If turkey is the heart of Thanksgiving dinner, gravy is the pièce de résistance, the food bridge that connects the whole meal.
But no pressure!
Making gravy is the last thing I do when I’m cooking, and there is never enough!
In years past I’ve needed to whip up packaged gravy halfway through dinner to accommodate those at my table who like a little potato in their gravy soup.
So, now I make TWO types of gravy for dinner – traditional and fancy.
Tradition speaks for itself, while the fancy version is made up of a wee bit of wine, like me.
Making two different gravies might sound complicated, but it’s really not. In fact my favorite thing about making gravy is that it’s easy to do. Times two.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Neck and giblets from turkey
10 cups water
½ cup flour
½ cup flour
½ cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Here’s how you do it:
Okay, remember how I said gravy is the last thing I do? That’s true, but a little prep work is necessary because giblets.
After the turkey goes in the oven, fill a large saucepan with the neck and giblets and 10 cups of water.
Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. You will see foam rising to the surface and you will need to skim it off until completely dissipated.
Allow liquid to continue simmering for 45 minutes.
Strain neck and giblets and reserve liquid. Let everything relax and cool to room temperature.
Pick the meat from the neck.
Chop the giblets to tiny pieces.
Set aside and wait for turkey to finish roasting. During this “break” you can set the table, make potatoes, sauté green beans, bake rolls, whip the cream, decant wine, etc. The list on Thanksgiving is endless.
Once everything is ready and the turkey is done, take the bird out of the oven and transfer with the rack to its resting place (side note: you should let your turkey rest for at least 20 minutes before carving).
If you have been basting the turkey, you will be left with drippings in the roasting pan. This is super important to the gravy recipes. My drippings usually end up being approximately 2 cups. If yours are less, add some of the giblet liquid.
Divide these drippings in half, equaling 1 cup each.
Divide again by pouring ½ cup of first division in a medium saucepan, reserve the other ½ cup.
Save ½ cup of second division in the roasting pan, reserve the other ½ cup.
Traditional Gravy
First let us address tradition.
In the saucepan add ½ cup of flour to the drippings. Whisk it into a paste. This is the roux.
Add the remaining ½ cup of the drippings and 3 cups of the giblet water reserved earlier to the roux. Start whisking. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Keep whisking, not too hard and not too soft. Middle-strength!
Once the gravy thickens, add HALF of the neck meat and giblets.
Stir and taste. If you need to add salt and pepper, now is the time.
Pour into gravy boat.
Set on table and cover in foil until dinner is served.
Fancy Gravy
Now let’s get fancy!
½ cup of the turkey drippings should still be in the roasting pan. Place that pan on the stove over your largest burner.
Add ½ cup of flour and make the roux exactly the same as traditional gravy, while scraping the brown bits from the pan into the paste.
Add the remaining reserved ½ cup of drippings and 2 cups of giblet liquid.
Add the wine!
Bring to a simmer and whisk whisk whisk again!
When the gravy thickens, add the remaining neck meat and giblets. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste.
Pour into a gravy boat and place on the dinner table!
See, that wasn’t complicated at all.
By the time the gravy is on the table the turkey will be ready to carve! Everything has come together as it should for a traditionally fancy Thanksgiving dinner. It’s time to give thanks for the gathering of friends and family, for the lovely meal and most especially for the gravy.
Get the printable -> Traditional and Fancy Thanksgiving Gravy
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