Basic Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
1 medium carrot, thickly sliced
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 medium celery rib, thickly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fat from poultry drippings
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
poultry stock, warmed
Directions
To make the gravy, remove the cooked turkey and roasting rack from the roasting pan. Pour the poultry drippings through a sieve into a 4-cup measuring cup.
Add 1 cup stock to the roasting pan and stir until crusty brown bits are loosened: pour the deglazed liquid/broth into the 4-cup measure. Let the mixture stand a few minutes until the fat rises to the top.
Over medium heat, spoon 3 tablespoons fat from the poultry drippings into a 2 quart or larger saucepan. Whisk flour and salt into heated fat and continue to cook and stir until the flour turns
golden.
Meanwhile, skim and discard any fat that remains on top of the poultry drippings. Add remaining broth and enough water to the poultry drippings to equal 3 1/2 cups. Gradually Whisk in warm poultry
drippings/broth mixture. Cook and stir until gravy boils and is slightly thick.
Makes about 4 cups
Turkey Giblet Gravy
Ingredients
Reserved neck, heart, and gizzard from the turkey giblets package
1 medium carrot, thickly sliced
1 medium onion, thickly sliced
1 medium celery rib, thickly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 turkey liver (also found in giblets package)
3 T fat from poultry drippings
3 T all-purpose flour
Directions
In a three quart saucepan over high heat, place neck, heart, gizzard, vegetables, and salt in enough water to cover. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Add liver and cook 15 minutes longer. Strain broth into a large bowl. Pull the cooked neck meat off the bones and discard bones. Coarsely chop the neck meat and cook giblets. Cover and keep the broth and giblets separately in the refrigerator until needed.
To make the gravy, remove the cooked turkey and roasting rack from the roasting pan. Pour the poultry dripping through a sieve into a 4-cup measuring cup.
Add 1 cup giblet broth to the roasting pan and stir until crusty brown bits are loosened: pour the deglazed liquid/broth into the 4-cup measure. Let the mixture stand a few minutes until the fat rises to the top.
Over medium heat, spoon 3 tablespoons fat from the poultry drippings into a 2 quart or larger saucepan. Whisk flour and salt into heated fat and continue to cook and stir until the flour turns golden.
Meanwhile, skim and discard any fat that remains on top of the poultry drippings. Add remaining broth and enough water to the poultry drippings to equal 3 1/2 cups. Gradually whisk in warm poultry drippings/broth mixture.
Cook and stir until gravy boils and is slightly thick. Stir reserved giblets into cooked gravy, reheat to simmering and serve.
Guiltless Turkey Gravy
Love gravy but hate the fat? Try this light alternative.
Ingredients
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup water
4 cups turkey stock and defattted pan juices (whatever you lack in pan juices, make up for in stock)
salt and pepper to taste
Directions
In a large saucepan, over medium heat, bring stock and pan juices to a boil. Meanwhile, blend the cornstarch and water until smooth. Whisking constantly, slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the boiling pan juices, continue to stir until gravy has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Note: For some variations stir in one or more of the following to your cooked gravy: coarsely chopped, cooked turkey giblets, 1/3 cup sherry, 1/2 pound sauteed thinly sliced mushrooms.
