Turkey gravy - need help/ideas

[rdstoll]

I have a couple of birds going as we speak for a church dinner this evening. Two in oven and one in Big Joe.

I wasn't going to futz with the gravy but I'm just wondering if anyone has a simple way to make gravy. Tons of recipes on Google but I never trust them.

I have drip pans in the Big Joe collecting juices and other birds are in roasting racks. Not sure if the drippings end up overcooking because I can hear them boil away while the birds are cooking.

Any good gravy tips?

 

[Jason TQ]

Sometimes those drip pan juices do cook away. Recently I've been spatchcocking the turkey so I take the spine along with the neck and bag of stuff that come with the turkey and simmering that with spices to make the gravy. Has turned out awesome the last few times. I add back in the meat that comes off the neck and spine.

 

[LYU370]

First you make a roux...

 

[jham0077]

Do the roux or look on the cornstarch package.
Separate the drippings, fat from actual broth, then make the roux with the fat. Usually equal parts fat to flour. Brown the roux then whisk your broth into it till you get a good consistency.
If you use cornstarch, dissolve a few tablespoons in a 1/4 cup cold water. Then add that mixture, little at a time, to the boiling drippings, providing you have enough broth(at least 2 cups...I think).

 

[aawa]

Take the neck and innards and roast them in a pan. Then fill the pan with water with some onion, celery, carrots, herbs (sage/rosemary/thyme work well with turkey) to make a nice stock. Salt and pepper to taste.

Then in another pan, make a roux with butter and flour. Cooking it till it is smooth and blonde. Add the stock to that roux and bring to a simmer and cook until desired thickness.

Serve hot.

 

[Teleking]

Use root vegetables as a roasting rack. Carrots, parsnips, onions, garlic, shallots, etc. add white wine to the mix. When done separate fat and blend/purée the vegetables into the gravy and thicken as needed. Best gravy you can make

 

[rdstoll]

Great thanks for the ideas. I have three necks and innards from the birds to plus will have two more from the birds for Thanksgiving so maybe I'll use that to make the stock. Had no idea what roux was until just now!!

 

[LYU370]

Just a couple silly nuggets of info I've picked up over the years...

There is a difference between how you use flour and cornstarch. With flour, you always want to make a roux, to cook out the raw flour taste. When making a roux, the longer you cook it, the darker it gets. Then darker the roux, the more intense the flavor. But the longer you cook it, the thickening power is reduced, so you'll need more dark roux than you would a light roux to thicken the same amount of liquid.

When you add your liquid to the roux, the longer you cook it, up to a point, the thicker it will become. With cornstarch, after you add the cornstarch to the liquid, as soon as the liquid comes to a boil, that's as thick as it will get. If you want it thicker, you'll need to add more cornstarch. Cooking it longer won't make any difference.

 

[LYU370]

Also, get some dried mushrooms, re-hydrate and chop them up fine and add to the gravy. Good stuff! :thumb: