Make Ahead Turkey Gravy

Hey Folks! The last turkey I roasted had almost no drippings, making it tough to make gravy. So, I decided to try an experiment. I wondered if I could make gravy ahead of time, without any drippings, and still have it taste as if it was made from turkey drippings. It worked! The key to success here is using home made turkey stock. I don't think plain old chicken broth will impart the depth of flavor that the stock does.

Start by heating 1 quart turkey stock in a pot. Bring it to a simmer.

Melt 1 /2  stick of butter in a skillet over medium heat.

Add 2 big Tbls  All Purpose Flour to the butter.

Whisk it in, and cook for about 10-15 minutes, whisking constantly. What you're doing here is making a roux. You must cook it until the color changes from white to brown, or your gravy will taste like paste. Brown food tastes good.

Bring it to a boil. Keep whisking.

Now, when the roux is nice and golden brown, add 1 ladel hot stock to the skillet. Whisk it in. The mixture will get very thick. Add another two ladels of of the stock and bring to a boil. Continue to add stock until it is completely incorporated. If you add all the stock at once, you'll get lumps. Not delish.

See that color? That's what you want. Throw in a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a few turns of fresh cracked pepper, and continue to boil until gravy reaches desired consistency. Do not add salt.

O.K. Here's the super secret key: Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning. Add 1/2 tsp to the gravy. Whisk it in.

When gravy coats the back of a spoon, it's ready.

Now, fish out the thyme stem.

Taste! If it's too salty (it shouldn't be), or too thick, add some water.

Store in a covered container until Thanksgiving.

To reheat, put the gravy in a skillet. It will be very thick. Kind of gloppy, actually. Heat it up. It will thin out as it heats.

When your turkey is done, pour the drippings (if you have any) into a fat separator. (If you don't have drippings, just add a touch of broth or stock).

This is from Roasted Turkey #1. See the yellow layer at the top? That's the fat. you do not want that. Pour the little bit of fat that's sitting in the spout off. Add as much of the drippings as you need for consistency to the already hot gravy this will just add a bit more flavor.

If, by chance, the gravy is too thin, make a slurry with 2 tsps corn starch and a tablespoon or so of cold water.

Mix it up with a small fork until smooth.

Add it to BOILING gravy, one tsp at a time. If the gravy is not at a boil when you add it, it will lump. Whisk until thickened.

Serve with your delicious turkey.