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Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking

Turkey Pan Gravy
Yield: 12-16 servings

What's turkey and mashed potatoes without gravy? This is a basic recipe, but it welcomes creative additions of garlic salt or fresh minced herbs like sage, thyme or savory. If you have wheat allergies, it can be prepared with arrowroot powder instead of the wheat flour (see below).

EQUIPMENT
Roasting pan from turkey
Medium sauce pan
Fine meshed sieve for straining gravy
Roux whisk or bulb whisk

WHEAT FLOUR VERSION
1/2 cup unbleached flour, plus an additional 1/4 cup for extra thickening if needed
4 cups turkey or chicken stock
turkey drippings from the roast
1 cup cooked mirepoix from the roasted turkey,including gizzard and heart (see Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey recipe)
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh minced herbs (optional)

Place the flour in a small skillet over medium heat; cook and stir until it browns slightly, just a few minutes. Watch out - it burns fast at the end! Set aside.

Warm the stock in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

Using the original turkey roasting pan set over two burners, simmer the pan drippings and mirepoix over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the 1/2 cup flour, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Slowly whisk in the stock, whisking constantly. Simmer for 20 minutes, whisking frequently, until the flavors develop and the stock has thickened into gravy. Whisk in the additional flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, if you need more thickness.

Strain the gravy with a fine meshed sieve. You can discard the mirepoix or save it for your dog!

Taste, adding salt, pepper and optional fresh herbs, as needed. Go slow with salting, as many commercial stocks have a high sodium content.

ARROWROOT VERSION
turkey drippings from the roast
1 cup cooked mirepoix from the roasted turkey, including gizzard and heart (see Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey recipe)
4 cups turkey or chicken stock
6 tablespoons arrowroot powder mixed with a little water to make a paste, plus a little more for more thickening if needed
salt and pepper, to taste
fresh minced herbs (optional)

Using the original turkey roasting pan set over two burners, simmer the pan drippings, mirepoix and stock over medium heat for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

Strain the gravy from the liquid. You can discard the mirepoix or save it for your dog!

Give the arrowroot mixture a stir and slowly drizzle 6 tablespoons into the stock, whisking constantly to avoid clumping. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, whisking frequently, until thickened. Add a little more arrowroot for added thickness if needed.

Taste, adding salt, pepper and optional fresh herbs, as needed. Go slow with salting, as many commercial stocks have a high sodium content.