Classic Gravy Recipes

CLASSIC GRAVY

Steps:

• Prepare the stock: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the turkey neck and giblets; cook, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, thyme and bay leaves; stir to coat. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, reduce the heat to low and simmer about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; reserve the saucepan. You should have 7 cups stock-if you're short, add more broth.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in the reserved saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the 7 cups stock; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside until the turkey is done.
• Pour the turkey pan drippings into a fat separator and let stand until the fat rises to the top. Discard the fat (or drizzle on your stuffing). Whisk the defatted drippings into the gravy; season with salt and pepper. Reheat before serving.

CLASSIC GRAVY

Steps:

• For the brown turkey stock: In a 4-quart saucepot over medium-high heat, brown the butter and add the giblets. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the giblets are browned. Add the carrots, celery and onions and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are browned. Add the turkey stock, rosemary, cinnamon, sage and star anise, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cook at a slow simmer until the stock is rich and dark and reduced to 5 cups, about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.
• For the gravy: When your turkey is done, measure out 1/4 cup of the fat from the roasting pan and discard the rest. Put the 1/4 cup turkey fat back into the roasting pan with the drippings, put the pan over medium-high heat and add a splash of the reserved 5 cups brown turkey stock to loosen the pieces. Whisk in the flour and remaining stock and simmer until the proper consistency is achieved, about 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and vinegar and season to taste.

CLASSIC GRAVY

Steps:

• Strain the turkey pan drippings into a fat separator or large liquid measuring cup; set aside. Place the empty turkey roasting pan across two burners over medium-high heat. Add the wine and scrape up any browned bits, then cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute; add to the drippings.
• Spoon or pour off 1/2 cup of the fat from the drippings and return to the roasting pan over medium-high heat. (If you don't have enough fat to make 1/2 cup, add vegetable oil.) Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth and golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Whisk in the defatted drippings and enough broth to make 8 cups total liquid. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thickened, 15 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

CLASSIC GRAVY

Steps:

• Place the giblets in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until the giblets are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the giblets sit in the water, allowing them to cool.
• Remove the giblets from the saucepan and chop the liver and gizzards. Pick the meat from the neck bone and discard the bones. Save the giblet broth.
• Pour the turkey drippings from the roasting pan into a pitcher. Allow the fat to rise to the top, leaving the stock juices at the bottom. Ladle or pour the fat into a separate container.
• Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved fat. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk to combine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. If it is too oily, sprinkle in another 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. If it is too dry, add more fat and stir until the flour and fat are combined. Continue to cook the roux until it is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
• While whisking, pour in the chicken stock. Cook, whisking gently, until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour in the stock juice drippings from the pitcher and continue to cook, stirring, until thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Thin as needed with the giblet stock and additional broth if needed. Stir in the giblets and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until the giblets are warmed through, then serve.

OLD FASHIONED BROWN GRAVY

Steps:

• Immediately after removing meat from a roasting pan or other pan, drain off the drippings, reserving 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle the flour over drippings; cook and stir over medium heat until brown. Gradually stir in milk, whisking with a fork to scrape up all of the meaty bits from the pan, then gradually whisk in the water. Increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Taste, and season with salt and pepper.