At Tyson Foods, we’re always working to get quality food to family tables around the world. This also means staying up-to-date with the latest food trends, reimagining recipes, and celebrating dishes that are tried and true. We asked Tyson Foods Chef Christopher Wise to create some globally inspired dishes that also spoke to the traditions of the holiday season.

I grew up in a family that placed high importance in the love and fellowship that comes from large, involved family holiday meals. Spending HOURS with my mother and grandmothers in the kitchen preparing these meals and seeing the pride that beamed on their face from being able to show immense love through their hard work was what drew me to a career in food. I cherish those moments and I look forward to carrying on these traditions with my son. I will remember them fondly for the rest of my life.

– CW

Roasted Chicken

From high-end fine dining to family Sunday dinner, beautifully roasted chicken is a dish that will star on any table. The versatility and tenderness of whole-roasted Tyson Chicken is something both chefs and home cooks can rely on to show love to customers, friends, and family alike through food. I chose this dish and recipe to show with just a few steps, chicken can be transformed to something that can be your go-to recipe for years to come. The high temperature of this recipe is really the only way to get that delicious crispy skin!

Ingredients:

• 4 lb. whole chicken, giblets and neck removed from cavity
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup white wine (optional)
• 1 lemon, halved
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 head of garlic, minced
• 3 whole thyme sprigs

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly grease pan for roasting
2. Discard neck and giblets from inside the bird. Pat bird dry with paper towels
3. Pour olive oil, melted butter, wine, juice from half of the lemon over the chicken, salt and pepper under the skin and inside the cavity. Sprinkle with parsley.
4. Rub the minced garlic over the chicken and under the skin
5. Tie legs together with kitchen twine.
6. Place breast-side up onto tray. Roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes, basting halfway through cook time, until juices run clear.
7. Baste again, then broil for 2-3 minutes, until golden.
8. Remove from oven, cover with foil and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving. Serve, drizzle with pan juices and juice from remaining lemon half and garnish with thyme.
9. Serve with roasted sweet potatoes and crusty bread on the side.

Beef Stew

The secret to a killer beef stew is the proper sear at the beginning of the cooking process. This seemingly simple step that ensures the richness and wonderful beef flavor found in IBP Chuck Roast can be enjoyed in every bite. The flour coating serves two important purposes: it helps hold the flavor that is slowly released during the braising process and will also thicken the stew, giving that stick-to-your-ribs feeling that I enjoy during these winter months. Beef stew is also a great excuse to use that last glass or two of red wine that’s been sitting on your shelf. Just add right after your garlic, onions, and carrots are starting to brown.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Beef Chuck Roast cut into 2-inch chunks, excess fat removed
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ½ teaspoon Coarsely Ground Black Pepper
• 2 tablespoons Gluten-free All-Purpose Flour or Whole Wheat for non-gluten
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• ½ Yellow Onion Chopped Large
• 4 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1 Large Carrot or two small-medium, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 2 Yukon Gold Potatoes diced into 2-inch pieces
• 2 Cups Beef Broth
• ¼ Cup Tomato Paste
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Bay Leaves
• 2 teaspoons Fresh Thyme Leaves to garnish
• 1 cup red wine (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325° F.
2. Season the beef chunks on all sides with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over and toss the seasoned beef to coat it on all sides
3. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the beef in batches, on all sides, for 3-4 minutes per batch. Don’t worry about cooking the beef all the way through at this stage. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
4. Add the onions, garlic, and carrots to the Dutch oven, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until slightly browned.
5. Add the potatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce, and use a wooden spoon to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
6. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring, and return the beef to the pot. Cover the Dutch oven, and transfer to the preheated oven
7. Cook the stew for 2-2.5 hours, or until the beef is very tender. Remove the bay leaf. Taste the stew and season with additional salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve warm over polenta or mashed potatoes.

Stuffed Kabocha Squash

The addition of Jimmy Dean Italian sausage takes this dish to new levels, ensuring your guests will compliment and beg for the recipe. I made this for a private New Year’s Eve Dinner a few years back, and it was a huge hit! The addition of fresh fennel is intended to pair well with the fennel seed that gives Italian sausage its signature flavor. To prepare, cut the fennel bulb about an inch below where the green frond starts, and then again in half, lengthwise, from the top (save the frond and cut it into pieces and use to garnish). Cut the root found at the bottom in a “v” shape, ensuring the thick white part is completely removed. You’ll see the structure is similar to that of an onion, but it is actually a member of the carrot family!

Ingredients:

• 1 kabocha squash (top cut off and seeded)
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 cup rice (quinoa is a great protein-rich substitute)
• 1.5 cups of water
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 medium onion
• 1 lb browned Italian sausage
• ¼ cup pepitas

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.
2. Use tablespoon of oil to coat interior of the seeded kabocha squash before roasting
3. Season inside of squash with salt
4. Roast on parchment lined baking sheet for 40 minutes with the cut side down.
5. While squash is roasting, prepare the filling
6. Brown Italian sausage and cook rice according to package directions
7. Slice the white part of the fennel bulb, dice onion and sauté both till translucent and caramelized on low to medium heat in a heavy bottom pan.
8. Combine rice, sausage, fennel and onion in pan and season to taste.
9. Transfer filling to hollowed out squash and pack down.
10. Garnish with pepita seeds
11. Slice the squash into pieces for serving and enjoy!

Pork Loin with savory herb seasoning

Whole Roasted Pork Loin is a dish that requires very little effort for a stunning outcome! If you’re feeling adventurous and have a vessel large enough, brining pork is a WONDERFUL method to make sure the flavors can be tasted in every bite! The reason that using a paper towel first to dry any whole-muscle cut is so important is to ensure that the seasoning will stick well but will also make sure that it will have that beautiful GBD (golden brown and delicious) finish that will make it look like it came from a magazine! Pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a sauce pot over medium heat with a little white wine, splash of balsamic vinegar, and a cornstarch slurry to make an awesome pan sauce! If you have a roasting rack, (yes THAT rack, it’s not just for cooling cookies!) put the pork on the rack. This will help the pork loin cook evenly!

Ingredients:

• Pork loin
• 1 teaspoon granulated onion
• 3 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or avocado oil

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Remove pork loin from packaging and lightly dry with paper towel
3. Combine seasoning ingredients + oil and generously coat the exterior of the pork loin
4. Place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake in oven until internal temperature reaches 130 F or desired eating temperature (about 20-30 minutes)
5. Remove from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes
6. Slice and serve with couscous salad and garnish with pomegranate seeds

Ham

Wright Brand Carving Hams were a revelation the first time I experienced it. I had been curing, smoking, and roasting whole-muscle pork cuts, and this process can take up to a week! I am a firm believer that a good ham can be enjoyed any time, and in so many ways. The sweet and sour nature of the brown sugar glaze plays SO well with the naturally salty + juicy goodness that we look for in a ham! The roasted Fall vegetable side with this is also very easy! Cut your favorite fall vegetables (potatoes, carrots, rutabaga, parsnip, etc.), toss with a little oil, S+P and roast in the oven in the 425-degree oven that you’re finishing the ham in. HOT AND FAST in the oven is the best way to draw the natural sugars from these vegetables to caramelize and taste their best. Use this method with almost any vegetable (cauliflower, squash + zucchini, cut potatoes, etc.) for a delicious and nutritious side!

Ingredients:

• Carving ham
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 jar store bought orange marmalade
• ½ cup water

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Place ham in large roasting pan, flat side down
3. Pour ¼ cup of water in roasting pan
4. Cover the pan with foil and place ham in oven
5. Heat for approx. 10-15 minutes per pound
6. Combine orange marmalade, brown sugar and water in saucepan on low heat and stir until melted and completely incorporated
7. Remove foil from ham and turn oven to 425 degrees and cook for 5-7 minutes
8. Serve with brown sugar orange glaze and roasted fall vegetables