<p>Anyone have any tips to share? We are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our house and I’m a little bit nervous about disappointing the 20 people who will be here if I mess up the gravy! Other than that, I am looking forward to a fun-filled day of eating, visiting, watching football, and playing games! :)</p>
<p>Sportsmama, the roux is the key. I use flour and whisk it into the pan drippings. Some people remove some of the fat, but I tend to use all that is there and make a lot of gravy. What you don’t use , you can freeze and add to soups another day. Also , good to have on hand if you ever cook a turkey breast ( which is hard to yield enough drippings to make gravy )
The roux should be thick and pasty , mixed well enough before adding any liquid…that way , no lumpy gravy. I use water to thin it, some people prefer chicken broth. Stir while adding liquid while heating over low heat…it will bubble .
Sorry , I am not a measuring, recipe following kind of cook, but I will say that just when you think you have the right consistancy, add a little more liquid because it will continue to thicken…also a little salt and pepper to taste
Don’t add flour ( or cornsarch ) after the gravy is made…unless you like lumps !
Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving !</p>
<p>I mentioned this on the “stuffing thread” a while ago, but it’s my favorite Thanksgiving tip, so here I go again…I make my gravy ahead. You roast turkey wings or a combination of wings and legs with onions, carrots and herbs and make the gravy from the drippings. There are many variations online–allrecipes, tvfoodnetwork, etc. It’s delicious, keeps beautifully for several days, and takes away that last second stress. I know it’s probably too late for the OP to be running back out to the store, but think about it for next year.</p>
<p>Super easy gravy - simmer neck, giblets (except liver - that goes to the dog) with lots of veggies (onions, celery tops, carrots) for several hours while turkey is roasting. When turkey is done it needs to come out of the oven and rest. That is when you deglaze the turkey pan with hot water, scraping any browned bits (I thrown an onion in the pan during roasting just for this). Let the fat separate, and add the non-fat liquid to your simmering stock (one of those fat separating cup thingies makes this really easy).</p>
<p>lje62 is correct - the roux is the key. Add fat from deglazing to 2-4 tbs flour in a pan over low heat, stirring briskly. I’d even suggest it be smoother than pasty. Key next step is to add the stock you made in small batchs, mixing thoroughly each time. Don’t get impatient and you won’t have lumps. Add salt and pepper to taste.</p>
<p>Someone in the Midwest told me to use corn starch instead of flour because you won’t get lumpy gravy with corn starch. I put a few TBS of corn starch in a cup of cold water, stir it and add it to the stock slowly. I would have the flame high then turn it to low once it starts boiling. This is the Chinese side in me, I put a little bit soy sauce in it sometimes, gives it a nice flavor. (but we put soy sauce in everything)</p>
<p>NYMomof2 posted this on the low fat dessert thread:</p>
<p>Incredibly good fat-free gravy </p>
<hr>
<p>This sauce is wonderful - it is thick and brown, very much like a mushroom gravy:</p>
<p>Port-Wine Mushroom Sauce (Cooking Light, April, 2000)</p>
<p>1 1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 3 1/2 ounces)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/3 cup port or other sweet red wine
1/4 cup minced shallots
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 cup beef broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard </p>
<p>Combine mushrooms and flour in a bowl; toss well.
Combine wine, shallots, and vinegar in a medium skillet. Bring to a boil; cook until thick (about 3 minutes). Reduce heat to medium. Add broth, Worcestershire, tomato paste, and rosemary; cook 1 minute. Add mushroom mixture; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in mustard. </p>
<p>Yield: 1 cup (serving size: 1/4 cup)</p>
<p>CALORIES 69(3% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 3.8g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 14mg; SODIUM 367mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 8.4g</p>
<p>My gravy solution–mom does it. She better live till 100, because though I *can *make gravy, it’s just too stressful to do with everything else going on at that moment. And she’s so good at it!</p>
<p>i use corn starch. i make it very simple…i gather all of the drippings into a sauce pan, in a separate bowl i mix a little hot water and corn starch and then i stir that into the drippings over med/high heat. delegate someone to keep stirring while you’re doing other things, and it should turn out just fine.</p>
<p>garland, I know what you’re saying, but this time Thanksgiving is with my husband’s side of the family, so it’s up to me. My mother-in-law (God rest her soul) was a wonderful cook, so there is a lot to live up to! Everyone looks forward to LOTS of mashed potatoes and gravy, so I want it to turn out well!</p>
<p>It’s not that I haven’t made gravy before, but it never seems to be “just right” in one way or another–too thin, not enough, not as flavorful as it should be. Thanks to everyone for giving me some great tips! I knew I could count on CC. :)</p>
<p>Btw, I’ve also heard (like oldfort) that it’s better to use corn starch as a thickening agent. Has anyone else tried this?</p>
<p>I’ve done exactly as lje62 does, for about a jillion years now. I make the gravy right in the turkey roasting pan, scraping up all the good flavor “bits” while I am making the roux by adding flour to whatever amount of fat and juices are in the pan.</p>
<p>Cook that roux for a while (several minutes) until it is thick (and because cooking for at least a few minutes takes away an “flour-y” taste). Add stock or water (water works if you’re making it right in the roasting pan because there is already so much flavor there).</p>
<p>I don’t even eat gravy :D. But mine is so well liked that I am always asked to be the one to make it. I do have DH or DS (or someone!) taste it when I think it’s ready to make sure it is salted and peppered correctly.</p>
<p>Don’t forget, there’s always the blender if the gravy is lumpy.</p>
<p>I’ve only made gravy a few times and my results are never consistent. Last year it came out great but times before that have been real disasters. I always hedge my bets by having some jarred gravy in the cabinet - just in case! Boston Market Roasted Turkey Gravy is excellent but it’s getting harder to find in the supermarket. This year I’m going to buy a container of gravy that my supermarket sells to go along with the roast turkey dinners they sell in the deli department. It’s not as good as homemade but better than jarred gravy. I hope I never have to use it but I’ll be prepared if my homemade gravy doesn’t turn out right again.</p>
<p>Sportsmama–believe me, I’m very sympathetic. I am very fortunate to have mom there to do it. We have so little family left that we mix both sides.</p>
<p>For the record, I also do just as lje62 does, which is what mom does. For the liquid, we simmer the neck, heart, etc. and use that water both for basting and for the gravy.</p>
<p>I began making good turkey gravy years ago but my MIL always gave me a couple of cans of gravy ahead of time “just in case”. I have cooked since college but she hated to cook and believed in canned goods since that was her family business.</p>
<p>patsmom, that is my experience, too. I’m really not sure what I do right or wrong that makes the gravy thick enough one time, but not thick enough the next. </p>
<p>garland, I am looking forward to having a house full! We have not mixed both sides yet, but my motto is: The more the merrier! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. What a blessing to spend time with family–especially in our rush-rush world of today.</p>
<p>Maybe I will get some jarred gravy as a backup. Thanks, guys.</p>
<p>As well as an onion under the turkey you can throw in a carrot or two whiz them in a blender if you like a thicker gravy. I follow the use the drippings and flour method and add stock made from turkey neck, celery, onions, a carrot and a bay leaf.</p>
<p>My secret is Wondra flour. It comes in a little shaker cannister. I’ve never looked at the label to see if it has anything besides wheat flour in it, but they do something to make it very blendable.</p>
<p>I agree with whoever said to let the flour cook a while in the drippings, till it starts to brown, before adding the liquid (which is usually part canned chicken broth at my house). It makes a nicer color and doesn’t taste floury.</p>
<p>My tip is to purchase two packets of McCormick Turkey Gravy Mix … that’s what I did. Is that wrong? 
</p>
<p>With everything else I’m cooking, I just couldn’t take on the gravy, too. I hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving!</p>
<p>Cornstarch is easier as a thickener (less tendency to lump) but ends up with a somewhat weird texture. Agree that browning roux improves flavor and color - you just need to watch it. </p>
<p>And, sure, use the gravy mix. But you might try making a stock of turkey neck, giblets, onions, carrots, celery as its base (but NO SALT)- it just simmers on the stove - it would be way more flavorful.</p>