The best turkey gravies don’t need a lot of time or fuss. A great gravy just needs drippings, a great stock and a slurry (or thickener).
If you have already made your turkey stock, you have most of the work done. If not, you still have time. Even if you roasted a whole bird already, you can still use the neck and sacrifice two of the already roasted turkey wings and follow the “roast chicken stock recipe” but with the turkey parts.
Place your roasting pan with all the brown and golden bits and drippings on your stove at medium flame. Then deglaze with one cup of good white wine (I am drinking Bedell Taste white) and allow to boil for about 7 minutes. While the wine is boiling, loosen the bits on the bottom with a spatula and taste the liquid. This will give you an idea of how much more seasoning your will need later. Then add two cups of your turkey stock and a bouquet garnis along with some bay leaves and reduce for a half hour without adding any additional salt. After is has simmered for a half hour re-taste for salt and seasoning and adjust. More salt or pepper to taste or any other seasoning your prefer. Once you have it salted adequately make a slurry. What is a slurry? It is when you add flour or cornstarch to cold liquid until dissolved and stir it into hot liquid to thicken a sauce. You do not add the flour or cornstarch directly into hot liquid or it will form lumps.
For gluten-free, add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to one cup of cold turkey stock and stir until dissolved. Then whisk into your roasting pan with the simmering stock and stir. Add two tablespoons of butter or olive oil to finish and it will give your gravy that glistening appearance that is key. Allow to cool if you are not serving right away. If you are serving right away ladle into several gravy boats to ensure that every guest at your table has plenty of gravy for which to give thanks on this Thanksgiving Day!
