by Geraldine Duncann
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Makes about 6 cups
Many people think making gravy is a no brainer and one of the least important parts of the meal. NOT! A good gravy takes time, knowledge and finesse to achieve. Gravy can make or break a meal. One needs to put as much time, energy and consideration into the making of their gravy as any other part of the meal. When making turkey gravy to accompany the noble Thanksgiving bird, you have a head start. Roasting a turkey produces turkey drippings, an essential part of making good, flavorful turkey gravy.
For me, my turkey gravy begins the day before Thanksgiving when I boil the neck and giblets to make a good stock or broth. I need a lot of good rich turkey stock. I will need it for soup, for sauces and of course for the gravy. To insure that I will have enough and that it is flavorful, I always buy an extra turkey neck and extra giblets. It doesn’t matter if you can’t find extra turkey giblets. You can supplement with chicken giblets and even chicken necks and backs. After all, you already have one turkey neck and set of giblets.
So, make your stock, strain it and set it aside to use as needed. Roast your turkey by your favorite method, however, periodically, siphon off the pan juices that accumulate in the bottom of the roasting pan with one of those bulb basters. Collect your pan juices into a bowl and as they coo,l skim off as much fat as possible. Do not throw it all away.
Pan juices from turkey and roasting pan
- 1/4 cup dry white wine or apple juice
- 4 tablespoons reserved fat from pan juices
- 1/4 cup all-porpoise flour
- Turkey or chicken stock or broth (3, 15.5-ounce cans)
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms, (optional)
- Chopped turkey giblets * (optional)
- 1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley
- Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
| Strain the pan juices from your roasted turkey. Allow to sit for about ten minutes. Skim off as much of the fat as possible and set aside. Place the empty roasting pan over two burners on medium-high heat. Add the wine or apple juice and cook, stirring and scraping to dissolve the bits and pieces stuck to the pan. Do this for about two minutes. Add the four tablespoons of reserved turkey fat and the flour and cook, stirring all the while until a rich chestnut color, about three or four minutes. |  |
Whisking all the while, add the pan juices and enough stock or broth to make a total of 6 cups of liquid. Bring to a boil while whisking, then reduce to a simmer and continue cooking, whisking occasionally, until thickened, glossy and almost translucent.
Add the mushrooms if using and cook for another minute or two. Add the chopped giblets, if using and the parsley and cook only until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and use.
* I usually pick the meat off the boiled neck of the turkey and chop along with the liver, heart and gizzard and add to my gravy