If you’ve been around here for a bit, you know my affinity for the 21c Museum Hotels. The Lexington location has an incredible restaurant called Lockbox that features deliciously elevated comfort food. 21c is very special to my family; we stayed there and ate at Lockbox the night before and after our wedding! Since things have been a bit different this year as a result of COVID-19, 21c Lexington and Lockbox are switching up their plans to serve you Thanksgiving dinner the way that suits you best. If you’re cooking at home like us, give Lockbox’s Head Chef, Cody DeRosett’s turkey brine and gravy a spin. If you’re aiming to avoid the kitchen, you can dine-in or carry-out from Lockbox on Thanksgiving Day.
If you’re looking to visit Lexington or experience a fun staycation, 21c is waiving their pet fee now through the end of 2020 when you book directly with them. 21c Lexington’s museum is free and open to the public by appointment only right now. Visit 21c Lexington’s website to schedule a time for your visit. Hotel and restaurant guests don’t need a reservation! Book with 21c Lexington now through November 16, 2020 and receive a complimentary 1-night stay for every night you book.
With Alan’s help, I made Chef Cody’s recipe at home this weekend as a test run for Thanksgiving Day. To start, we selected an 8-pound turkey breast that would be more than enough to feed our immediate family. In the recipe, Chef Cody gives a special tip to make your brine a day ahead to leave it plenty of time to cool before covering your turkey. If you add the brine immediately after simmering, you’ll begin to cook the turkey prematurely! The lemon in the turkey brine, as well as the gravy, was a new and pleasant experience for me. The brightness of the lemon brought a lot to the rich and heavy traditional holiday flavors. To make your turkey prep easier, try using a V-shaped pan that elevates the turkey, so your drippings fall away into the pan. We cooked out turkey on 400 degrees at 15 minutes per pound to achieve a crispy, golden brown skin with a fully-cooked, tender inside.
While I am typically too lazy for a multi-day brine, I am truly impressed with Chef’s gravy recipe. It was fragrant and fresh, despite having rich butter and turkey flavor. The texture was also perfect to my liking from the recipe though Chef Cody offers ways to thin or thicken it based on personal preference. Paired together, the brined turkey and lemon, sage, and parsley gravy make an incredible Thanksgiving pair sure to please the whole holiday table.
Ready to give the recipe a shot for yourself? Let me know if you make it!
View Chef Cody DeRosett’s recipe online here.
Get the printable version of the recipe here.
