Turkey is a tasty and healthful addition to your diet. Turkey meat is lean and loaded with protein, and vitamins and minerals like B12, niacin, potassium and zinc. Turkey is also an excellent source of tryptophan, the amino acid that induces the post-feast coma many of us experience after holiday parties.
This week’s gravy recipe is a delicious companion to last week’s brined air-chilled turkey, just in time for Thanksgiving in the US. It was sent to CCSA as part of a series of emails from our resident chef, Dr. Linda Doody. She has been sharing her extensive collection of favorite recipes with friends, family, and the CCSA team as a means of maintaining connections during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A good dinner and feasting reconciles everybody.”
Samuel Pepys
Best Way Gravy For Brined Turkey
The San Francisco Chronicle (November 2016)
Ingredients
- Roux
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- Gravy
- Pan drippings to taste (the amount of pan drippings will vary depending on the size of the turkey, how much water or stock is used to baste it, and how much liquid evaporates during cooking)
- ½ cup dry unoaked white wine (optional)
- 4 cups low-salt canned chicken broth or homemade turkey broth/stock
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Roux
- Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the flour all at once, whisking until incorporated. Cook on medium, whisking occasionally, for 3 or 4 minutes, until it begins to look grainy. (*Note:* The longer it is cooked, the darker it becomes.) Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
- Gravy
- When the turkey is done, pour the pan drippings into a bowl. Deglaze the roasting pan with the wine; bring it to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon and add a little water as needed to incorporate the browned bits. Add to the drippings in the bowl.
- Skim off the fat with a spoon, or refrigerate, then remove and discard the fat that congeals on top.
- Put the roux in a skillet. Bring the broth to a simmer in a covered saucepan, then slowly add 3 cups of broth to the cold or room temperature roux, whisking constantly. Add the reserved drippings slowly, starting with a few tablespoons; taste, then whisk in more, a little at a time, until the gravy tastes right. Season with pepper and additional salt if needed. To adjust the consistency, add more broth or simmer for a few minutes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Notes
Notes: Because the bird has been brined, there is no need to season the gravy as much.
Streamline the gravy making process by preparing the roux ahead of time. Transfer it to a bowl, cool, then cover and refrigerate.