Best Pan Gravy Recipes

TURKEY CUTLETS WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Mix poultry seasoning, seasoned salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle over turkey. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add cutlets in batches; cook until no longer pink, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan; keep warm., In same pan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining pepper. Serve with turkey.

ROASTED LOIN OF PORK WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat, and stir in the black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, dry mustard powder, and garlic. Cook and stir until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
• With a sharp knife, make several small slits in the pork roast. Place the roast into a roasting pan, and spread the spice mixture all over the roast and in the incisions. Surround the roast with celery, carrots, and onion, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• Roast in the preheated oven until the pork roast is browned and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C), about 2 hours. About 15 minutes before the end of cooking, turn the oven temperature up to 425 to help brown the roast.
• Remove pork roast from oven, and allow to stand for about 10 minutes before slicing. Check temperature again; roast temperature should be at least 160 degrees F (75 degrees C) before serving.
• While roast is resting, place the roasting pan containing vegetables and pan drippings over a stove burner set to medium heat. Whisk in the flour, and simmer the drippings and flour for about 3 minutes to remove raw taste from flour. Whisk in the pork stock, a little at a time, until the gravy is thickened. Strain the gravy, and serve with the roast.

ROAST CHICKEN PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Pour fat from drippings into a bowl and reserve. Whisk flour into remaining drippings left in pan; mixture will seem dry. Add 2 tablespoons reserved fat, or as needed, to the drippings mixture to combine with flour.
• Place pan of drippings mixture over low heat and toast flour until light brown and mixture gives off a nutty fragrance, about 5 minutes.
• Drizzle about 1/3 cup cold chicken stock at a time into pan drippings, whisking each addition of stock into mixture until thoroughly combined. Continue whisking, scraping any browned pan drippings from the bottom of the pan into gravy; bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until gravy is thick and flour has combined with the liquid, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Adjust thickness of gravy; if too thick, whisk in a little more stock. If gravy is too thin, continue to simmer, whisking constantly, until reduced and thickened, about 10 more minutes. For the smoothest texture, strain gravy before serving.

FRIED CHICKEN WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first five ingredients. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat., In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/4 in. of oil; fry chicken until browned on all sides. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 30-35 minutes or until juices run clear, turning occasionally. Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer. Remove chicken to paper towels and keep warm., Pour off excess fat from the skillet, reserving the browned bits and 2 tablespoons drippings. Stir in flour and salt until blended; gradually add the milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with chicken.

HERB ROASTED TURKEY BREAST WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.
• Put the onion into the bowl of a mini food processor. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the lemon in thin strips, being careful not to cut into the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and reserve the whole lemon for another use. Chop the onion and lemon zest until fine. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse until it forms a coarse paste.
• Put 2 of the bay leaves and the butter into a small pan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Put the turkey breasts on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from 1 end, being careful not to pull it completely off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breasts generously with salt and pepper. Stuff half of the herb paste under the skin of each breast, and spread it evenly under the skin. Transfer the breasts to the roasting pan, and slide 2 bay leaves underneath each one. (The heat of the pan will release the bay leaf oils and flavor the breast.) Using a pastry brush, baste the breasts with half of the bay butter. Place the turkey in the oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 400 degrees F. After 20 minutes, baste the turkey breasts with the remaining butter, and roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through, and a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 170 degrees F.
• Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving while you make the gravy.
• Put the roasting pan over the burner on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the pan juices, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the apple brandy, and scrape the pan to lift the bits that are stuck to the bottom. Cook for a minute to burn off the alcohol, then, while stirring, pour in the apple cider. Bring to a simmer, and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal, and serve with warm gravy.

BRINED ROAST TURKEY WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, bring the water, cloves, ginger, black peppercorn, bay leaves and salt to a boil. Lower to a simmer and stir in the honey and maple syrup until well blended. Turn off heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold tap water. Reserve the neck and specialty meats for pan gravy. Set the turkey in the brine, making sure that the turkey is fully immersed in the brine. Place a weight on top of the turkey to make sure it is always covered with brine. Marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, depending on the weight of the turkey, in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a shallow roasting pan, place the carrots, celery and onions. Remove turkey from brine.
• Mix together the butter, garlic, chopped rosemary, and sage to make a compound butter. Using your hands, loosen to the skin from the breast by gently inserting your fingers between the skin and the flesh. Rub the compound butter underneath the skin. Insert the apples, onions, and whole rosemary and sage into the cavity of the turkey.
• Place the turkey over the vegetables, breast-side up, in the roasting pan. Tuck the wings back and under the turkey. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together. This will make a compact shape and will create a great presentation. Drizzle the turkey with olive oil and rub it into the skin. Roast the turkey to at least 165 degrees F in the breast, about 2 1/2 hours. If the skin gets too dark during roasting, tent with foil.
• Transfer turkey to a platter and allow to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the pan gravy.
• Tilt the pan and skim as much fat as possible off the juice with a spoon. Set the pan on 2 burners set on medium heat. Deglaze roasting pan with white wine and Madeira. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any brown bits. Reduce until only a quarter remains. Add the Turkey Stock, thyme and parsley. Bring to a boil and strain into a saucepan. Bring back to a boil, skim and lower to a simmer. Whisk in the beurre manie until well incorporated and continue to cook until gravy has thickened. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Heat a saucepan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add the olive oil and heat. Add the neck and giblets and cook until browned all over, about 7 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze with the port. Return the pan to the heat and cook until the port is almost completely evaporated, about 10 minutes.
• Add the carrots, onions, celery, rosemary and peppercorns. Cover with cold water by 4-inches. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and simmer for 2 hours, adding a little more water, if necessary. Skim any scum that rises to the surface of the stock and discard.
• Strain the stock. Use immediately, or cool and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

HERB-ROASTED TURKEY WITH SHALLOT PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Mix butter, chopped parsley, chopped sage, chopped thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl to blend. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Transfer herb butter to small bowl; cover and refrigerate. Bring butter to room temperature before using.) Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Sprinkle main cavity of turkey with salt and pepper. Place whole parsley, sage and thyme sprigs and 4 shallot halves in cavity. Starting at neck end, carefully slide hand between skin and breast meat to loosen skin. Spread 3 tablespoons herb butter over breast meat under skin. Tuck wing tips under; tie legs together to hold shape. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub 4 tablespoons herb butter over turkey. Cover only breast area of turkey with sheet of heavy-duty foil. Scatter remaining shallots in pan around turkey.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes; baste with 1/2 cup broth. Continue roasting turkey for 1 1/2 hours, basting with 1/2 cup broth every 30 minutes. Remove foil from over turkey breast. Continue to roast turkey until golden brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting with pan juices every 20 minutes, about 1 hour longer. Transfer turkey to platter. Brush with 1 tablespoon herb butter. Tent loosely with foil; let stand 20 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots from roasting pan to plate. Pour pan juices into medium bowl; spoon off fat and discard. Add wine and 1 cup chicken broth to roasting pan. Set pan directly over 2 burners and bring broth mixture to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Continue to boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes; pour into large glass measuring cup. Add degreased pan juices. Add enough broth if necessary to equal 3 cups liquid.
• Blend flour into remaining herb butter. Pour broth mixture into heavy medium saucepan and bring to boil. Gradually whisk in herb butter mixture. Add any accumulated juices from turkey platter. Boil until gravy thickens enough to coat spoon lightly, whisking occasionally, about 6 minutes. Add shallots to gravy; simmer 1 minute. Season gravy with salt and pepper. Serve turkey with gravy.

ROAST TURKEY WITH MAPLE-MUSTARD GLAZE AND PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Turkey: In a saucepan, combine turkey neck and giblets with half each of onion, carrots, and celery; bay leaf; and 6 cups water. Season with salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 1 hour. Strain through a mesh sieve into a bowl (you should have at least 4 cups stock). If desired, pull meat from neck and chop giblets into bite-size pieces; reserve for gravy.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine 2 tablespoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Season both cavities of turkey with half of salt-pepper mixture. Stuff large cavity with half of orange, half of garlic, and thyme sprigs. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Stuff neck cavity with remaining orange half. Rub butter evenly all over skin, then season with remaining salt-pepper mixture. Place remaining onion, carrot, celery, and garlic in a roasting pan in a single layer. Top with a roasting rack. Transfer turkey to rack. Pour 1 cup stock into pan.
• Roast turkey 1 hour, adding water or more stock to pan, 1/4 cup at a time, if bottom becomes dry and begins to blacken. Meanwhile, boil maple syrup in a saucepan until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in mustard and thyme leaves.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; continue roasting turkey until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh (near but not touching bone) registers 150 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes. Brush with maple-syrup mixture (if it has begun to solidify, rewarm over low heat first) and continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes with more maple-syrup mixture, until thermometer registers 165 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes more, depending on bird size. (Reserve any extra syrup mixture for gravy.) Transfer turkey to a carving board or platter; let stand at least 20 minutes.
• Gravy: Meanwhile, remove rack, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic from roasting pan; discard vegetables. Place pan across two burners; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add wine; boil until mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add 2 1/2 cups stock to pan; return to a boil. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup stock into flour. Slowly add flour mixture to pan, whisking constantly; continue boiling until thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in any remaining maple-syrup mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Strain gravy through a mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in reserved neck meat and giblets, if desired. Carve turkey; serve with gravy.

TURKEY AND WILD MUSHROOM MEATLOAF PATTIES WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, 2 turns of the pan. Add chopped mushrooms and shallots and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms 5 or 6 minutes until dark and tender. Remove from heat. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and return pan to stove top to preheat to cook patties.
• Add turkey to the mushroom mixture. Make a well in the center of the meat. Add sage, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs and beaten egg and season with salt and pepper. Mix turkey meat loaf and make a small 1-inch patty. Place meat in the hot pan and cook 1 minute on each side. Taste the mini patty to help you adjust seasonings. Divide meat loaf mixture into 4 equal parts by scoring the meat before you form patties. Form 4 equal oval patties 1 inch thick. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and arrange patties in the skillet. Cook 6 minutes on each side and transfer to a serving plate or individual dinner plates. Return pan to heat and add butter. When butter melts, whisk in flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in stock and season gravy with poultry seasoning, salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer gravy until it reaches desired thickness, and pour over patties, reserving a little to pass at the table.

TURKEY CUTLETS WITH CRANBERRY ORANGE STUFFING AND PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Stuffing: Heat olive oil and butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. When the butter melts, add the celery, onion, and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Crumble the muffins into the pan and combine with the vegetables. Add thyme and chicken stock. Cook stuffing 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let stand in the warm pan.
• Turkey and Gravy: Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat and add the olive oil. Season turkey cutlets with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Saute 5 minutes on each side, then transfer cutlets to a warm plate and cover plate with aluminum foil. Return skillet to stove and reduce heat a bit. Add butter, then flour to the melted butter. Cook flour and butter a minute or two, stirring with a whisk. Whisk in chicken stock. Reduce the stock 2 or 3 minutes, to desired gravy consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to your taste.
• To serve, mound cranberry orange stuffing onto each dinner plate using an ice cream scoop. Rest sauteed turkey cutlets on top of the stuffing and cover the turkey with gravy. Garnish with chopped parsley.

PAN-FRIED PORK CHOPS WITH APPLE AND PEPPER GRAVY

Steps:

• Mix apple cider, oil, Dijon mustard, vinegar, rosemary, paprika, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Trim pork chops of fat and place into mixture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Remove pork chops from marinade; reserve marinade and set aside.
• Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Cook pork chops in the hot pan until browned, about 5 minutes per side.
• While the pork chops are cooking, marinate apple, bell peppers, and onion in the reserved marinade for 10 minutes.
• Add marinated apple to the pork chops; cook until brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the rest of the marinade, peppers, and onion into the pan and let simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Remove the pork chops, apples, and peppers from the pan and place in a serving dish.
• Mix flour and milk with the remaining liquid in the pan; simmer until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour the gravy on top of the pork chops.

MEATLOAF PATTIES, SMASHED POTATOES, AND PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Place meat in a large mixing bowl and create a well in the center of the meat. Fill the well with the bread cubes and dampen them with a splash of milk. Pour 1 beaten egg over bread and add seasoning or salt and pepper, allspice, tomato paste and onion to the bowl.
• Combine the meat, bread and grill seasoning or salt and pepper and form mixture into 4 large oval patties 3/4-inch thick. Pan fry meatloaf patties in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat 7 minutes on each side under a loose tin foil tent. The tent will reflect heat and allow the steam to escape the pan.
• Cover the quartered, red-skinned potatoes in water in a medium saucepan. Bring water to a boil and cook potatoes 10 minutes or until fork tender. Turn heat under pan off; drain potatoes and return to hot pan and warm stovetop to dry potatoes out. Add butter, sour cream, scallions, and milk to potatoes and smash to your desired consistency. Season potatoes with salt, to taste.
• Remove meat loaf patties to a platter and return pan to heat. Reduce heat to medium and add butter and onion to your skillet. Cook the onion 2 minutes and sprinkle pan with flour. Cook flour 1 minute and whisk in 1 cup beef stock. Bring broth to a bubble. If gravy is too thick, thin with additional stock. Stir in condiments and remove gravy from heat.
• Slice meatloaf patties and drizzle with gravy. Pile smashed potatoes along side and make a well in the center for sour cream or gravy. Serve meatloaf and smashed potatoes with baby carrots, or with a tossed salad dressed with oil and vinegar.

HERB ROASTED TURKEY WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Remove the package of giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Tie the ends of the drumsticks together.
• Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush the turkey with the oil. Season with the salt and black pepper. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, not touching the bone.
• Stir the stock, lemon juice, basil, thyme and 1/8 teaspoon additional black pepper in a large bowl. Reserve 1 3/4 cups stock mixture for the gravy. Pour the remaining stock mixture over the turkey.
• Roast at 325 degrees F for 3 hours or until the thermometer reads 165 degrees F., basting occasionally with the pan drippings. Begin checking for doneness after 2 1/2 hours of the roasting time.
• Remove the turkey from the pan, cover and keep warm. Spoon off any fat and pour off all but 1 1/2 cups pan drippings.
• Stir the reserved stock mixture and the flour in a medium bowl until the mixture is smooth. Add the flour mixture to the pan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Season, if desired. Serve the gravy with the turkey.

ROASTED PORK SHOULDER WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Sprinkle the pork really well with salt, pepper and paprika. Tie the pork with kitchen twine (or you can purchase it tied from the butcher). Set a roasting rack inside of a roasting pan and place the pork on the rack. Roast for 3 hours, basting periodically.
• After 3 hours remove the pork from the oven and gently lift the rack off the pan. Scatter the carrots, potatoes, onions and garlic in an even layer and season with salt and pepper. Place the rack and pork back on top of the vegetables and continue to roast until the vegetables are caramelized and the pork is tender and yielding, another 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove from the oven and allow the pork to rest for 15 minutes while you make the pan gravy.
• Remove the vegetables to your serving platter and place the pan over the stove-top burner on medium heat. Add the flour and stir to combine with the fat. Gradually stir in the stock, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan for brown bits. Bring to a simmer so the gravy can fully thicken, and then stir in the parsley. Serve the pork with lots of vegetables and the pan gravy on and around.

BRAISED ROULADEN WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Lay flat each piece of top round, spread on a layer of mustard, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and top with a slice of bacon. At one end of each piece, place about a tablespoon of the chopped onions and a pickle spear. Starting from the filling side (the onions and pickle), begin to roll each piece while tucking in the sides (this will keep your rouladen filling inside as you cook them). Tie a piece of butcher string around each rouladen in the middle and then on both sides (like you would a present), and then knot it.
• Heat the olive oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Cook the rouladen on all sides until brown. Remove any excess oil from the pan, leaving the leftover brown bits. Reduce the heat, add the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer on medium-low to low heat, covered, until the rouladen are fork-tender, about 90 minutes. Remove them from the pan (leaving the juices), cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Whisk together the cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water until smooth. Bring the leftover pan juices to a simmer and slowly add the cornstarch mixture while stirring. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the starchy flavor has been cooked away, about 10 minutes. Add the red wine near the end of the cooking time if using, to add a nice zesty flavor.
• Serve the rouladen with the gravy.

CHICKEN FRIED STEAKS AND CREAMED PAN GRAVY WITH BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat large, heavy skillet over medium high heat.
• Set steaks on to a waxed paper lined work surface and cover with another piece of waxed paper. Pound steaks to 1/4-inch thick. Pull steaks off work surface and set to the side. Line work surface with more waxed paper. Pour 1/2 cup flour into 2 piles on opposite sides of the work space. Add cornmeal, paprika, salt and pepper to 1 pile of flour. Beat eggs and water in a pie plate or shallow dish.
• Cut steaks into 4 portions and coat in flour, eggs, then seasoned flour and cornmeal.
• Add 2 tablespoons oil to hot pan and cook 2 steaks at a time. Brown steaks about 2 minutes per side, or until cooked and remove from the pan. Add 2 tablespoons more oil and repeat with remaining 2 steaks. Remove steaks to serving platter and pour off all but 2 to 3 tablespoons of drippings. Add 2 tablespoons flour to drippings and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in broth and season with salt and pepper. Whisk half and half or cream into gravy. When gravy bubbles, remove from heat.
• Serve steaks and warm biscuits with gravy on top.

PORK TENDERLOIN WITH DRESSING AND PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• For the dressing: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Continue to cook until the butter begins to bubble and smoke. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the bread cubes and poultry seasoning to the skillet and stir and fold the bread to toast it, 3 to 4 minutes. The bread should start to brown and should smell amazing.
• Turn off the heat and drizzle in about 1 cup of the broth and fold it into the bread. Drizzle in enough more broth to moisten the dressing but not make it soggy. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Once you're happy with the flavors, stir in the parsley and thyme.
• Dot the top of the dressing with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Cover the skillet with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until browned, about 10 minutes longer.
• For the pork: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Sprinkle the tenderloin with the thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Press the seasonings firmly onto the pork.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet or other ovenproof sauté pan over medium-high heat. Swirl in the oil. When the first wisp of white smoke appears, add the pork and sear until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total.
• Transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 5 minutes, then flip the pork and return the skillet to the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of the pork reaches 135 degrees F. Remove from the oven, transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent loosely with foil. Let rest until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F for a nice medium, 8 to 10 minutes. (If you want the pork a little more well done, remove from the oven at 140 degrees F and let rest until 145 degrees F.)
• For the quick gravy: Place the hot pan the pork cooked in back over medium-high heat. Toss in the butter and shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is light brown and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the flour, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir for another minute, making a rough roux. Slowly stir in the cold broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so the gravy just simmers. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in the soy sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Finish by stirring in the cream.
• Slice the pork and serve it with the dressing and gravy, and garnish with chopped parsley.

SAGE PORK CHOPS WITH CIDER PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Sprinkle chops with salt and pepper; rub with sage. Dip in flour to coat lightly., In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat; brown chops on both sides. Remove from pan., Add broth and cider to skillet; bring to a boil, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Add cream; cook and stir until thickened. Reduce heat to medium. Add chops; cook, covered, until a thermometer inserted in pork reads 145°, 5-7 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes; sprinkle with parsley.

FRESH HAM WITH CRACKLINGS AND PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• With a small sharp knife prick the ham skin all over, make 4 parallel 1/2-inch-deep incisions through the skin the entire length of the ham, and rub the ham lightly with the oil. In a small bowl rub together the coarse salt, the thyme, the sage, the pepper, and the mustard and rub the mixture over the entire surface of the ham. Put the ham on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan and put the pan in a preheated 500°F. oven. Reduce the temperature immediately to 325°F.> and roast the ham for 1 hour. Pour half the beer over the ham, roast the ham for 30 minutes more, and pour the remaining beer over the ham. Roast the ham for 2 1/2 hours more, or until a meat thermometer registers 170°F., and let it cool on the rack in the pan for 15 minutes. Pull off the brown crisp skin, leaving the layer of fat on the ham, with scissors cut the skin into small pieces, and arrange the cracklings in one layer in a baking pan. Sprinkle the cracklings with salt and bake them in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until they are crisp and browned. Transfer the cracklings to paper towels and let them drain. Cut the remaining fat from the ham, slice the meat thinly across the grain, and arrange it on a platter. Keep the ham warm, covered.
• Skim off the fat from the juices in the roasting pan, add 1 cup water, and deglaze the pan over moderate heat, scraping up the brown bits. Transfer the liquid to a saucepan. In a small bowl whisk together the flour and 1/4 cup of the broth until the flour is dissolved and whisk the mixture into the deglazing liquid with the remaining 3/4 cup broth, the mustard, the sage, the thyme, and the vinegar and pepper to taste, and simmer the gravy, whisking, for 5 minutes.
• Garnish the ham with the cracklings and the watercress sprigs and serve it with the gravy.

HERB ROASTED TURKEY BREASTS WITH PAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.
• Put the onion into the bowl of a food processor. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the lemon in thin strips, being careful not to cut into the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and reserve the whole lemon for another use. Chop the onion and lemon zest until fine. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse until it forms a coarse paste.
• Put 2 of the bay leaves and the butter into a small pan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Put the turkey breasts on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from 1 end, being careful not to pull it completely off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breasts generously with salt and pepper. Stuff half of the herb paste under the skin of each breast, and spread it evenly under the skin. Transfer the breasts to the roasting pan, and slide 2 bay leaves underneath each one. (The heat of the pan will release the bay leaf oils and flavor the breast.) Using a pastry brush, baste the breasts with half of the bay butter.
• Place the turkey in the oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 400 degrees F. After 20 minutes, baste the turkey breasts with the remaining butter, and roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through, and a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 170 degrees F.
• Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving while you make the gravy.
• Put the roasting pan over the burner on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the pan juices, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the apple brandy, and scrape the pan to lift the bits that are stuck to the bottom. Cook for a minute to burn off the alcohol, then, while stirring, pour in the apple cider. Bring to a simmer, and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal, and serve with warm gravy.