7 recipes from Alabama chefs to add to your Thanksgiving spread

Looking for one final addition to your Thanksgiving feast? Trying to find a dish to take to your next friendsgiving meal?

Well look no further. We got in touch with some of our favorite chefs from around Alabama and asked for their favorite Thanksgiving recipe.

Take a look to see what you need for some extra Alabama flavor in your holiday meals including turkey, cornbread, all the sides + even a dessert.

Smoked turkey + stuffing by Bryson McGlynn

The TV and social media famous Bryson “Cheese Curd” McGlynn, who won MasterChef Junior earlier this year, is known for how he cooks all kinds of meat. So we went straight to him for a turkey recipe.

“This smoked turkey recipe will elevate your Thanksgiving feast, delivering the juiciest, most flavorful bird that’s sure to impress. The secret lies in a perfect blend of Lane’s BBQ brine, rubs, and my rich butter injection recipe that enhances every bite with layers of citrus, herbs, and subtle smokiness.”

~ Bryson McGlynn

For the stuffing, you will need:

• 1 onion, halved
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 orange, halved
• Fresh thyme
• Fresh rosemary
• Fresh bay leaves

For a turkey butter injection:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons Lane’s Spellbound rub
• 2 teaspoons cane vinegar (or rice vinegar if preferred)
• “Very” finely chopped rosemary

It is important to let turkey thaw before brining. If the turkey is “slightly” frozen it is okay. Bryson’s instructions for cooking are:

1. Brine the turkey with Lane’s BBQ Signature Brine for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Follow Brine instructions on bag.
2. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat it dry with paper towels.
3. Stuff the cavity with the halved onion, lemon, orange, and fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, bay leaves).
4. For the Butter Injection: In a small saucepan, melt the butter with lemon zest, lemon juice, Lane’s Spellbound, cane vinegar, and chopped rosemary. Heat until fully melted and flavors are incorporated.
5. Inject the entire bird while the butter mixture is still slightly warm. Aim to avoid piercing the skin as much as possible.
6. Season the Turkey: Tie the legs together and tuck wings under Turkey for a neat presentation.
7. Lightly spray olive oil on the turkey skin, then apply a light layer of Lane’s SPG rub, followed by a stronger layer of Lane’s Spellbound rub.
8. Place the turkey on a grate in a disposable pan and transfer it to the smoker at 325°F.
9. After the first hour, baste the turkey with the pan juices. Continue basting every 30 minutes.
10. Smoke the turkey until the breast and thigh meat reach an internal temperature of 165°F. This typically takes about 4 hours for a 12 lb turkey.
11. Use a light wood like pecan for a gentle smoke flavor. Add cherry wood for additional color to turkey if desired.
12. Let the turkey rest for 30 minutes to 1 hour before carving.
13. Use the pan juices to baste once more right before slicing.

Serve + enjoy!

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Green eggs + ham from Kelsey Barnard Clark

From the popular KBC restaurant + catering in Dothan, Kelsey Barnard Clark has plenty of recipes to choose from when it comes to a Thanksgiving meal. Just take a look at her latest cookbook for all of her recommendations.

The recipe we chose can work as a side dish or just as a nice appetizer. Here’s what you need to make 12 servings of the deviled eggs:

• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup (2 oz./60 g) mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. stone ground mustard
• 1/4 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. paprika
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the chimichurri:

• 1 cup (5 oz./150 g) chopped onion
• 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./120 ml) red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup (1/3 oz./10 g) chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup (1/5 oz./5 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 3 or 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste

For the pickled mustard seeds:

• 1 cup (5 1/2 oz./170 g) dried mustard seeds
• 1/2 cup (4 oz./120 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. salt

For the herb salad:

• 1/4 cup (1/5 oz./5 g) chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 Tbs. whole dill fronds
• 2 Tbsp minced chives
• 2 Tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
• 1/2 cup (4 oz./110 g) thinly sliced
• country ham or prosciutto

First, make the deviled eggs. Completely submerge the eggs in a saucepot filled with cold water. Bring to a boil, then immediately turn off the heat and cover. Set a timer for 8 minutes and let stand, covered, until the timer goes off. Immediately pour out the hot water and fill the pot with ice. Let sit for 5 minutes before peeling.

Halve the eggs vertically using a sharp knife. Using a small spoon, carefully scoop out the yolks and place them in a small bowl. Place the egg whites on a plate and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika and mix until completely smooth. With the processor switched off, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to be sure all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Use a piping bag with a medium round tip to fill the hollows in the egg whites.

Next, make the chimichurri: Combine the onion, oil, vinegar, cilantro, parsley, garlic, and salt in a food processor and puree until smooth. Taste and adjust the salt. Set aside.

Make the pickled mustard seeds: Combine the mustard seeds, vinegar, 2 cups [480 ml] of water, and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender. Strain and let cool before using. If not using immediately, keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Make the herb salad: Toss the herbs together in a small bowl. Pro tip: You can do this the day before, cover them with ice water, and refrigerate overnight. Simply drain and dry the herbs on a paper towel when ready to use. They’ll be as fresh as if you just picked them.

To assemble: Top each deviled egg with a slice of ham, a drizzle of chimichurri, a sprinkle of herb salad, and a dollop of mustard seeds.

Slow-simmered turnip greens by George McMillan

FoodBar chef George McMillan did not hesitate much when we asked for his go-to side recipe. Here’s what you’ll need to make the bacon + turnip greens:

• 2 bunches of turnip greens with roots
• 6 oz slab bacon or fatback
• ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups water (approximation)
• salt & pepper to taste

Remove turnip roots, peel them, cut into quarter inch cubes & place in cold water.

Remove the turnip leaves from the stem and discard the stems. Wash + rinse three times in a sink full of cold water. Change the water after each rinse. Slice turnip green leaves into half inch strips.

Place largely-diced bacon in the bottom of a large stock pot. Render the bacon until it’s almost crisp & fat coats the bottom of the pan.

Deglaze pan with vinegar + chicken stock. Then add the turnip green leaves + roots (drained from water) and stir in half teaspoon of salt.

Add 2 cups of water, bring to a simmer & cook for 45-60 minutes. More water may be added during the cooking process as needed (you want the greens swimming in liquid).

After 45-60 minutes taste for tenderness. Once tender, add salt & pepper to taste.

Cranberry relish by Lindsey Noto

Lindsey Noto of Feast Bham has a simple but perfect addition to any Thanksgiving table. You can make it work as a dip, a topping or just a spoonful.

Here’s what’ you’ll need:

• 2 medium navel orange
• 2 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Zest both oranges and remove the peel and pith from both oranges and discard.

Place the zest, orange segments, cranberries, sugar, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse until finely chopped—Lindsey said she likes to pulse hers, leaving some of the cranberries in slightly larger chunks as it looks more rustic.

Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. It can be made up to one week in advance. Stir before serving.

Chicken + dumplings by Chelsea Gieselmann

Chelsea Gieselmann, another popular chef from the Wiregrass area, has made her name known at cooking competitions and shows across the country. Earlier this year, she competed on Food Network’s Outchef’d.

She went with a chicken and dumplings recipe that has been a staple in her family.

“Lord knows I’ve been making this dish since I was knee high to a grasshopper… My great grandmother’s chicken and dumplings were a family dinner sides staple not only for its pure comfort but also because it was so inexpensive to make as well. Since then, I’ve tweaked her recipe a time or two and finally made it my own with her being the reason why I make it the way that I do. Nothing really beats a large bowl of southern classic comfort like chicken and dumplings.”

~ Chelsea Gieselmann

For her broth recipe, you will need:

• 6-7 lbs bone-in leg quarters
• 2 large yellow onions (halved)
• 5 stalks of celery (halved)
• 4 large carrots (halved)
• 3 large bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 5 cloves garlic
• salt & pepper to taste
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ cup butter
• all-purpose flour for thickening
• water to cover
• 5 boiled eggs (peeled and diced)

For the Dumplings, you will need:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
• ¼ cup cold shortening or cold butter
• ¼ cup chilled chicken broth
• salt to taste

In a large stock pot, add Chicken and enough water to cover. High heat until it begins to boil then reduce heat to medium. Allow to simmer for 45 minutes. Skim the fat off of the top of the liquid.

Add vegetables, garlic, butter, and herbs to the pot and continue to simmer for an hour. Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Strain the vegetables and herbs from the broth, returning the broth back to the stock pot. Removing ¼ cup of broth to chill for the dumplings.

Lower temperature to medium low heat, add in your milk, and slowly whisk in enough flour to thicken your broth to the consistency you desire.

In a large bowl combine all purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. With your hands mix in the cold butter. The mixture will be crumbly but still well mixed.

Slowly add in the chilled broth until the mixture is a dough consistency. Put a little flour on a clean flat surface and roll out your dough to your desired thickness then cut strips of dough out.

Bring your broth to a simmer and individually add the dumplings into the stock pot. Gently mix the dumplings into the broth. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the dumplings are done. Occasionally stirring gently.

While the dumplings are simmering, pull the chicken meat from the bones and shred. Stir in the chicken and boiled eggs to the dumplings. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cornbread by Frank Stitt

One thing that goes great with dumplings is some southern cornbread and Birmingham’s Frank Stitt has been known for his recipe for quite some time. This recipe comes from one of his own cookbooks—Frank Stitt’s Southern Table.

Here’s what you’ll need to serve 6 to 8 people:

• 2 cups self-rising yellow cornmeal (or substitute 2 cups regular cornmeal plus 1 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda and 3/4 tsp. salt)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• Scant 1/2 cup rendered bacon fat (or 7 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted, or scant 1/2 cup vegetable oil, or a mixture)
• 1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten

Preheat an oven to 450°F with an 8- to 9-inch cast-iron skillet in the hot oven. Add the bacon fat to the preheated skillet, return it to the oven, and heat until the fat is very hot, about 5 minutes.

Place the cornmeal and flour in a large bowl and stir in the whole milk and buttermilk a little at a time, mixing with a large wooden spoon. The batter will be quite loose.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Pour all but 1 table spoon of the hot fat into the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine.

Add the egg and stir to combine. Pour the cornmeal mixture into the hot skillet and immediately place it in the oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and unmold.

Pumpkin spice olive oil cake by Chanah Willis

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Last Call Baking is a Birmingham favorite when it comes to breakfast pastries and desserts so you know we had to reach out to Chanah Willis to wrap up this Alabama-themed meal with a dessert.

Here’s what you’ll need for the pumpkin spice olive oil cake to serve 8 people:

• 3 ea Egg
• 209 gram Sugar
• 100g gram brown sugar 
• 240 gram Olive Oil
• 300 gram Sour Cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• .5 tbsp pumpkin spice
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Baking Soda
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 205 gram All Purpose Flour

Take your largest bowl and cream together your eggs, sugars, and olive oil until light. Stir in your sour cream and vanilla until pale and airy. Sift your dry ingredients and lightly incorporate as to not overwork the batter. 

Pour patter into a parchment lined 9-inch circle cake tin. Before placing into a 350f oven, top the cake with a little cinnamon sugar – this will act as a cracked sugar topping that really adds some magnificent texture. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Allow to cool before serving. Chanah suggested a healthy dollop of vanilla whipped cream on the side. 

Want to try to make any of these recipes for the holiday season? Let us know how it goes by tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.