Turkey gravy needs a great base recipe, and this is it. Once your base is made, you can continue to build on it, increasing both quantities and adjusting flavour as you like. Once you master the art of a great pan gravy like this, you’ll be elected to make it at every roast dinner.
A luscious gravy can also mask a myriad of turkey sins. Here are tips to get you a perfect gravy every time – and most importantly, enough of it!
Easy Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
- Reserved turkey drippings
- 4 cups Chicken stock up to 4 cups
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour + more for slurry
- 2 whole sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Turkey Drippings
- Remove roast turkey from roasting pan to allow to rest. Reserve roasting pan as you will use it again. Pour contents of pan into glass measuring jar. Allow fat to rise to top to there is a clear distinction between the fat and the juices – which are called . Skim the fat from the top and reserve separately.
Easy Turkey Gravy
- Measure Turkey Drippings juices and top them up with enough chicken stock to amount to 4 cups in total.
- Place roasting pan on stovetop over medium-high heat. Add 3 tbsp of reserved turkey fat and cook, using a wooden spoon to scrape all caramelized bits off bottom of pan. Continue cooking until scrapings turn deep brown and are very fragrant – don’t be shy, the browner the better for flavour.
- Sprinkle flour over pan and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add 1 cup stock and let mixture foam and sizzle, continuing to stir to prevent lumps. Gradually whisk in remaining chicken stock. Add thyme.
- Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thick enough to coat back of spoon. Add soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour through strainer before serving, if desired.
- Once this base is ready – smooth and perfectly seasoned – you can now develop more gravy. Your flavour is there, now you just need to build. Here’s how:
- Whisk ½ cup flour with 2 cups of water until very smooth – an easy way to do this is in a mason jar with a lid and shake until smooth. Add a drop or two of soy sauce. Set aside.
- With gravy on a simmer, continue to add liquids. Liquids can include more chicken stock, or any vegetable water that you would normally drain and discard. As you add more liquid, add incremental amounts of flour slurry to help balance thickness. Continue to simmer to maintain the desired thickness and season as you go.
- Serve immediately.
