SPECIAL: EMERGENCY TURKEY!

DC Coast’s Brendan Cox Offers Useful Thanksgiving Tips and a Last-minute Flawless Turkey

Thanksgiving is a cherished occasion, bringing together beloved family and friends over a generous feast of juicy turkey, savory sides and favorite seasonal desserts. Many families, however, find Thanksgiving to be an intimidating and stressful time of year. The turkey never seems to turn out right, and there is never enough room or time to cook the multiple side dishes -- let alone the desserts -- in the oven. Luckily, chef Brendan Cox of DC Coast is sharing his no-fail “Emergency Turkey” recipe and numerous cooking tips that will help you pull off the most delicious, trouble-free Thanksgiving celebration ever.

Once upon a time, just a few hours before having to serve a fried turkey, Cox found himself with a leaking fryer and a hot charcoal grill. This recipe and technique, resulting from his emergency, require just a few hours of preparation and cooking time. Brendan has not fried a turkey since.

For the turkey: One 16-lb. turkey in 8 pieces; 6 apples, roughly chopped; 4-oz apple cider; 3 onions, peeled and cut. For the brine (optional, but recommended): 1 gallon water; 1¼ cups kosher salt; 4 bay leaves; 2 bunches thyme; 3 onions, sliced in half but unpeeled; 6 heads garlic, sliced in half; 4 carrots, peeled and cut; ¼-ounce cardamom pods, toasted; 8 juniper berries.

Method: One day before cooking, combine the ingredients for the brine in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and chill. Pour brine into a container large enough to hold the liquid and the turkey pieces. Keep turkey submerged in cold brine overnight. On Thanksgiving Day, remove the turkey pieces from the brine and allow to air dry for an hour or pat dry with a paper towel. Light a good sized charcoal or wood fire outside in a grill. When the coals have a bit of white ash on them, place the turkey pieces skin side down and cook for 15 minutes without charring them too much. Turn the turkey over to the flesh side and cook another 8-10 minutes. While pre-heating your oven to 350 degrees, carefully move the coals and turkey to opposite sides of the grill and cover with the lid for one hour. Remove the turkey from the grill and set on top of the apple-onion-cider mixture in a pan large enough to hold it all. Place in the oven, and continue to cook until desired doneness is achieved (check every fifteen minutes after the first half hour). Let the meat rest, and carve!

Additional Tips:
= Simply roasting potatoes with sage and butter is both delicious and easier than making elaborate mashed potatoes from scratch.
= Never underestimate the value of really nice bread, warmed in the oven.
= Replacing cranberry sauce with pears that have been peeled and roasted with rosemary and a touch of honey is easy, delicious and charmingly gourmet.
= Have a small pot of apple cider, sliced oranges and cloves simmering on the stove as a nice way to help set the Thanksgiving mood.
= Adding hardwood-smoked bacon to the cavity of the turkey [when cooking it whole] invariably makes the bird taste better.