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Jerry's Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
- ¼ cup Pan fat (supplemented with butter if you don't have enough rendered fat)
- ¼ cup All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Pan drippings (warmed up hot!)
- 1 to 1.5 cups Turkey or chicken broth (start with 1 cup, and keep the extra 1/2 cup on standby to thin it out to your liking as it simmers)
- 1 tbsp Butter or heavy cream (your secret ingredient for that final glossy shine)
- Salt & Black Pepper to taste
Steps
- Drippings from Turkey Roasting Pan:
- Pour drippings (fat and turkey juices) into a Fat Separator. Allow to settle for a minute. Fat will rise to the top, and then pour the turkey juices from the Fat Separator into a separate bowl or container.
- Step 1: Make the Roux
- Melt the Fat: Transfer 1/4 cup of the fat to a large saucepan set over medium heat. Let it melt completely.
- Cook the Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the melted fat. Using a wooden spoon, stir continuously until the fat and flour form a smooth, homogeneous paste (flour slurry).
- Brown Slightly: Keep stirring continuously for 4 to 5 minutes until the flour browns slightly to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Step 2: Incorporate the Liquids
- Prep the Drippings: Ensure your 1 cup of pan drippings is hot. If they have cooled down, pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds or more until nice and hot. (Crucial step: cold drippings will cause lumps!)
- Whisk Slowly: Slowly stream the hot drippings into your saucepan while whisking vigorously. Keep whisking until the liquids are fully incorporated into the roux.
- Add Broth: Whisk in the 1/2 cup of broth or water.
- Step 3: Simmer & Finish
- Thicken: Bring the gravy to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue simmering until it reaches your desired consistency. (Remember: It is easy to thin a gravy out later, but harder to thicken it up once over-thinned.)
- Season: Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- The Secret Step: For the grand finale, turn off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter or heavy cream. It doesn't take a lot, but it adds an over-the-top richness and glossy silkiness that makes this gravy phenomenal. Serve hot!
Notes
Too Thick? Simply whisk in a little extra hot broth or water, a few tablespoons at a time, until it reaches the perfect consistency.
Too Thin? Don't panic. Mix 1 tablespoon of softened butter with 1 tablespoon of flour to form a smooth paste (beurre manié), then whisk it directly into the simmering gravy until thickened.
Got Lumps? It happens to everyone. Just pour the finished gravy through a fine-mesh strainer before transferring it to your gravy boat.
Too Thin? Don't panic. Mix 1 tablespoon of softened butter with 1 tablespoon of flour to form a smooth paste (beurre manié), then whisk it directly into the simmering gravy until thickened.
Got Lumps? It happens to everyone. Just pour the finished gravy through a fine-mesh strainer before transferring it to your gravy boat.
Sides · Recipe entered by: Greg DeSanto
Jerry's Turkey Gravy
Steps
- Drippings from Turkey Roasting Pan:
- Pour drippings (fat and turkey juices) into a Fat Separator. Allow to settle for a minute. Fat will rise to the top, and then pour the turkey juices from the Fat Separator into a separate bowl or container.
- Step 1: Make the Roux
- Melt the Fat: Transfer 1/4 cup of the fat to a large saucepan set over medium heat. Let it melt completely.
- Cook the Flour: Sprinkle the flour over the melted fat. Using a wooden spoon, stir continuously until the fat and flour form a smooth, homogeneous paste (flour slurry).
- Brown Slightly: Keep stirring continuously for 4 to 5 minutes until the flour browns slightly to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Step 2: Incorporate the Liquids
- Prep the Drippings: Ensure your 1 cup of pan drippings is hot. If they have cooled down, pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds or more until nice and hot. (Crucial step: cold drippings will cause lumps!)
- Whisk Slowly: Slowly stream the hot drippings into your saucepan while whisking vigorously. Keep whisking until the liquids are fully incorporated into the roux.
- Add Broth: Whisk in the 1/2 cup of broth or water.
- Step 3: Simmer & Finish
- Thicken: Bring the gravy to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Continue simmering until it reaches your desired consistency. (Remember: It is easy to thin a gravy out later, but harder to thicken it up once over-thinned.)
- Season: Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- The Secret Step: For the grand finale, turn off the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of butter or heavy cream. It doesn't take a lot, but it adds an over-the-top richness and glossy silkiness that makes this gravy phenomenal. Serve hot!
Too Thick? Simply whisk in a little extra hot broth or water, a few tablespoons at a time, until it reaches the perfect consistency.
Too Thin? Don't panic. Mix 1 tablespoon of softened butter with 1 tablespoon of flour to form a smooth paste (beurre manié), then whisk it directly into the simmering gravy until thickened.
Got Lumps? It happens to everyone. Just pour the finished gravy through a fine-mesh strainer before transferring it to your gravy boat.
Too Thin? Don't panic. Mix 1 tablespoon of softened butter with 1 tablespoon of flour to form a smooth paste (beurre manié), then whisk it directly into the simmering gravy until thickened.
Got Lumps? It happens to everyone. Just pour the finished gravy through a fine-mesh strainer before transferring it to your gravy boat.