How To Make The Best Turkey Gravy Recipes

FOOLPROOF TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Pour drippings from roasting pan into bowl, leaving brown particles in pan. Return 1/4 cup drippings to roasting pan. (Measure accurately because too little fat makes gravy lumpy.) Stir in flour. (Measure accurately so gravy is not greasy.)
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in salt and pepper.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Strain pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids and reserve 2 1/2 cups pan drippings; set aside. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and thyme until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved pan drippings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm.

CLASSIC TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• When your turkey goes into the oven, start the broth: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and turkey neck and giblets; cook, stirring, until the giblets are browned, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth, herb sprigs and bay leaf; cover and simmer while the turkey roasts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and keep warm; reserve the neck and giblets, if desired.
• When your turkey is done, transfer it to a cutting board and pour all the pan drippings into a degreasing cup. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared broth to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. (If the bits are stuck, put the pan over a low burner to loosen them.) Add the bits and liquid to the degreasing cup.
• Let the fat rise to the top of the degreasing cup, then spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat. Make a roux: Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the flour browns slightly, about 4 minutes.
• 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 the gravy, discarding any remaining fat. If desired, chop the giblets and shred the neck meat; add to the gravy. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flavored butter, if desired.
• Start with cold heavy cream and mix on high speed.
• After about 3 minutes, you'll have whipped cream; continue mixing.
• After about 6 more minutes, the butter will clump and separate from the liquid. Strain and wrap the butter in cheesecloth, then squeeze out the liquid.
• Tip: To make perfect rounds, shape flavored butter into a log using parchment paper; wrap and chill, then slice.
• Pumpkin
• Mash 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin, 1 stick softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon each sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
• Spiced Cranberry
• Simmer 1/2 cup cranberries with 1 tablespoon water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 strip lemon zest, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 clove, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the zest, cinnamon and clove; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter and a pinch of salt.
• Bourbon-Raisin
• Microwave 1/2 cup raisins with 1 tablespoon bourbon, covered, 45 seconds; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter, 1 tablespoon chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
• Sage Brown Butter
• Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat and cook until browned. Add 1/4 cup sage and fry 30 seconds; drain on paper towels, then chop. Let the brown butter cool; mash with 1 stick softened butter, the sage and a pinch of salt.

HOMEMADE TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Separate the oil from the liquid in the turkey drippings by pouring the drippings into a clear 4-cup measuring cup. Allow the drippings to settle and separate into oil on top and juices on the bottom. Remove 1/4 cup oil using a kitchen syringe; transfer to a saucepan.
• Mix flour into the oil in the saucepan; cook and stir over medium-low heat until color changes to a light brown, about 5 minutes. Pour 1 cup juices from the measuring cup into flour mixture (roux); cook and stir, adding more drippings for a thinner gravy, until gravy is heated through and smooth, about 5 minutes. Mix chicken broth into gravy; cook and stir until heated through, adding more broth for a thinner gravy, about 5 minutes.

CLASSIC TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Pour turkey drippings into a 2-cup measuring cup. Skim fat, reserving 2 tablespoons; set aside. Add enough broth to the drippings to measure 2 cups., In a small saucepan, combine flour and reserved fat until smooth. Gradually stir in the drippings mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

THE BEST TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Remove the wrapping, and place the giblets and turkey neck into a large saucepan with onion, celery, white pepper, and turkey gravy mix. Pour the chicken broth over the mixture, bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the turkey liver and set aside. Allow the stock to simmer for 2 1/2 more hours. Stock should equal about 3 cups; add more chicken broth if necessary. Remove the giblets and chop them if you want to put them back into the gravy. Chop the liver if desired. Strain the stock into a saucepan; discard bones and spent vegetables.
• When the turkey is finished roasting, pour the drippings into a fat separator or bowl, and skim off the fat. In a bowl, whisk the quick-mixing flour with the pan drippings until smooth, then whisk the flour mixture into the stock. Bring the gravy mixture to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, and add the chopped giblets, if desired.

BEST GRAVY EVER

Steps:

• Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and set aside to rest. Leave the drippings from the turkey in the pan and place the roasting pan over medium heat. Add the broth and wine at the same time. Whisk to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan until all of the bits have come loose. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes in order to reduce the mixture slightly. Transfer the liquid to a fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes to allow fat to separate. Return 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the fat to the roasting pan and place over medium-high heat. Discard any remaining fat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken and become smooth, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Once this happens, gradually add the liquid back to the pan and whisk until smooth and you have reached your desired consistency, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remember, your gravy should be slightly thin in the pan as it will thicken once you serve it. Add the herbs and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• 2 to 3 days before roasting:
• Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
• Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
• Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
• Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
• Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
• Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 151 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

PROPER TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Put the onions and carrot in a large pan with the turkey neck (optional). Pour in stock and simmer for 1 hr. Strain to remove the vegetables and turkey, then return the liquid to the pan. (For a textured gravy, remove the turkey and, using a stick blender, blitz carrot and onion into the stock until very smooth.)
• Blend the flour with the white wine or water, then blend this into the stock, stirring over the heat until thickened. Cool, then chill. Will keep for several days or freeze for 1 month. Thaw in the fridge a day ahead. Heat in a pan until piping hot, then add the juices from the turkey and season to taste.

TURKEY BREAST WITH GRAVY

Steps:

• Place turkey breast in a shallow baking pan; coat the outside of the turkey with cooking spray. Tuck onion and celery underneath in the breast cavity. Combine seasonings; rub over turkey. Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 2-1/2 to 3 hours or until a thermometer reads 185°, basting every 30 minutes. Remove turkey and keep warm. For gravy, combine flour and water in a saucepan until smooth. Add pan drippings and bouillon. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil for 2 minutes. Slice turkey; serve with gravy.

THE BEST (DO-AHEAD) TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• In deep 12 inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot.
• Add turkey wings and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until golden on all sides.
• Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic, and cook 8-10 minutes or until turkey wings and vegetables are browned, stirring frequently.
• Transfer turkey and vegetables to a large bowl.
• Add wine to skillet, and stir until browned bits are loosened.
• Return turkey and veggies to skillet.
• Stir in broth, thyme and 3 cups water, heat to boiling over high heat.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes.
• Strain into an 8-cup measure or a large bowl; discard solids.
• Let broth stand a few seconds until fat separates from meat juice.
• Spoon 1/4 cup fat from broth into 2-quart saucepan; skim and discard any remaining fat.
• Add flour to fat in saucepan; cook, stirring over medium heat until flour turns golden brown.
• Gradually whisk in reserved broth and cook until gravy boils and thickens slightly, stirring constantly.
• Pour gravy into a 2-quart container or medium bowl, cover and refrigerate.
• At serving time, reheat gravy and add pan drippings (and/or cooked diced giblets) from the roast turkey if you like.
• Gravy can be reheated in microwave prior to serving.