Plated + Served: Next Stop On The Gravy Train…
“I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage” – Erma Bombeck
That description fits my family perfectly… and apparently a lot of other families out there, too, judging from the reactions I got to my recent post about my favorite new gadget, the fat separator. A whole bunch of you asked why Mama didn’t include a recipe for pan drippings gravy!
Well, here ya go.
This recipe makes about 4 cups of gravy from a 12 to 14 lb. bird. But if you’ve got gravy guzzlers like I do, you may want to have some good, pre-made gravy on standby, just in case!
Pulling this gravy together is pretty easy, but if you’ve never made it from scratch, take your time… even if your sister is breathing down your neck. Some recipes call for making the gravy in the same roasting pan as the turkey (once you’ve removed the turkey), but if you’re just starting out, I’d use a saucepan.
Your guests will wait… just make sure that when you serve the gravy it’s hot and lump free (see “cooking know how” below). They’ll drink it up!
Roast Turkey Gravy you’ll need… let’s get to it…
prep: 10 minutes
cook: 15 to 20 minutes
makes: about 4 cups
¼ cup fat from the pan drippings
5 Tablespoons flour
3 cups liquid, preferably the pan juices supplemented with chicken or turkey broth
1 tablespoon white wine or vermouth (optional, but really delicious)
Fresh ground pepper
Salt to taste
Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and place it on a cutting board or platter to rest; tent with foil to keep warm.
Pour the pan juices, grease and all, through a strainer into a measuring cup so the fat can separate. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Remove ¼ cup fat from the measuring cup (you can do this with a bulb baster or a spoon), pour into a saucepan and heat on medium for 1 minute.
Stir in the flour and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until light brown.
Slowly stir in the liquid and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the white wine or vermouth and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
Lumpy gravy? Fill a blender no more than half full with the gravy and pulse-process until smooth. Make sure you remove the vent top on the blender lid and hold the lid down with a kitchen towel (otherwise it will blow the lid off and you’ll have gravy everywhere except on the turkey!).
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