices will concentrate in the cavity and overseason your stuffing. Instead, cook your stuffing in a baking dish alongside the turkey.

See our Complete Guide to Brining for more on wet and dry brining.

Cookbook author and culinary pro Molly Stevens created this recipe exclusively for Epicurious. A wet turkey can be slow to brown, so for the best results, remove the turkey from the brine 8 to 12 hours before you plan to roast, pat it dry, and let it sit in the refrigerator, uncovered to dry the surface. If you don't have time to let it air-dry, do your best to thoroughly dry the surface after brining. Rubbing the skin with butter or oil will also encourage browning.

Keep in mind that it's best not to stuff a brined turkey, because the juices will concentrate in the cavity and overseason your stuffing. Instead, cook your stuffing in a baking dish alongside the turkey.

See our Complete Guide to Brining for more on wet and dry brining.

Add the vegetables partway through braising to ensure they will have enough time to be infused with meaty flavor without overcooking. Serve with a loaf of your favorite crusty bread for sopping up the juices.

Flanked-Style short ribs, used for Korean barbecue, are cut across the bones instead of between the bones. Start this recipe ahead of time; chilling the ribs after braising keeps them from falling falling apart when they served (and all braised meats taste better the next day).

Golden and fragrant, this dish is a meal on its own, or it can be served with steamed basmati rice or warm flatbread.

Some varieties of apples fall apart while cooking; here you want the apples to hold their shape. Pink Lady and Honeycrisp are good choices and are widely available. Serve with cheesy grits.

Olive oil–enriched mashed potatoes enclose a layer of zesty braised kale in this savory cake, which then gets topped with crispy breadcrumbs.

This country ribs recipe with soy sauce, brown sugar, and hot chili paste hits all the key flavors: salty, sweet, spicy.