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Recipes for the Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast

Try a new Thanksgiving recipe this year, with help from Outdoor Channel

Recipes for the Ultimate Thanksgiving Feast
We've got you covered on how to host the ultimate Thanksgiving meal.
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Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Are you ready for the big day? Don't worry, from roasted turkey to homemade pecan pie, we've got you covered.

We've compiled a collection of the best holiday recipes (appetizers, turkey, side dishes and desserts) to give you and your family the ultimate Thanksgiving feast. Be sure to check out our collection of recipes for leftover wild turkey too!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Appetizer Recipes

Mushrooms Stuffed with Italian Venison Sausage Recipe

Mushrooms Stuffed with Italian Venison Sausage Recipe
If you’re looking for a simple, finger-food appetizer to serve guests, try this delightful recipe for Mushrooms Stuffed with Italian Venison Sausage. (Photo courtesy of “The Lindsey Way”)

Don’t overlook venison for appetizers; give this very simple, three-ingredient recipe for Mushrooms Stuffed with Italian Venison Sausage a try.

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages baby bella mushrooms
  • 1 pound ground Italian venison sausage
  • 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese

Get the Recipe: Mushrooms Stuffed with Italian Venison Sausage Recipe





Turkey Recipes

Homemade Turkey Brine Recipe

Homemade Turkey Brine
Soak your turkey for 12 hours in turkey brine before cooking. (Photo courtesy of TheKohser via Wikimedia Commons)

If you want succulent and moist turkey, use this homemade brine. It's nicely seasoned and juicier than you can imagine.

Ingredients:

Recommended


Get the Recipe: Homemade Turkey Brine Recipe


How to Roast a Turkey

How to Roast a Turkey
Roasting a turkey can be intimidating but it will feel easy with these few simple steps. (Photo courtesy of MissHomemade.com)

How to roast a turkey in three steps: brining, marinating and roasting. You will hear oohs and aahs during dinner. It's wonderful.

Ingredients:

  • 1 gallon water
  • 1 small container frozen orange juice, thawed
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1 cup homemade brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Get the Recipe: How to Roast a Turkey


Side Dish Recipes

Ice Box Potato Rolls Recipe

Ice Box Potato Rolls Recipe
Nothing like a warm roll to accompany your meal. (Photo courtesy of MissHomemade.com)

You just can't beat homemade potato rolls. Tender, light and fluffy rolls that are made the night before, chilled overnight and then baked the next day.

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 packet rapid dry yeast
  • ⅓ cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • ⅓ cup shortening
  • ½ cup evaporated milk
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup hot potato water
  • 1 cup hot shortening
  • ½ cup hot mashed potatoes
  • 1 egg

Get the Recipe: Ice Box Potato Rolls Recipe


Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Serve this Grand Marnier cranberry sauce as a side at Thanksgiving dinner or with cream cheese and crackers for a classy appetizer. (Chelsie Walters photo)

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds fresh cranberries
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
  • 4 tablespoons Grand Marnier liqueur

Get the Recipe: Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce Recipe


Homemade Stuffing Recipe

 Homemade Stuffing Recipe
Use fresh ingredients and homemade bread in this traditional stuffing recipe.

Learn how to make stuffing the old-fashioned way.

Ingredients:

  • Gizzards and neck from turkey
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken or Turkey Base (or to taste)
  • 8 cups water
  • ½ cup homemade unsalted butter
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 12 cups homemade stuffing cubes
  • 1 teaspoon homemade poultry seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon homemade garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon homemade onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon sage
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 eggs, beaten

Get the Recipe: Homemade Stuffing Recipe


Wild Boar Sausage Stuffing Recipe

wild boar sausage stuffing recipe
Make your own croutons for this Wild Boar Sausage Stuffing Recipe by cutting leftover cornbread into cubes and baking them until evenly toasted.

A flavorful stuffing recipe featuring ground wild boar sausage, cornbread croutons, vegetables and herbs.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound ground wild boar sausage
  • 1 ½ large onions, diced
  • 2 small, trimmed, thinly-sliced leeks
  • 3 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 quart cornbread croutons
  • 1 tablespoon fresh, minced sage leaves (or substitute ½ teaspoon dried rubbed sage)
  • ¾ cup fresh chopped parsley
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Get the Recipe: Wild Boar Sausage Stuffing Recipe


Green Pea and Beet Salad Recipe

 Green Pea and Beet Salad Recipe
A variety of colorful vegetables makes this dish incredibly nutritional. (Photo courtesy of Rick Browne)

Chilled beets, green garden peas and diced celery. This salad not only tastes good, it will add some color to the table too!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cans diced beets
  • 2 cans green garden peas
  • 1 large diced onion
  • 2 stalks diced celery
  • 6 eggs
  • ¾ cups mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 head lettuce

Get the Recipe: Green Pea and Beet Salad Recipe


Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe
This recipe also works good with some chopped caramelized onions.

This recipe is so versatile ... you can saute mushrooms with the onions, add chilis, whatever you like in your mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups hot homemade mashed potatoes
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
  • ⅓ to ½ cup crumbled, cooked bacon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped green onion (garnish)

Get the Recipe: Loaded Mashed Potatoes Recipe


Broccoli Casserole Recipe

Broccoli Casserole Recipe
Broccoli Casserole Recipe (Photo courtesy of MissHomemade.com)

This is a wonderful side dish that will become a favorite for years to come.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups chopped broccoli florets
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 4 ounces (½ package) cream cheese
  • ¼ to ½ cup blue cheese crumbles
  • 1 cup half-and-half (or evaporated milk)
  • ½ teaspoon homemade garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon homemade onion powder
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 ½ cups crushed Ritz crackers
  • 6 tablespoons melted butter

Get the Recipe: Broccoli Casserole Recipe


Vanilla Bean Sweet Potato Mash Recipe

Vanilla Bean Sweet Potato Mash Recipe
Keep your holiday dinner wholesome and clean with this tasty, low calorie recipe for vanilla bean sweet potato mash. (Photo courtesy of Davie “Crockett” Ferraro)

If you need something sweet, indulge in this Vanilla Bean Sweet Potato Mash Recipe; it will provide you with energy for your next hunt, without all of the calories.

Ingredients:
  • 9 medium-sized sweet potatoes
  • 2 vanilla beans
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Get the Recipe: Vanilla Bean Sweet Potato Mash Recipe


Dessert Recipes

Apple Pie with Bear Fat Crust Recipe

Apple Pie with Bear Fat Crust Recipe
There are few more flavorful dishes on the dinner table than a sweet selection of pies. And that includes the time-honored apple pie, except this time made with an assist from a spring bear hunt! (Lynn Burkhead photo)

If a wild dessert sounds good for your family's table, then consider giving this apple pie recipe – which includes a flaky crust using rendered bear fat – a try!

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of flour, sifted
  • ¼ cup of sugar
  • ½ teaspoon of salt
  • 1 cup of rendered bear fat

Get the Recipe: Apple Pie with Bear Fat Crust Recipe


Homemade Southern Pecan Pie Recipe

Homemade Southern Pecan Pie Recipe
To make this pie stand out even more - add a teaspoon of bourbon (to taste). (Photo courtesy of MissHomemade.com)

Serve with homemade vanilla ice cream and you have a perfect dessert made completely from scratch.

Ingredients:

Get the Recipe: Homemade Southern Pecan Pie Recipe


Perfect Homemade Pie Crust Recipe

Perfect Homemade Pie Crust Recipe
Forget the store-bought crust and give making your own a go! (Photo courtesy of MissHomemade.com)

This homemade pie crust recipe from scratch is easy to work with and very flaky. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, and toss with a fork after each addition.

Ingredients:

  • ⅓ cup vegetable shortening (very cold)
  • 12 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter
  • 3 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ to ½ cup ice cold water

Get the Recipe: Perfect Homemade Pie Crust Recipe


Fresh-from-Scratch Pumpkin Pie on the Grill Recipe

Fresh-from-Scratch Pumpkin Pie on the Grill Recipe
This grilled pumpkin pie proves that unconventional can mean delicious.

Rick Browne shows you how to cook pumpkin pie in an interesting way – on your grill!

Ingredients

  • 1 (5- to 8-pound) pumpkin
  • 1 9-inch unbaked pie crust
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar (packed)
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 3 large eggs, beaten lightly
  • 1 ¾ cups heavy cream
  • Sweetened whipped cream (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon molasses (optional)

Get the Recipe: Fresh-from-Scratch Pumpkin Pie on the Grill Recipe


What's your favorite Thanksgiving dish? Tell us below!

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