149 crackling recipes

Orange molasses cookies, soft and puffy with cracked tops, spiced with ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and a hit of black pepper, then rolled in orange sugar. Whole wheat flour and oats make them a wholesome holiday bake.

Prime rib roasted in a rock salt crust that seals in every drop of juice, producing fork-tender, deeply seasoned meat. A showstopping Old English technique you crack open with a hammer.

Dill pickles brine whole cucumbers in a hot vinegar, water, and salt solution with garlic and fresh dill. Old-fashioned canning jar pickles ready to crack open in 3 to 4 weeks.

Crunchy low-fat coleslaw with shredded green apples, red and green cabbage, and a tangy honey-mustard yogurt dressing. No mayo needed for this crisp, make-ahead slaw.

This relish is based on a prize-winning English recipe of more than a generation ago. It is less sweet than traditional chutneys; most of its sweetness comes not from sugar, but from apples, dates, and parsnips. I generally use Winesap apples but any well-flavored, crisp eating apple will do.

Rice and garden vegetable is a pantry-fast bowl: whole grain brown rice stirred into reduced-sodium vegetable soup and warmed through in minutes. An easy, low-effort meal with a kick of cracked pepper.

Pissaladiere-style pizza with caramelized leeks, roasted eggplant, roasted peppers, capers, basil, and balsamic vinegar on a homemade whole wheat crust. Vegan-friendly.

Lamb rib chops broiled under a rosemary-garlic quince jelly glaze. A 15-minute dinner-party main with a sweet-savory lacquer that caramelizes under the broiler.

Rack of lamb crusted with cracked black pepper, garlic, chervil, rosemary, and thyme, seared at high heat then roasted to a rosy medium-rare. Elegant enough for a dinner party, simple enough for any confident home cook.

Mom's homemade apple pie pairs a flaky shortening crust with canned apple filling for a from-scratch taste in half the time. Brushed with milk and dusted with sugar, the top crust bakes up golden and crackly.

Seared pork chops finished in the oven, served over a warm Granny Smith apple relish with curry, cinnamon, ginger, and toasted almonds. Sweet, tart, and warmly spiced for a grown-up fall dinner.

Classic Boston baked beans slow-cooked for 8 hours with molasses, brown sugar, dry mustard, and a kick of cayenne. Crusty on top, creamy underneath. The real deal.

Truffle and ahi tuna drizzled with oil and vinegar.

Warm brie melted over fresh herb sprigs, scored in a diamond pattern and ringed with baby pear tomatoes. A quick microwave appetizer served with crusty French bread for scooping.

Grapes, dried apricots, figs, fresh salad greens and cooked turkey breast make a delicious, refreshing yet wholesome salad.

Hearty vegetarian burgers made from pearl barley, chickpeas, and oatmeal seasoned with soy sauce, paprika, and basil. Pan-fried or baked, naturally low in fat and cholesterol-free.