Dena Marino's Thanksgiving Turkey with Crispy Prosciutto and Roasted Garlic

Chef Dena Marino

​Chef Dena Marino moved to Miami from Colorado last summer to head the kitchen at DeVito South Beach. The job was short lived but Marino loved Miami so much she stayed. She's now working on another Miami project about which she can't reveal much because details aren't final yet. And that's okay, it's Thanksgiving we wanted to talk to her about.

Before moving, Marino ran D19 in Aspen, where she says she spent Thanksgivings with her staff. This year, however, her family is coming to Miami and Marino will for the first time cook with them.

"I brine my turkey all the time so I usually do that the day before. That's the only thing I do the day before. Everyone makes a full day of prepping and cooking, and I think me being in that environment every day, I don't want to take the whole day. Cooking the turkey takes a little longer but everyone thinks it takes so long and it really doesn't."

Staples on her Thanksgiving table are sweet potatoes with "really burnt" marshmallows, biscuits and "really thick" gravy. Her turkey's skin is always stuffed with roasted garlic and prosciutto, and because she's Italian stuffing always has some sausage or pork in it.

Her advice to home cooks: "Don't overcook the turkey. [Laughs]. I think brining the turkey is the ultimate advice to keep it moist and let the skin get crispy. I use brown sugar, black peppercorns, salt, fennel seed, juniper and bay leaf. Turkey is good but it's a white meat that doesn't have much flavor unless you boost it up a bit, so it needs a little help."

Feeling overwhelmed? Fret not. Marino shared her Thanksgiving turkey recipe complete with a game plan leading up to the big dinner. It'll take a little work but we're sure it's worth tackling.