Classic Turkey Gravy

Classic Turkey Gravy

This recipe is from the Food Network.

Ingredients & Instructions for the broth:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion or leek, or 2 shallots sliced (I used leek)
  • Neck & giblets from your turkey
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken broth (I used 4 cups Turkey broth, 4 cups chicken broth)
  • Sprigs of thyme, parsley, rosemary, sage (I used parsley, rosemary, sage)
  • 2 bay leaves

When your turkey goes in the oven or this can be started the day before:

  1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion (leek or shallots) and turkey neck & giblets; cook, stirring until giblets are browned; about 15 mins
  2. Add broth, herb sprigs, & bay leaf.  Cover & simmer for 2 hours.  Strain the broth and keep warm (or rewarm the next day).

Ingredients & Instruction for the gravy:

  • Turkey drippings from your roasting pan
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • dash or 2 of Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt & Pepper
  1. When turkey is done and transferred to cutting board, pour all the pan drippings into a degreasing cup.  Add 1/2 cup of prepared broth to roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon (if the bits are stuck, put pan over a low burner to loosen them).  Add the bits & liquid to degreasing cup.
  2. Let the fat rise to the top of the degreasing cup, then spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to large saucepan over medium heat.  Make a roux:  sprinkle flour into pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until flour browns slightly, about 4-6 mins.
  3. Gradually add the hot broth to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low.  Pour the dark roasting juices from the degreasing cup into gravy; discard any remaining fat.  
  4. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes.  Add Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. I did add salt and pepper through out the process too.  

Quick Fixes:

Too thick:  add a splash of water or broth; can also add brandy or bourbon.  

Too thin: mix equal parts of flour and melter butter and whisk into boiling gravy (I did have to add 2tbl butter/flour mixture to thicken at end)

Too lumpy: strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve