Mean Chefs Turkey Gravy Recipes

MEAN CHEF'S MEATLOAF WITH MUSHROOM GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Pour the oil into a sauté pan and set over medium-high heat.
• Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• In a mixing bowl, stir together the eggs, thyme, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, and milk.
• Place the ground meat into another bowl and pour the egg mixture over the meat.
• Add the saltines, parsley, onion, and garlic to the bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Roll up your sleeves, and knead the meat together with the other ingredients until well blended (if you like, cook a small portion of the mixture in a pan, taste, and adjust seasoning).
• Transfer to a cookie sheet and form into a loaf.
• If using the bacon, wrap the slices lengthwise over the top and tuck them under the loaf, to completely cover the meat.
• Bake for 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 160 degrees.
• If the bacon on the top is not as crisp as you would like, put the meatloaf under the broiler for a few minutes.
• Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 5 minutes.
• Slice and serve with mushroom gravy (recipe#66984) and mashed potatoes recipe#104098.
• Mushroom Gravy (recipe#66984): Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the mushrooms and sauté until brown, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in the flour; it will become very pasty.
• Cook this roux for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• It will stick to the bottom of the pan a little bit; that's okay.
• Stir in the stock, wine, soy sauce, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
• Cook the sauce at a lively simmer for 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly and scraping any crusty bits that adhere to the bottom of the pan.
• Serve in a sauceboat.

EASY HIGH-HEAT ROAST TURKEY WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• Before cooking, be sure that your oven is VERY clean to prevent smoking. Preheat the oven to 450°F and set an oven rack in the lowest position.
• Remove and discard truss that holds turkey legs together. Trim off and discard any excess fat in the neck or body cavity. Remove giblets and neck; discard or save for stock.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out with warm water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place a V-shaped rack in a 13 x 16 x 3-inch heavy stainless-steel roasting pan. (Do not use a dark roasting pan or a disposable aluminum pan.) Rub the turkey skin all over with the olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Set the bird breast-side-up on the rack. Pull the wings away from the body, then firmly twist them to push the wing tips under the bird. Using aluminum foil, form caps over the tips of the end of each drumstick. (Do not tie the legs together, add stuffing, or close the body cavity.) Insert a digital leave-in meat thermometer near the center of the breast through the thickest part until the tip touches the bone.
• Turn on your exhaust fan and crack a kitchen window. Place the turkey in the oven and roast, without basting, until the thermometer reaches 160°F, 1 to 1½ hours. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the pan halfway through cooking to assure even browning. (If at any point your kitchen gets unbearably smoky or the fat is spitting, pour a cup of tepid water in the roasting pan. Just keep in mind that the liquid will create steam in the oven, so the skin won't be quite as crispy.)
• Remove the pan from the oven. Using clean oven mitts (that you don't mind getting dirty), carefully tilt the turkey so that the juices from the cavity run into the roasting pan. Transfer the turkey to a platter or cutting board (do not clean the roasting pan), tent the turkey with foil, and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes. This will allow the internal temperature to reach at least 165°F (the USDA safe-cooking temperature for turkey) and the juices to settle.
• While the turkey rests, make the gravy: Place the roasting pan on a burner on your stove. (Be very careful handling the pan; it's easy to forget that it's hot.) Skim away any excess fat or solids that have accumulated in the pan. Add the broth and cook over medium heat, scraping the bottom of the pan with a whisk or wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits, until simmering. Turn off the heat and set aside.
• In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook until very soft and translucent, about 15 minutes. Do not brown. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Whisk in the turkey dripping-chicken broth mixture and Cognac and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the cream (if using) and chopped herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Transfer to a gravy bowl.
• Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy on the side.
• Make-Ahead Instructions: If you don't mind losing the crispy skin, the turkey can be roasted and carved ahead of time. Pour a thin layer of the gravy into an ovenproof serving platter. Arrange the carved turkey nicely on top of the gravy; cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to two days. Refrigerate the remaining gravy in a separate container. To reheat: remove the plastic wrap and cover the platter with aluminum foil. Place in a 325°F-oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until the turkey is hot. Reheat the gravy in the microwave or on the stovetop.

CHEF JOHN'S ROAST TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under the bird, and season cavity with about 1 tablespoon of the poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Toss the onion, celery, and carrots together in a bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture, rosemary sprigs, and 1/2 bunch sage into the cavity of the turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Loosen the skin on top of the turkey breast using fingers or a small spatula. Place about 2 tablespoons butter under the skin and spread evenly. Spread the remaining butter (about 2 tablespoons) all over the outside of the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Spread the remaining onion, celery, and carrots into a large roasting pan. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Arrange a sheet of aluminum foil over the breast of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking. Baste the turkey with the pan juices.
• While the turkey is roasting, make stock: place neck, heart, and gizzards in a saucepan with the bay leaf and water. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain the turkey giblets from the stock, and discard giblets. There should be at least 4 cups of stock.
• Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Pour the pan juices, about 3 cups, into a saucepan and set aside. Skim off the turkey fat from the pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the turkey fat and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Transfer the onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until the onion is browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the flour. Continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes more; whisk in 4 cups of the skimmed turkey stock and the reserved pan juices until smooth; skim off any foam. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Simmer until the gravy is thickened, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped sage, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

CHEF JOHN'S MUSHROOM GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat butter over medium heat in a saucepan until it foams. Stir in mushrooms. Season with salt. Simmer until liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the flour, cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes. Add about 1 cup of beef stock, stirring briskly until incorporated, then pour in the remaining stock and mix thoroughly. Season with black pepper and thyme. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring often.

TURKEY GRAVY WITH FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring turkey gravy to a boil over medium-high heat; immediately reduce to a simmer. Stir in parsley, chives and tarragon; serve.

MEAN CHEF'S TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• When the turkey is done, transfer it to a serving platter to rest and set aside.
• Pour the pan drippings into a 1-quart glass measure, medium bowl, or gravy separator.
• Leave any browned bits in the bottom of the roasting pan.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Using a large spoon, skim the clear yellow fat that rises to the surface and reserve (or pour fat out of separator into another bowl).
• If the drippings don't seem dark enough, pour half back into the roasting pan and set over two burners.
• Bring to a boil over high heat.
• As the drippings reduce they will darken.
• Pour in the remaining drippings until the liquid in the pan is as dark as you want.
• The amount of drippings will decrease, but the finished gravy will be darker and taste better without having to resort to something from a bottle.
• Remove browned drippings and Add enough stock to the drippings to measure 4 cups total cooking liquid.
• set aside Set the roasting pan on top of the stove over 2 burners on moderately low heat.
• Add 6 tablespoons of the reserved fat to the pan.
• Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisking constantly.
• Let the mixture bubble, whisking constantly, until it browns, 1 to 2 minutes.
• It is important to let the mixture cook for a minute or two to allow the flour to lose its raw taste, but adjust the heat as needed to keep it from burning.
• Whisk in the cooking liquid, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
• Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking occasionally.
• If the gravy seems too thin, increase the heat to medium and boil until it is as thick as you wish.
• If desired, strain the gravy through a wire sieve to remove any extraneous bits of drippings.