A turkey feast just wouldn’t be the same without gravy. But as even the most practiced cooks know, it can be a challenge to achieve perfect results. This year, follow these tips (and try the recipe below) to avoid some common problems:
* Use homemade stock, which is richer in flavor than canned stock. When you collect the pan juices, make sure to use a fat separator. This measuring cup with a low spout allows you to pour the tasty, rich juices into your pan, leaving excess fat behind — crucial for greaseless gravy.
If your gravy seems greasy once it has been made, use a wide-bowled spoon to skim off as much fat as possible.
* Thicken the gravy with a classic roux. Cook flour with butter or reserved turkey fat, whisking constantly. Make sure to cook the roux until it is a deep golden brown and smells nutty. If the gravy tastes doughy or chalky when you’re almost finished, the flour may not have been cooked long enough. Turn up the heat to maintain a rapid simmer for several minutes. You can then thin it again with more stock or water if necessary.
* Simmer the gravy over medium-high heat to reduce it to the perfect consistency, which should be slightly thinner than heavy cream.
If the gravy is too thin, add a beurre manie: Make a paste of equal parts flour and softened unsalted butter, and add it a little at a time, whisking constantly, until the gravy thickens. If it’s too thick, gradually whisk a little stock or water into the gravy until it reaches the desired consistency.
* Strain the gravy through a fine sieve to avoid lumps. You can attain the silkiest texture by doing this just before the gravy is served.
* Taste the gravy just before serving, and season it with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.
Turkey gravy
For the stock:
Giblets and neck reserved from turkey (liver discarded)
3tablespoons unsalted butter
2stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1small carrot, coarsely chopped
1leek, white and pale-green parts only, coarsely chopped and washed well
1medium onion, coarsely chopped
3sprigs thyme
3sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1sprig rosemary
5whole black peppercorns
1fresh or dried bay leaf
For the gravy:
3/4cup dry white wine
3tablespoons reserved pan fat (see step 4) or unsalted butter
3tablespoons all-purpose flour
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Make turkey stock while turkey roasts: Trim fat and membrane from giblets. Rinse giblets and neck; pat dry. Add to roasting pan with turkey, and roast until browned, about 30 minutes. Remove giblets and neck from pan; set aside.
Melt butter over medium-high heat in a large (4-quart) saucepan. Add celery, carrot, leek and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; add giblets, neck, thyme, parsley, rosemary, peppercorns, bay leaf and 4 cups water.
Cover; bring to a boil. Uncover. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until liquid reduces to about 3 cups, 50 to 60 minutes.
Pour stock through a large fine sieve set over a clean large saucepan. Reserve giblets and neck. Return stock to stove, and keep warm over medium-low heat. Coarsely chop giblets and shred neck meat off the bone with fork; set aside.
Make gravy when turkey comes out of the oven: Pour juices from roasting pan into a fat separator; reserve pan. Let juices separate, about 10 minutes.
Deglaze pan: Set the pan on stovetop across two burners; add wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up browned bits on bottom with a wooden spoon. Reserve deglazing liquid.
Add 3 tablespoons reserved pan fat (from top of separator) or butter to a clean, large saucepan, and place over medium-low heat. Add 3 tablespoons flour to make a roux, whisking vigorously to combine. Cook, whisking, until flour is deep golden brown and fragrant, about 7 minutes.
Whisking vigorously, add stock in a steady stream to roux. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
Add reserved deglazing liquid, pan juice (from bottom of separator), giblets and neck meat to mixture. Return to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened, about 20 minutes.
Pour gravy through a fine sieve set over a clean large saucepan. Discard giblets and neck meat, if desired. Keep warm on low until ready to serve (up to 30 minutes). Season with salt and pepper.
Makes 2 cups.
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