Nothing beats homemade gravy dripping over just carved turkey; a ladled puddle swirled on a mound of mashed potatoes, drizzled and mixed into bread stuffing. No need to rely on cans of goopy creamed soups or dehydrated over- salted packaged mixes. If you are using herbs and vegetables for another recipe, prep them all at the same time. Plan ahead and get your gravy groove on.
recipes for Pan Gravy and Simple Gravy after the jump
Pan Gravy:
Ingredients
Giblets and neck reserved from turkey
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups water or vegetable broth
8 whole peppercorns
6 sprigs flat leaf parsley
4 fresh sage leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 medium onion, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, peeled and rough chopped
1 celery stalk, rough chopped
2 bay leaves
Pan drippings from cooked turkey, strained, and fat skimmed
3 Tablespoons AP flour
1 Tablespoon brandy-optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Do Ahead:
Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add olive oil.
Add giblets and neck, brown on all sides.
Turn heat to down to medium, slowly add water to the pan.
Add peppercorn, parsley, sage, thyme, onion, carrot and celery.
Bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer mixture until reduced by half.
Strain the mixture through a colander. Reserve turkey neck and giblets.
Cover and chill liquid.
With a knife, remove meat from neck, finely chop neck meat and giblets, cover and refrigerate.
Tip: Place peppercorn, herbs and vegetables in a cheesecloth and tie with a string. Place filled sachet in cooking liquid. Remove and discard when liquid has reduced.
Prepare gravy:
Pour pan drippings from cooked turkey through a colander. Discard solids.
Quick-freeze drippings for 20-30 minutes to solidify fat for easy skimming
Remove and skim fat from surface.
Remove prepared liquid from refrigerator and skin fat from surface.
In a medium saucepan, heat ½ cup of prepared liquid.
Begin to whisk liquid, sprinkle flour in small additions and whisk to combine. Note: adding flour gradually reduces clumping
Stir in brandy-optional
Add remaining liquid, drippings, chopped neck meat and gizzard, and bring to a boil, continue to stir
Reduce heat. Add salt and pepper to taste
Simmer until piping hot and thickened
Garnish with chopped thyme
No pan drippings? Try this Simple Gravy method.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons butter
4 Tablespoons AP flour
¼ teaspoon dried sage
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 cups lite (low sodium) chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 Tablespoon dry white wine-optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Heat saucepan over medium high heat
Add butter to pan, and swirl with a whisk
Season butter with dried sage, thyme, and parsley
Sprinkle flour in small additions while whisking to combine with butter
Stir in white wine-optional, cook for 1 minute
Slowly add broth to mixture, stir to combine
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper
Continue to stir and cook until mixture thickens
