People who know me know two things: I won’t dirty more pots, pans or bowls than I have to and if it’s a holiday meal, I like to make as much of it ahead as I can.
Thanksgiving brings the American mega-meal, of course, but I hate the rush of finishing side dishes while the turkey rests. I especially hate the sprint to make gravy, so when I saw this recipe a few years ago I had to try it. It starts with turkey wings and makes a lot but freezes beautifully. It’s an easy make-ahead that rewards you with an absoutely delicious gravy that’s not laden with sodium or fat; only two tablespoons of butter are added for 14+ servings.
I cut down on clean-up by roasting the turkey parts in the same pot they will simmer in. Alternatively, if you have a counter-top roaster oven, 6-quart size or larger, this is an ideal time to use it. The simmering is done without a lid, but it’s at such a low temperature that it should not be a problem with a roaster oven.
Not all markets sell turkey parts. One here that does had turkey backs for pennies per pound so that’s what I used instead of wings. There was enough meat on them to bring a lot of flavor to the pot, but not so much that I felt guilty about tossing them out without using their meat for something else.
If you can’t find parts you could start with a good, commercial turkey broth, preferably one sold in an asceptic package and not a can, and simmer it with the aromatics and thyme for 30-60 minutes before straining and proceeding. It might not have the exact flavor of this one, but it will be a lot better than any you buy in a jar and a whole lot better than, heaven forbid, that powdered mix in an envelope. And there’s no last-minute rush when the minutes are limited for a great gravy made from scratch.
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
Adapted from Woman’s Day
3 pounds turkey wings
2 medium onions, peeled, rough chop
1 cup water
2 32-ounce boxes reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 large carrots, chunked
1/2 tsp thyme
3/4 cup quick-mixing (instant) flour*
2 TB butter
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper or to taste
* I use about 1/2 cup for a slightly thinner gravy. All-purpose flour is fine if you won’t have leftovers.
Heat oven to 400F/205C/Gas 6.
Place turkey parts in a large roasting pan or (ella’s way) a large, oven-safe pot or Dutch oven. Scatter on the onions and roast for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
If necessary, transfer turkey and onions to a stockpot. Otherwise, proceed by adding the 1 cup of water to the pot along with the 2 boxes of broth. Add the carrots and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 90 minutes. From time to time, skim off any scum that might rise to the surface.
Remove turkey parts. If desired, remove and discard the skin, pull off and save the meat for another use. Otherwise discard the parts.
Strain liquid into a 3 or 4-quart saucepan (I like to use cheesecloth while straining) and simmer 5 – 10 minutes to slightly reduce the liquid and to concentrate the flavors.
Skim off as much fat as possible. If there’s time, refrigerate for several hours or overnight so the chilled fat is easier to remove.
Add flour to the can of broth and whisk until smooth.
Bring the broth in the saucepan to a gentle boil, add the broth/flour mix and boil 3 to 4 minutes to thicken gravy and remove the floury taste. Add butter and pepper; taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
Yield: approximately 7 cups
Refrigerate leftovers for up to one week or freeze for up to six months. Defrost slowly in fridge overnight before reheating.
Ella’s notes: You’ll notice salt is not an ingredient. Neither the original recipe nor my version calls for it. The original did not specify low-sodium broth but for my palate, it’s seasoned perfectly with it. Regardless of which you use, do wait till the very end to even think about salt. You can add it but you can’t take it out.
Related: Gravy thickeners: which to use
Copyright (C) 2007 From Scratch All Rights Reserved 
Print This Post
{ 5 trackbacks }
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds great. I think I am going to try make ahead gravy this year. I wanted to say too that making mashed potatoes ahead (earlier that day) can be great too. I use my crock pot on low and it works GREAT!
Debbie aka The Real World Martha
Hi, Debbie! Great tip. I was going to add a few lines about keeping mashpots over simmering water for an hour or two (my method) but the piece was already so long. I’ve heard about the slow cooker method but never tried it, so it’s good to know it works!
LMK if you try this gravy. For small get-togethers I make it once and have a winter’s worth in the freezer.