Five Great Gravy Recipes
1 Comment | Written on November 18, 2011 at 3:00 pm, by The Editors
Great gravy can take your Thanksgiving feast to new heights—there’s something undeniably decadent about drenching your turkey slices and pillowy mashed potatoes in a pool of rich, silky sauce. But many cooks struggle with this part of thanksgiving, turning out thin, light gravies that lack flavor and depth.
So how do you make the gravy of your dreams? Pay attention to the building blocks. The heart and soul of any good gravy are the meat drippings and stock you use to create it. Ideally, you want to incorporate the dark-brown drippings from your roasted bird to lend the gravy color and deep flavor, but do a quick taste-test first—if you’ve brined your turkey, you might find the drippings too salty.
Another key is stock—it’s worth it to make your own a few days before the feast instead of defaulting to boxed or canned versions. Simply boil a few turkey wings or a turkey leg in water with half an onion and a few fresh herbs and presto—rich, flavorful turkey stock. (Try this turkey stock recipe.)
As for those dreaded lumps, well, there’s nothing to fear if you use the techniques in these gravy recipes. Whether you use a slurry or a roux, the most important thing to remember is never to add dry flour to your stock, or you’ll end up with a lumpy mess that will be hard to salvage.
Ready to tackle gravy? Get out your whisk and give it a whirl.
Now, to cook all those dishes that your gravy will pair with:
• Stuffing, Stuffing, and More Stuffing Recipes
Categories:
Holidays & Parties | Tags: Gravy, Thanksgiving, Turkey Gravy
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One Response to “Five Great Gravy Recipes”
Basic Sausage Gravy and Biscuits.
1 pound of prepared breakfast sausage
2 cups whole milk or 1 cup each whole milk and half and half
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 tablespoons flour
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
8 hot fresh biscuits split in half
butter for buscuits (optional)
In a medium saucepan, cook the sausage until crumbly and slightly browned. Add the butter, stir. Add the flour stirring it in well, making a meat rue, do not let this brown. Add milk or milk and half & half slowly while stiring over high heat. Reduce heat to medium or lower, stiring with a whisk often to prevent burning and sticking. The gravy will thicken, taste for salt and pepper add as required. Serve over the hot (buttered?) buscuits with eggs how you like them. A very hearty and satisfying Breakfast or brunch.