How to make the best Thanksgiving gravy

Quick tips for turkey gravy

To make a fail-proof gravy, you need three components: liquid, thickener and flavor.

Liquid: Ideally, the liquid should be homemade turkey or meat stock. If you don't have homemade stock, low-sodium turkey or meat broth will suffice. Using low-sodium broth gives you control over the amount of salt in the gravy.

Thickener: The thickener is a starch such as flour or cornstarch, which will give gravy a delectable mouthfeel.

Flavor: You can add a tasty number of ingredients to flavor your gravy. Excellent choices include wine (sherry, marsala, and madeira work well), liquors, dried mushrooms, and dried or fresh herbs and spices.

For best results, the gravy should also include browned bits from the stock as well as turkey pieces. And keep in mind that the more starch you add, the thicker your gravy. To avoid a lumpy gravy, add the starch in gradually. You can also add a few tablespoons of butter to increase richness.

Thanksgiving Day turkey gravy recipe

Homemade Turkey Stock

Makes about 10 cups

Ingredients:
3 pounds turkey wings and legs or bones from a turkey
Turkey neck and giblets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 medium celery rib with leaves, chopped
6 parsley sprigs
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Directions:
1. Chop wings, legs, and neck into 2-inch pieces using a heavy cleaver. If using bones, keep whole. Cut away any fatty membranes from the giblets.

2. Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add wings, legs, neck, bones and giblets in a few batches, cooking until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Move to a plate with a slotted spoon.

3. Add onion, carrots and celery and cook 6 to 7 minutes, or until tender. Place turkey pieces back into pot and fill pot with cold water (turkey should be covered by about 2 inches). Bring mixture to a boil and skim off any foam that is created.

4. Mix in parsley, thyme, peppercorns, and bay leaf and reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for at least 2 hours or up to 12. Continue adding water to keep the turkey pieces covered.

5. Strain stock through a sieve into a bowl. Save all meat. Let stock rest for 5 minutes then skim off the top layer of fat that rises. Let stock cool fully before using. It can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen in a well-sealed container for up to 3 months.

Note: An alternative to cooking on the stovetop for 2 hours is to use a slow cooker on low for up to 12 hours. This stock can also be used to make soup or stuffing.

Coming up on the next page…Classic Turkey Gravy