Great Gravy
Gravy can be anxiety provoking - particularly on a big day like Thanksgiving. This fantastic recipe creates a smooth, flavorful gravy every time. Use it with turkey, beef, pork or chicken - as you'll see it's all about the roux and the ratios.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter or fat from the pan
- 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend or regular flour
- 4 cups chicken broth or combo of pan drippings/broth
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Remove the meat from the roasting pan and pick any icky pieces of skin or gristle from the bottom of the pan. (I often add a few cups of chicken stock to my turkey or chicken while it's cooking if I notice it's not producing much liquid)
- Pour the pan juices into a measuring cup and let sit for a few minutes - until the fat begins to separate from the juices
- Spoon the fat off the top of the juices (as best you can, don't worry if you don't get it all) and save - add enough chicken (or turkey) stock to the juices to equal four cups
- Place the roasting pan over medium heat (across 2 burners, if it's a large pan) and add a 1/4 cup of fat (any combination of fat from the pan and butter) to the pan and cook until melted and hot
- Add the 1/4 cup of flour (I like the Bob's Red Mill One-to-One blend, but any good gluten free flour mix will work) Of course, regular flour works beautifully here too if you don't need it to be gluten free.
- Turn down the heat a bit and stir the mixture constantly until the fat and flour is mixed, thick and begins to brown - 2-3 minutes (otherwise known as making a roux)
- Add one cup of the liquid and stir like crazy
- Continue to stir constantly until it begins to thicken - it should only be about 30 seconds
- Add the remaining liquid one cup at a time, stir, stir, stir (are you sensing a theme here?) until the gravy is thick. Add the 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
- If the gravy is too thick - add more chicken stock and continue to stir. If it's too thin, mix 1 tablespoon of flour blend with 1 tablespoon of water and add to the gravy. Stir until it thickens - repeat this, as needed, until the gravy is nice and thick.
- Turn the heat down and let the gravy simmer until the flavors have melded well - 5-10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
- Serve the gravy with your turkey, chicken, pork or beef and enjoy. I like to use creamers rather than gravy boats when I serve gravy - that way I can place a few on the table and everyone gets hot, delicious gravy. (OK and I love creamers, so I have a boatload of them!)
Made this gravely for our Thanskgiving in Australia. It was awesome.
Thanks John!
I’m so happy to share my recipes down under. Have a great holiday season
Maggie,
We made this gravy again…. even better than last year. Happy Thanksgiving!