BEST GRAVY

Best Gravy image

The best gravy for Thanksgiving starts with make-ahead turkey stock, a true roux, and the drippings from your roasted turkey.

Provided by Mary Frances Heck

Yield Makes 6 cups of gravy

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

3½ pounds turkey wings
1 turkey neck (optional)
1 chopped large onion
1 peeled and chopped large carrot
1 chopped celery stalk
4 sprigs parsley
4 sprigs thyme
12 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
⅓ cup unsalted butter
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1-2 cups skimmed and strained roast turkey drippings

Steps:

Preheat oven to 450°F. Arrange 3½ pounds turkey wings and 1 turkey neck (optional) on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, turning turkey halfway through, until golden brown, about 45 minutes.
Transfer wings and neck to a stockpot. Pour off fat from baking sheet; discard. Pour 2 cups water onto baking sheet. Scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Pour liquid from sheet into pot with turkey. Add 1 chopped large onion, 1 peeled and chopped large carrot, 1 chopped celery stalk, 4 sprigs parsley, 4 sprigs thyme, 12 whole peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, and 10 cups water. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to low and simmer gently until stock is reduced by at least one-third, about 4 hours.
Strain stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan. If you have more than 6 cups stock, simmer uncovered over medium heat until reduced to 6 cups. Let cool. Pour stock into an airtight container; cover and chill. DO AHEAD: Stock can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled. Stock can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Melt ⅓ cup unsalted butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Whisk in ⅓ cup all-purpose flour. Reduce heat to low; whisk until roux is golden brown, about 2 minutes. DO AHEAD: Roux can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool, cover, and chill.
Bring 6 cups Make-Ahead Turkey Stock to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1-2 cups skimmed and strained roast turkey drippings. (If you're short on drippings, skim fat from pan and add 1-2 cups water. Scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon; strain liquid into stock.) Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk in roux. Reduce heat to low; simmer gently for 5 minutes for gravy to thicken and flavors to meld. You're done! VARIATIONS (for every 6 cups of gravy:): Option 1: Reduce 1½ cups dry white wine in a small saucepan to 1 cup; stir into gravy. Option 2: Add 1½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce. Option 3: Add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons apple cider and simmer for 5 minutes.