Your old pal Doc Kitchen shared a recipe for terrific turkey, to be used over Thanksgiving or any other special occasion. Perhaps the greatest complement to a turkey dinner is potatoes and gravy. But just like a bad bird can ruin a great Thanksgiving, so can a lack of attention to your side dishes.
Potatoes and gravy, specifically the gravy, can make a world of difference. I dare you to count the times that a spectacular sauce enriched the quality of a meal, especially at restaurants. Much to the chagrin of my table guests, I always want to talk to the chef on how a magnificent sauce came together. You’ll never find out if you don’t ask.
Making great gravy is an acquired skill, but hardly rocket science. The turkey recipe I shared is what will create the base for your gravy. You want the drippings from the turkey, including the seasoning from the outside of the bird. Once the turkey and rack has been removed from the roasting pan, pour everything into a container (i.e. Pyrex measuring cup) that allows you to separate the fat from the fun. All of the flavors will be dark and at the bottom of the container. Like many, I use white wine to deglaze the pan. Pinot Grigio works well, but use whatever you have. I don’t measure how much wine, but a cup is a starting point. The boiling wine will reduce while you scrape all the goodness from the pan.
Remove the fat (although not every speck) from the Pyrex measuring cup and return what is left to your roasting pan.
Meanwhile, put about two cups of turkey broth in a measuring cup. It’s great if you had made your own while the turkey was cooking, but it’s not the end of the world if you use a good quality pre-made broth. Here is an important step. Mix a couple of teaspoons of corn starch into the broth and make sure it dissolves.
Meanwhile, back at the roasting pan, pour the turkey broth/corn starch blend into the simmering pan and continue to use your spatula and stir. This brings all the flavors together. The corn starch will begin to thicken the gravy.
I like to add a little Kitchen Bouquet into the pan (1-2 TSP) and continue to stir. Don’t add salt until you tasted it first. The level of seasoning (especially salt) will reflect the drippings from the turkey, so test carefully. You can always add more.
Once you taste the right flavor, you know you are done. Make sure people are ready to start eating when the gravy is done. Perfect gravy right from the pan and straight to your potatoes and turkey will only make a great meal better.
Bon appetit!
