Your Thanksgiving Gravy-quick update page 5

The Mystery Machine · Nov 23, 2015

OK, here is MY method of no lumps.... :rotfl:

For starters you take the drippings and put it in a large pot. Let it cool a tad.

DO NOT turn the heat on the pot yet. (This is the important part for no lumps.)

Add flour, usually I add 1/4 cup to start (provided you have plenty of pan drippings) then add more depending on how much is in my pot. It is an eyeball kind of measurement that comes from experience. You whisk it in until smooth with no lumps.

Then you add broth, whisk until smooth. Of course I use my homemade turkey broth.

Taste and check your thickness. Add flour, broth, anything else, whisk until smooth again. This may take a little longer to whisk smooth if you add more flour. (This is where the patience is needed, lol).

If you are satisfied with your creation.....

Then you turn on the heat, whisk constantly until it comes to a boil.

IF you need to add more flour after the heating, then you make a slurry of gravy/flour and then add that to the pot. The slurry is used after heating to adjust the grease ratio if you miscalculated. Adding broth is fine if it is too thick.

You do not add flour directly to boiling gravy.

Shmily1 · Nov 23, 2015

Homemade from the turkey drippings. Then I add the meat from the wings cut up in it. It is awesome!

wenrob · Nov 23, 2015

ronandannette said:
Roux method or slurry...oh the humanity. We need to spin-off a poll!

I have never been good at roux, I'm team slurry. We had our meal last night and dear sis seemed to panic when I said I was using flour and not cornstarch. The trick is to mix the flour well (I use a little frother stick thing) with cold water (or cold whatever) make it thin and whisk like your life depends on it as it hits the hot liquid. If it's too thick you'll get lumps. She seemed impressed watching me do it. :rotfl2:

My gravy was a success but I felt there was too much fat from the drippings. Anyone have a good method for skimming the fat?

msjprincess · Nov 23, 2015

wenrob said:
I have never been good at roux, I'm team slurry. We had our meal last night and dear sis seemed to panic when I said I was using flour and not cornstarch. The trick is to mix the flour well (I use a little frother stick thing) with cold water (or cold whatever) make it thin and whisk like your life depends on it as it hits the hot liquid. If it's too thick you'll get lumps. She seemed impressed watching me do it.

My gravy was a success but I felt there was too much fat from the drippings. Anyone have a good method for skimming the fat?

I pour the drippings into a fat separator like this

TifffanyD · Nov 23, 2015

I buy the turkey gravey packets (dried) and then make the gravy using drippings.

wenrob · Nov 23, 2015

msjprincess said:
I pour the drippings into a fat separator like this

I'm going to have to get one of those, thanks!

WorldWacky · Nov 27, 2015

After 15 years, my sister-in-law made the gravy! She STILL bought the beef gravy, but got inspired by the Pioneer Woman and said she thought of me and how I make it every year, so she tried her hand at it. It was DELICIOUS. I told her she's on the hook to make it every year now. :goodvibes

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

ten6mom · Nov 27, 2015

OK dumb question. I don't cook often and I have never made gravy (I leave that to my mother), but how do you use the turkey broth to make your gravy if you're making the turkey the same day? Can the gravy be made in the short amount of time that the bird is resting after it's cooked??? My mom always has to use chicken broth and then adds some juice from the turkey but the gravy is always started before the bird is cooked. Also, for those of you who use the turkey broth, how do you get enough liquid? We never seem to have much liquid after cooking.

TheIncredibles! · Nov 27, 2015

ten6mom said:
OK dumb question. I don't cook often and I have never made gravy (I leave that to my mother), but how do you use the turkey broth to make your gravy if you're making the turkey the same day? Can the gravy be made in the short amount of time that the bird is resting after it's cooked??? My mom always has to use chicken broth and then adds some juice from the turkey but the gravy is always started before the bird is cooked. Also, for those of you who use the turkey broth, how do you get enough liquid? We never seem to have much liquid after cooking.

Yes you make it when the turkey is resting. For me when the turkey goes in the oven I start a pot to simmer on my stove. I put in a LARGE can of chicken broth, the turkey innards, the leftover parsley and stems from making stuffing the night before, also the leftover celery tops and onion tops and skins etc. I use that to baste. When the turkey is done I still have broth left on the stove and juice in the pan. Take the turkey out, move it to the cutting board and cover, pour the drippings into a fat separator(I usually have to drain into a pot from there as we get a lot of juice, I keep refilling the separator from the turkey pan till I have all the drippings and fat separated. Then I pour some of the turkey fat back into the pan, pour some flour on it, mix well with a wisk then gradually add back in the drippings. Once I have all the drippings in I see how much I have and if I need more I start adding the leftover stock from the pot. Literally takes minutes.

Gigi22 · Nov 27, 2015

ten6mom said:
OK dumb question. I don't cook often and I have never made gravy (I leave that to my mother), but how do you use the turkey broth to make your gravy if you're making the turkey the same day? Can the gravy be made in the short amount of time that the bird is resting after it's cooked??? My mom always has to use chicken broth and then adds some juice from the turkey but the gravy is always started before the bird is cooked. Also, for those of you who use the turkey broth, how do you get enough liquid? We never seem to have much liquid after cooking.

I cheat! Here's how it works, remove the package of turkey giblets and the neck, put them in a bowl, then back into the fridge. Next remove the last joint of the wings and add them to the bowl of giblets. Finish preparing the turkey for the oven and get it in. Get out the bowl of bones and giblets and remove the liver for other purposes (too strong for gravy stock), everything else goes into a 2 qt. saucepan along with a cleaned and cut up carrot, onion and celery stalk, bay leaf, thyme, what have you. Pour a few cups of cold water over everything, bring to a boil, skim off the scum. Reduce the heat on it and let simmer. Now for the cheat part -- top it off with some prepared (canned) chicken stock, or the cold water from boiled potatoes, if you have it, or both. Once you get the turkey stock going, it only takes a couple of hours, then you can strain and reduce it, ready to use in your gravy. Once or twice I made the stock the day before, you just have to be able to get the giblets and the wing ends off the turkey.

ten6mom · Nov 27, 2015

TheIncredibles! said:
Yes you make it when the turkey is resting. For me when the turkey goes in the oven I start a pot to simmer on my stove. I put in a LARGE can of chicken broth, the turkey innards, the leftover parsley and stems from making stuffing the night before, also the leftover celery tops and onion tops and skins etc. I use that to baste. When the turkey is done I still have broth left on the stove and juice in the pan. Take the turkey out, move it to the cutting board and cover, pour the drippings into a fat separator(I usually have to drain into a pot from there as we get a lot of juice, I keep refilling the separator from the turkey pan till I have all the drippings and fat separated. Then I pour some of the turkey fat back into the pan, pour some flour on it, mix well with a wisk then gradually add back in the drippings. Once I have all the drippings in I see how much I have and if I need more I start adding the leftover stock from the pot. Literally takes minutes.

Gigi22 said:
I cheat! Here's how it works, remove the package of turkey giblets and the neck, put them in a bowl, then back into the fridge. Next remove the last joint of the wings and add them to the bowl of giblets. Finish preparing the turkey for the oven and get it in. Get out the bowl of bones and giblets and remove the liver for other purposes (too strong for gravy stock), everything else goes into a 2 qt. saucepan along with a cleaned and cut up carrot, onion and celery stalk, bay leaf, thyme, what have you. Pour a few cups of cold water over everything, bring to a boil, skim off the scum. Reduce the heat on it and let simmer. Now for the cheat part -- top it off with some prepared (canned) chicken stock, or the cold water from boiled potatoes, if you have it, or both. Once you get the turkey stock going, it only takes a couple of hours, then you can strain and reduce it, ready to use in your gravy. Once or twice I made the stock the day before, you just have to be able to get the giblets and the wing ends off the turkey.

Thanks for the tips! I wonder why we never seem to have much juice in our turkeys... Now... to remember them next year.... *sigh*

FayeW · Nov 27, 2015

I make gravy from the pan drippings, and I also use powdered chicken stock to add more flavour. My trick is to add some of the water from the cooked vegetables. With turkey dinner I always serve carrots and turnip. They are cooked separately and I use some water from both. The "carrot water" seems to give the gravy a bit of sweetness. I personally think my gravy could be it's own food group. It's so delicious!

morgan98 · Nov 27, 2015

Wishing on a star said:
I am from the South... gravy, real gravy (not jarred beef gravy) is a MUST.
My inlaws were from the North. They did not even consider gravy.
After a lot of 'dry' thanksgiving meals, I started making gravy.

A few times I also baked a Turkey, so I had the AusJus.
A few times I just got out a pan when we got to MIL's, and when she took the Turkey out of the oven, I made some gravy on the spot.

Many people are afraid of gravy... They wonder, how to make it so that it isn't lumpy??? How do you season it??? etc.

Gravy is very simple.
For this kind of meat gravy (not white cream gravy) you start with COOL AusJus, or with some cold water, to which you can add the hot drippings later. dissolve some corn starch, I think about a heaping tablespoon per two cups of total liquid , into cool liquid. I believe some may also use part flour. Heat slowly and evenly while stirring until it just begins to bubble and thicken. If you started with water, you can then add the hot AusJus about halfway thru. Season very liberally with salt, some pepper, and if one really wishes, add just a bit of other seasonings. (Garlic with thanksgiving Turkey is a sin!!!) Remove from heat once it begins to bubble. Do not boil or over-cook. The gravy will continue to thicken a bit with a little time, as it cools.

PS: IMHO, added solids like egg or giblets are old-school, and one of those things that women used to do, that is not necessary, and has since been deemed a not-so-good thing from the past.

With all due respect, perhaps your in laws were just bad cooks. I am a Northerner now living in the South. We always made home made gravy up North as did everyone I knew.

The Mystery Machine · Nov 27, 2015

I make broth the day before when I am making my pies. I buy extra turkey thighs and neck to make a lot of broth.

I also get the giblets out of the turkey then as well & ready it for the oven for the next day.

elaine amj · Nov 27, 2015

Well, I finally made gravy my kids gave the thumbs up to

I've never really attempted to make gravy before...or roast a turkey, etc. It just wasn't part of our home cooking growing up. For the holidays, my mom always ordered a turkey from a restaurant. My kids learned to adore gravy from turkey and roast dinners at a friend's place. So I gave it another shot. I brined my turkey and also added a bit of broth before putting it in the oven. So the drippings were salty enough there was no need for me to add any more broth when I made the gravy. I added some water and a slurry of flour and water. What I found a bit tricky was getting the consistency right but working on it a little, eyeballing it, and adding more slurry or more water as needed eventually produced a nice, thick, smooth gravy. Using a heavy hand with this whisk made sure everything was smooth (in past attempts, I had lots of problems with lumpiness).

We had a successful turkey dinner at my house! Now my next challenge is stuffing...I've only ever made it from a box.

luvsJack · Nov 27, 2015

Yesterday, I boiled the giblets in chicken stock with onions, celery and poultry seasoning.. Then I browned the wing tips and neck in a tiny bit of oil and some butter. Removed the wings and neck and added flour for a roux. Added in the stock from the giblets and let it simmer. To thicken I added some cornstarch to chicken broth and added it in. No lumps and lots of turkey flavor and calories, I'm sure. I have never made gravy without hot drippings. Even when I pour out the drippings to get the oil out, I heat it back up to cook the flour.

MSLRAC · Nov 27, 2015

I don't use any stock at all for gravy. Just drippings and flour to make a roux and then milk, water, salt, and pepper.

SparklePixie · Nov 27, 2015

tallygirl said:
How is the Trader Joe's gravy? I bought some this year but hesitate to use it because I haven't tried it before.

The TJ gravy was a hit.

ronandannette · Nov 27, 2015

elaine amj said:
Well, I finally made gravy my kids gave the thumbs up to I've never really attempted to make gravy before...or roast a turkey, etc. It just wasn't part of our home cooking growing up. For the holidays, my mom always ordered a turkey from a restaurant. My kids learned to adore gravy from turkey and roast dinners at a friend's place. So I gave it another shot. I brined my turkey and also added a bit of broth before putting it in the oven. So the drippings were salty enough there was no need for me to add any more broth when I made the gravy. I added some water and a slurry of flour and water. What I found a bit tricky was getting the consistency right but working on it a little, eyeballing it, and adding more slurry or more water as needed eventually produced a nice, thick, smooth gravy. Using a heavy hand with this whisk made sure everything was smooth (in past attempts, I had lots of problems with lumpiness).

We had a successful turkey dinner at my house! Now my next challenge is stuffing...I've only ever made it from a box.

Congrats - good for you! I love stories like this! :hug:

The Mystery Machine · Nov 27, 2015

elaine amj said:
We had a successful turkey dinner at my house! Now my next challenge is stuffing...I've only ever made it from a box.

Glad your gravy went well.

Homemade stuffing is really not much harder than a box.

All you are doing different is sauteing the onions & celery in butter, then add anything else that you like (we add sage sausage), some sage, the bread crumbs of choice, (I use the Pepperidge Farm herb mix), then adding the liquid, which is broth, then bake.

The tricky part is guesstimating the liquid.

Your Thanksgiving Gravy-quick update page 5

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