We’ve rounded up some modest feast options. And no worries if you’re not a turkey person, we’ve covered all the angles, acute to obtuse. (Actually, mostly obtuse.)
Rudolph’s Meat Market
2924 Elm St. (Deep Ellum), 214-741-1874If you want some serious meat or something other than turkey, visit our favorite butcher, Rudolph’s Meat Market and Sausage Factory. They have a holiday sausage made at their facility, baby veal brats, small veal loins, rack of lamb, lamb lollipops, pork loins, duck, pheasant and quail. Plus, all of their hanging beef is dry-aged for 28 days and can be cut to any specifications: This includes filets, rib-eyes and prime rib roasts. They recently told us their tomahawk steaks have been popular lately. But if you like to watch the Cowboys with a side of turkey, they also have 6- to 8-pound smoked turkey breast. We have it on good authority that their pepper bacon is perfect any day of the year, too.
Burgundy Pasture Beef
3314 Ross Ave. (Old East Dallas), 972-707-7241Burgundy Pasture Beef has sold most of their heritage turkeys, but they're doing a lamb cutting this week, so they’ll have fresh racks, roasts and leg of lamb available. Their lamb is 100% grass-fed and locally raised. Burgundy also has pasture-raised Berkshire heritage pork, boneless hams are $7.99 a pound and bone-in hams are $6.99 a pound (spiral-cut optional).Goodfriend Package
1155 Peavy Road (East Dallas), 972-807-2899The kids over at Goodfriend are doing whole-turkey dinners, but they've also brought back their Butchers Thanksgiving Sausage, made with house-smoked turkey, sage stuffing and cranberry chutney. A four-pack is $19.99. Or you could always grab one of their King Ranch chicken casseroles because are you really a Texan if you haven’t had KRC for a major holiday? (Nope, you’re not.)
Deep Cuts Dallas
7989 Belt Line Road (Far North Dallas), 469-906-6420The 2020 Reader’s Choice pick for the best butcher, Deep Cuts has a special holiday menu full of salacious choices, including goose, quail, capons and Rohan whole duck in addition to leg of lamb. They ask that you call to discuss your order, and they’ll bring it out for curbside pickup when it’s ready.
CiboDivino Marketplace
1868 Sylvan Ave. (West Dallas), 214-653-2426CiboDivino at Sylvan 30 is one part restaurant and one part market, the latter offering a variety of specialty to-go items all made in-house. They update what’s available in their market each week and currently have 8-ounce, vacuumed-sealed packages of 44 Farms beef belly “burnt ends” for about $10. To heat, you simply drop the bag into boiling water. Boiling water is easy enough, right? They also have Kessler pecan smoked turkey packages in 1-pound packages. Grab a slice (or seven) of their desserts, and dinner is served. Oh, and they have a wine maze in the middle of the store. You can also order online.
Cooper's Meat Market
778 Fort Worth Ave. (West Dallas), 214-200-4128Cooper's Meat Market is adjacent to Cox Family Farms at Sylvan 30 (and pretty close to CiboDivino). They have a special holiday menu of mains, sides and desserts, all of which can be ordered online and come with wine pairing suggestions. This is a fun store to peruse and wasn't crowded this past Sunday. You could get an entire meal here, even house-made pimento cheese, and be a fat happy cat next Thursday.
Profound Foods
214-680-8535This farmer-chef collaborative has a few heritage turkeys left for sale, but they also have other local options, such as pecan and pumpkin pies made by chef April Barney. There’s a cookie decorating kit that could be fun for the kids, too. A Thanksgiving Day Meal Kit for two people includes a free-range, organic Bell & Evans turkey breast, bone gravy, Grand Marnier cranberry sauce and three sides ($98.35). Or get a whole pig to roast from Chubby Dog Farm. Profound Foods delivers to certain locations, or you can pick up your order.
La Casita Bakeshop
580 W. Arapaho Road, No. 230, Richardson, 440-462-2078Yes, you have our full permission to only do dessert this year. If that’s your game, La Casita is taking orders on their special Thanksgiving Shop for pumpkin pie with cheesecake swirl, bourbon pecan pie and a brown butter apple pie ($30 each). Or get a mixed croissant platter for $50. Badda-bing-badda-bang, Thanksgiving is done.