Denormalizing Thanksgiving
Denormalizing Thanksgiving Menu
We're taking on one of the most iconic American holidays....and completely denormalizing it!
If you have any questions or need clarification, please reach out to me!
MENU
*Mashed Potatoes
2-3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes
Stick of salted butter
Raw milk
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
*WAPF Green Bean Casserole
Serves 4–6 (perfect leftovers for two!)
Ingredients
For the Green Beans
• 1 lb fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1–2” pieces
• Sea salt for boiling water
For the Creamy Mushroom Sauce
• 2 Tbsp butter, ghee, or tallow
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced (cremini or white button)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp flour (einkorn, AP, or whole spelt all work)
• 1 cup bone broth (chicken or turkey)
• 3/4 cup raw cream or cultured cream
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional but traditional & warming)
• 1/2 tsp thyme or a few sprigs of fresh thyme
For the Crispy Topping
Choose either:
A. Sourdough Breadcrumbs (Best option!)
• 1–1.5 cups stale sourdough bread, crumbled
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Pinch of sea salt
OR
B. Crispy Fried Onions (homemade, still WAPF-friendly):
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup einkorn or spelt flour
• Sea salt
• 1/2 cup tallow, lard, or avocado oil for frying
Instructions
1. Prepare the Green Beans
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. Add green beans and blanch 3–4 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender.
3. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water (or plunge into ice water).
4. Set aside.
2. Make the Creamy Mushroom Gravy
1. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add onions and sauté 3–4 minutes until softened.
3. Add mushrooms and sauté until they release moisture and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
5. Sprinkle flour over the mixture and stir for 1 minute (this forms a roux).
6. Slowly pour in bone broth, stirring constantly.
7. Add cream, salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg.
8. Simmer gently 5–7 minutes until thickened and luxurious.
Taste and adjust salt — it should be well seasoned!
3. Prepare the Topping
Option A: Sourdough Breadcrumbs
1. Melt butter in a small skillet.
2. Add torn or crumbled sourdough bread.
3. Toast until golden, stirring frequently.
4. Salt lightly.
OR—
Option B: Crispy Fried Onions
1. Toss onion slices with flour and salt.
2. Heat tallow to medium-high.
3. Fry onions until golden and crisp.
4. Drain on a towel.
4. Assemble & Bake
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a casserole dish, combine the green beans with the mushroom cream sauce.
3. Top with breadcrumbs or crispy onions.
4. Bake 25–30 minutes until bubbling and golden on top.
Notes
• If you want EXTRA creaminess, add an additional splash of raw cream before baking.
• This reheats beautifully the next day — the flavors deepen.
• Totally WAPF: real fats, bone broth, cultured dairy, properly prepared flour.
*Sausage and Apple Stuffing
Instead of bread cubes, use sourdough cubes!
*Fermented Cranberry Sauce
https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/sweet-fermented-cranberry-sauce/
Making the sourdough pie crust
*Chocolate Chess Pie
Ingredients
Wet + chocolate base:
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups organic unrefined cane sugar
• 1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/4 cup evaporated milk OR heavy cream
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry/stabilizers:
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (or einkorn/spelt)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
Crust:
• 1 par-baked pie crust (your sourdough crust!)
Instructions
1. Par-bake Your Crust
1. Press your crust into the pie dish.
2. Line with parchment, add pie weights.
3. Bake at 375°F for 10 minutes.
4. Remove weights and set aside.
2. Make the Chocolate Base
1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk in:
• unrefined cane sugar
• cocoa powder
4. Mix until thick, glossy, and smooth.
5. Let cool 5 minutes (still warm, not hot).
3. Mix the Custard Filling
In a bowl, whisk together:
• eggs
• evaporated milk / cream
• vanilla
• salt
• flour
Slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to avoid scrambling.
Filling should be shiny and pourable.
4. Bake
1. Pour filling into your par-baked crust.
2. Bake at 350°F for 35–45 minutes.
3. The pie is done when:
✔ edges are set
✔ center jiggles slightly
✔ a thin, crackly “chess crust” forms on top
Do NOT bake until fully firm — it will set as it cools.
5. Cool Completely
Let cool at least 2 hours before slicing.
Optional Enhancements
• Add 1/4 cup melted dark chocolate for extra richness
• Add 1 tsp espresso powder for mocha flavor
• Sprinkle a touch of flaky salt on top
• Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream
*Pumpkin Pie and Sourdough Pie Crust
*Turkey Recipe
Brine: https://amzn.to/4b5tsjb
Brined the bird breast side down for 20hr (hr/lb roughly) in Meat Church’s Bird Baptism. Brining helps keep the meat juicy during the cook
Seasoning/Rub:
Texas Sugar: https://amzn.to/3MYkWbM
Honey Hog: https://amzn.to/4pkjHS0
After the brine, rinse the turkey with cold water and then pat dry. Next, I spatchcocked the turkey to get it to lay flat. Season the underside of the turkey with your rubs.
Next, I sprayed some cooking oil on the skin of the turkey and liberally applied the rub. I then melted some butter and added a bit more rub to it and then injected the melted butter into the breasts and thighs.
Then we let the bird rest while the smoker got up to 250°F. Using cherry pellets, we smoked the bird for roughly 3hrs. At the 3hr mark, we cranked the temp up to 300°F to crisp up the skin some. Once the breast reached 165°F internal, we pulled it off and let it rest on the cutting board under tented foil until it was time to carve and EAT!
