All Purpose Gravy Cooks Illustrated Novdec 2003 Food

ALL-PURPOSE GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat butter in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and well-browned (about 7 minutes).
• Reduce heat to medium.
• Add flour, stirring constantly, until well-browned (about 5 minutes).
• Gradually add broths while whisking constantly.
• Bring mixture to boil and skimming off any foam on surface.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and add bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns.
• Simmer, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes until thickened and reduced to 3 cups.
• Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer.
• Press on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
• Add salt & pepper to taste.
• To thaw frozen gravy:.
• Add gravy to pan with 1 tablespoon of water and warm on low heat until thawed.
• Gravy may appear to have separated.
• Whisk vigorously to recombine.

ALL-PURPOSE GRAVY

Steps:

• In food processor, pulse carrot until broken into rough 1/4-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses. Add celery and onion; pulse until all vegetables are broken into 1/8-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses.
• Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and WELL BROWNED, about 7 minutes (important step: browning will give the gravy great flavor). Reduce heat to medium; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until THOROUGHLY BROWNED and fragrant, about 5 minutes (again the browning is very important step for flavor). Whisking constantly, gradually add broths; bring to boil, skimming off any foam that forms on surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and add bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 3 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer into clean saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
• NOTE: If you would like to double the recipe, use a Dutch oven to give the vegetables ample space for browning and increase the cooking times by roughly 50 percent. The finished gravy can be frozen. To thaw either a single or double recipe, place the gravy and 1 tablespoon of water in a saucepan over low heat and bring slowly to a simmer. The gravy may appear broken or curdled as it thaws, but a vigorous whisking will recombine it.

BEST TURKEY GRAVY FROM COOK'S ILLUSTRATED

Steps:

• Make the Broth: Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown turkey giblets and neck for 5 minutes. Cook onion for 3 minutes. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
• Add chicken broth and water, scrape pan bottom, and bring to boil. Add herbs and simmer, skimming foam from surface, for 30 minutes.
• Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer. Reserve and dice heart and gizzard. Refrigerate broth and diced giblets until ready to use.
• Make the Roux and Thicken the Broth: Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until nutty brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Bring reserved turkey broth to simmer.
• Gradually add hot turkey broth to roux. Vigorous and constant whisking at this point is key to avoiding lumps. Reserve 1 cup of broth for deglazing roasting pan (see #9).
• Simmer gravy, stirring occasionally and skimming scum from surface with spoon, until thickened, about 30 minutes. Set aside, covered, until turkey is done.
• Deglaze the Pan and Add the Drippings To the Gravy: Pour drippings through mesh strainer set over measuring cup. Let liquid settle until fat rises to top. Return vegetables in strainer to roasting pan.
• Tilt measuring cup and use wide, shallow soup spoon to skim fat off surface. Reserve defatted drippings. Return gravy in saucepan to simmer.
• Place roasting pan over two burners at medium-high heat. Add wine and reserved 1 cup broth and scrape up browned bits in pan. Boil until liquid reduces by half, 5 minutes.
• Strain roasting pan liquid into gravy, pressing on solids to extract all liquid. Add defatted drippings to taste. Stir in giblets and serve.