Gravy 101 Food

HOMEMADE GRAVY

Steps:

• In a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan, cook the butter and onions over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Don't rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well-cooked.
• Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisk in, then add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock mixture and Cognac, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Add the wine and cream, if desired. Season, to taste, and serve.

CLASSIC GRAVY RECIPE

Steps:

• Add the butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.
• Sprinkle on the flour and whisk in. Cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly golden and sandy.
• Slowly whisk in the drippings or stock and cook, whisking constantly until the gravy starts to thicken.
• Which thick and gravy-ful, remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper, stirring in the optional soy sauce, if using. Enjoy warm!

ROAST TURKEY 101 (WITH GRAVY)

Steps:

• Turkey, part 1: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place turkey in the kitchen sink and cut outer wrapping. Remove neck and giblets from inside the turkey. Discard liver and set aside the rest. Pull out timer and discard. Hold turkey under cold running water (lukewarm if turkey is cold from the fridge, to bring to room temp), 5 minutes. Remove from sink and pat dry with paper towels inside and out.
• Transfer to a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Tuck wing tips under the body and tie the legs together with twine. Rub turkey with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add ½ cup water to the pan and place in the oven. Roast turkey until golden brown, 7-10 minutes per pound, basting every 15 minutes.
• Gravy, part 1: Place remaining olive oil, neck, giblets and onion in a skillet. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven, 30 minutes. Meanwhile, baste the turkey, rotate the pan (for even browning), and continue roasting.
• Remove skillet from oven and place all the contents into a saucepan. Add water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to low and simmer about 1 hour, uncovered.
• Turkey, part 2: After an hour of roasting, add leeks, carrots, and onions. First, cut leeks by leaving the root intact and cutting lengthwise. Soak in water to remove sand, 2 minutes. Peel and cut carrots and onions in half. Inspect the leeks for sand, discard any sandy pieces, cut off the roots, and roughly chop. Add vegetables to the bottom of the roasting pan. At this point, check turkey temperature for doneness. When thermometer registers 160 degrees F, remove turkey from oven and place on cutting board to rest while finishing the gravy.
• Gravy, part 2: Transfer roasting pan to the stove, covering 2 burners, and cook the vegetables over high heat until brown, about 10 minutes. Add the giblet stock, stir and scrape the browned bits from the pan, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Strain the vegetable and giblet mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large saucepan and serve. Reserve half of the gravy if you are making Jonathan Waxman's Mushroom-Baguette Stuffing.

BASIC GRAVY

Steps:

• Prepare the stock: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the turkey neck and giblets; cook, turning, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, herb sprigs and bay leaves; stir to coat. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broth, reduce the heat to low and simmer about 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; reserve the saucepan. You should have 7 cups stock ¿ if you're short, add more broth.
• Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in the reserved saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the 7 cups stock; bring to a simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Set aside until the turkey is done.
• Pour the turkey pan drippings into a fat separator and let stand until the fat rises to the top. Discard the fat (or drizzle on your stuffing). Whisk the defatted drippings into the gravy; season with salt and pepper. Simmer until desired thickness, 5 to 15 minutes.

THE BEST GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and turkey neck and giblets; cook, stirring, until browned, about 15 minutes. Add the broth, herb sprigs and bay leaf; cover and simmer about 2 hours (do this while the turkey roasts).
• Once your turkey is done, transfer it to a cutting board to rest and pour the pan drippings into a large fat separator cup. Strain the broth; save the giblets for chunky gravy, if desired.
• Put the roasting pan on the stovetop over low heat. Add a splash of the broth to the pan and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Transfer the liquid and bits to the fat separator.
• The fat will rise to the top of the degreasing cup. Spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to a saucepan. (If you don't have enough turkey fat, add butter to measure 1/2 cup total.) Scatter in the flour and whisk to incorporate. Cook over medium heat, stirring in a figure-eight motion with a wooden spoon, until the flour mixture browns slightly, about 4 minutes.
• Gradually ladle the hot broth into the flour mixture, whisking constantly (this is key, or your gravy will be lumpy). Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the gravy simmers gently.
• Add the remaining turkey drippings to the gravy, leaving any extra fat behind in the fat separator. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper.