One of the challenges of preparing Christmas dinner is juggling the various dishes and having everything ready on time. In our family turkey appears on the table every Christmas (well, once I served a Prime Rib roast and my sister still goes on and one about the year with no turkey . . . whatever). Once that bird comes out of the oven I'm generally juggling the side dishes - the last thing I want to worry about is gravy!
This year I won't have to worry because I made my gravy a month ago!
This recipe for make-ahead turkey gravy frees up valuable kitchen time. It also results in amore delicious gravy than those frantic, last-minute versions.
Essentially you roast some turkey parts and make a highly concentrated turkey stock. This flavourful stock, stronger than ANYTHING you can get through a regular roasting process, results in an amazing gravy.
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 large turkey wings
1 cup water
8 cups chicken or turkey broth
4 sprigs fresh thyme
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Combine onion, carrots, celery, and vegetable oil in a large roasting pan and toss to coat. Place turkey wings on top of vegetables
Place roasting pan in the preheated oven and cook until the turkey wings are browned and vegetables are caramelized and softened, 60 to 75 minutes.
Transfer turkey wings and vegetables to a large stockpot. Place the roasting pan over a stovetop burner on medium heat. Pour water into the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer mixture to the stockpot and add thebroth, thyme, and garlic (if using).
Bring turkey wing mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for two hours.
Remove the meat. When cool pull off skin, remove meat from the bones,a nd reserve for another use. Strain turkey stock and reserve 6 cups of stock; discard all the solids.
Refrigerate the broth overnight to allow the fat to rise to the surface. The next day skim off the congealed fat and procede witht eh recipe.
Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and cook, whisking continuously, until it begins to smell like cooked pie crust, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly pour in turkey stock, whisking continuously. Increase heat to high and simmer until thick and warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
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