How To Make Delicious Turkey Gravy From Scratch

Any gravy, but especially a delicious Thanksgiving Day Turkey Gravy, with a smooth, lump free texture is the most difficult to master. This tried and true recipe can be table ready in a fast 20 minutes and serves 10-12 people. It makes about 64 ounces (1/2 American gallon or close to 2 liters).  Serving size ranges from a polite 2 Tbsp to a gravy lover’s 1/2 cup (1/8th liter)  Typically when the turkey is done cooking, you will want it to rest for about thirty minutes before carving.  This allows ample time to make the gravy from the juices.

What you need:
Tools:
— Large sized sauce pan (4-6 quart)
— Wooden stir spoon and/or silicone plastic scraper or spatula
— 2 cup measuring cup
— Approximately 2 cup container with a tight fitting lid
— Strainer (just in case)

–Large flat glass casserole sized containers if you want to separate the fat

–Blender or food processor if making giblet gravy

Ingredients:
— Poultry drippings from a 10-12 pound turkey
— 1 to 2 cups of cold water
— 1/4 to 1/2 cup of all purpose flour or Wondra if available
— Salt and pepper seasoning to taste (white pepper preferred—for appearance)

Directions:

To start… Remove the cooked turkey and plate it to rest 30 minutes before carving.
Pour off the juices from the turkey into the sauce pan.
Scrape all surfaces of the turkey roasting pan into the saucepan (as flavoring) including small pieces of meat that may be stuck to the roasting pan… add a little water to help dissolve the crustier cooked flavorings.
If a lower fat content gravy is desired, pour the drippings instead into several large glass flat bottomed containers (like casserole dishes) until the juices separate; (I sometimes speed this up by placing them in the freezer on hot pads.)  Then skim off the fat portion from the top using a spoon or ladle.  (Be prepared by clearing a top freezer shelf so it is a quick in and out… about ten minutes)

Tips:
If the work area on the stove is large enough, the juices can be left in the roasting pan and then the pan placed over two burners for cooking the gravy. Sometimes  the bottom of the pan has a large amount of dried juices, add hot water to the roasting pan to reconstitute the dried portions into flavorful juices, before pouring off into the sauce pan.  I put some of the separated fat from the turkey on top of the dressing/stuffing to give it a delicious moist flavor.

To Cook gravy:
Set burner temperature to medium-high heat to bring the juices to a low boil.

Ham Juices Before Reduction

Turkey Juices Before Gravy Preparation

Fill the 2-cup glass or plastic container about half full of cold water (8 oz) and place 2-3 tablespoons of flour or Wondra in to the water.
Close lid tightly and shake to thoroughly blend. Inspect the mixture; if lumpy, pour through a strainer into the heated sauce pan (or roaster pan). Tip: If you shake the jar vigorously the lumps tend to disappear.

Next, stir or whisk the mixture into the boiling juices.

Immediately upon adding the flour and water mixture, stir the juices while gently boiling to thoroughly blend the mixture into the gravy. Repeat for thicker gravy. This step may be done 2-3 times depending on how much gravy is being thickened. Allow the gravy to cook while stirring as this is what creates the thickening and gets rid of the flour taste

Caution: After adding the flour/water thickener into the juices, check consistency before adding more of the flour/water mixture. Putting in too much flour and water at once, without stirring it in, will make a gravy too thick to serve. (You will know if it is too thick because it will have the consistency of a pudding, not a gravy). Also, too much thickener (a cup of flour or more) can make the gravy taste like flour; adding salt and pepper (and maybe poultry seasoning) will correct the flavor.

When thickened, reduce heat to medium low or simmer and stir to prevent sticking to the pan bottom.
Cook for about 5 to 10 minutes adding salt and white pepper to taste.
Remove from stove and pour into gravy bowls for immediate serving.

TURKEY GIBLET GRAVY

cooking turkey giblets

cooking turkey giblets

Start cooking giblets on the stove top right after putting the turkey in the oven. To make giblet gravy, place the defrosted giblets in a 2 quart saucepan, cover them with water, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 2 to 2-1/2 and hours. Use the water from the simmering giblets as part of the gravy stock. I typically prepare two kinds of gravy, one with giblets and one without depending on my guests preferences. When cooked, remove the giblets from the pan and let them cool to room temperature so they can be processed without getting burned. This can be done after they have simmered the 2 to 2-1/2 hours. You will know the giblets are cooked when the meat  falls off the neck bone and the liver will crumble when touched.

Coarsely chop meat, (liver, heart, gizzard) by pulsing in a blender, and add it to the gravy mixture being prepared as giblet gravy. If you do not have a blender then use a cutting board and a sharp knife to coarsely chop the meat (1/4 inch square pieces).  Remove the neck meat and shred with a fork and then add it to the gravy mix.
The giblets contained in a 10-12 pound turkey typically produce about 8 ounces or one cup of chopped meat.
Tip:
Monitor the stove top temperature, and stir constantly to prevent burning the gravy. All gravy should be brought to a 190 degrees F to insure healthy eating and should be seasoned to the cook’s taste before being served.

Perfect Turkey Gravy With Yukon Gold Potatoes

Perfect Turkey Gravy With Yukon Gold Potatoes

More Thanksgiving Day Dinner Recipes:

Homemade Stuffing ,

Moist Turkey Recipe ,

Ambrosia,

Cranberry Relish,

Green Bean Casserole,

Parker House Dinner Rolls,

Shopping List For Thanksgiving Dinner ,

Sweet Potato Casserole

 

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How To Make Home Made Bread Stuffing For Turkey

How To Make Home Made Bread Stuffing For Turkey

If you have ever wanted to make a home made bread stuffing for turkey from scratch, here is a delicious 65 year old recipe easily prepared from common ingredients.  It is a very large recipe designed to have scrumptious leftovers.

Home Made Bread Dressing or Stuffing Baked In A Casserole Dish

Home Made Bread Dressing or Stuffing Baked In A Casserole Dish

This is a list of what you will need:

Tools:

— 4 large cookie sheets or combination of flat pans
— 2 very large bowls about 12-14 inches in diameter
— 2 cup measuring cup
— Set of measuring spoons
— Bread knife, electric knife and /or chefs knife

— 1 or 2- 13 by 9 by 2 inch pans or equivalent (depends on how much you compact the mixture)

Ingredients:

— 2-3 loaves sliced sandwich bread
— 1/4 pound of butter or margarine
— 1 medium onion (chopped fine-1/4 inch pieces)
— 2 large stalks of celery(chopped fine-1/4 inch pieces)
— 2 cups warm water
— 1 tsp salt

Bread Stuffing Seasonings Parsley Sage Rosemary Thyme

Bread Stuffing Seasonings Parsley Sage Rosemary Thyme

— 1 tsp black or white pepper
— 1 Tbsp poultry seasoning OR

Equivalent amount of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme, marjoram, turmeric
— 1 cup juices from poultry (chicken, turkey, game birds)

Start cutting the bread in to cubes the Day before (or at least 12 hours ahead of time to allow bread to dry out or become stale)…

sliced bread drying

Sliced bread laid out to dry

Remove bread from wrappers and lay out individually on cookie sheets to allow to dry out and become stale. Using fresh bread and drying it out is one of the secrets to this recipe. (This step is most effective when started a day before and left overnight to dry.) The bread only needs to dry until stale, not dry enough for it to crumble. This step can be sped up by drying the bread in the oven for about 25-30 minutes on about 175 degrees F, or dried in a food dehydrator for about 2 hours, but best results are from drying overnight.  (Packaged bread stuffing can be used, however it becomes mushy when mixed with the moist ingredients.)  When bread is dry, stack 5 to 6 slices at a time and slice into 1 inch squares.   (Using an electric knife helps speed up this step)

Celery, Onions Cut To Size

Celery, Onions Cut To Size

Using a very large mixing bowl, combine the bread cubes, chopped onion and celery, mixing well to evenly distribute the ingredients. Sprinkle all the seasoning evenly over the bread crumb mixture stirring to cover all the bread mixture

Bread Cubes, Celery, Onion, Seasonings

Bread Cubes, Celery, Onion, Seasonings

Using a small saucepan melt the butter, add the warm water and stir to combine. Pour the water mixture over the bread mixture. Stir with a spoon.
Transfer the mix into the 13 X 9 X 2 inch pan or pans. Compacting the dressing or lightly spreading it around the pans is the only difference whether it fits in one pan or two.
Cover the pan(s) with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes on the top rack of a 325 degree oven.
If bottom rack is used, place on cookie sheets to prevent over-cooking the surfaces touching the bottom and sides.
After 45 minutes remove from oven, remove foil, and pour one cup of poultry juices over the surface for added flavoring.

Re-cover and return to oven for 20-25 minutes.
If poultry juices are not completely cooked, microwave or boil the juices to fully cook before pouring over the dressing.
After allotted cooking time, remove from oven and serve.
— Adding moisture to the poultry being cooked will insure there is enough extra meat juice for the dressing and still enough for gravy. This recipe will serve 10-12 people. Although it is amazingly flavorful and complementary to poultry, other ingredients such as apples. pecans, and mandarin oranges can be added to change the flavor when used with wild game.
Tip– When using meat juices from poultry insure they are completely cooked! I use a meat thermometer if I have any doubts—165 Fahrenheit

More Thanksgiving Day Dinner Recipes:

Gravy From Scratch,

Cranberry Relish,

Homemade Stuffing ,

Ambrosia,

Sweet Potato Casserole,

Green Bean Casserole,

Parker House Dinner Rolls,

Shopping List For Thanksgiving Dinner,

Flour Thickening Method For Gravy

Perfect Parker House Rolls Using Frozen Bread Dough

My method for preparing Parker House Rolls produces perfect results with minimal effort.  I use defrosted frozen dinner roll dough. (The “From Scratch Recipe” follows at the bottom of this post.)

Frozen Dinner Rolls

Kroger Frozen Dinner Rolls

Your personal preference for the size of the finished rolls, the size of muffin pans you use, and how much time you allot for defrosting and baking will influence which choice you make  from the following suggestions.

My choice is for a roll with three splits at the top. I use three dough balls per roll and a large two-cup baking pan for each dinner roll. I defrost them in the pans and bake them as soon as they rise the first time. Including a baking time of 15 to 18 minutes in a 350 degree (F) oven, the total time to allow is five hours starting from frozen dough balls.

Alternately you may want to use only one or two dough balls and bake them in cup cake pans and reduce your overall allotted time to fours hours while still baking for 15 to 18 minutes.

Single Dinner Roll

Single Frozen Dinner Roll

You can stretch out the yield of even more by just putting one ball in each cup cake sized compartment.  One will still make a decent 2 inch sized roll and cut your required time to about 3 hours from start to finish including a 15 minute bake time.

A special variation is seasoned rolls. Sprinkling any seasoning such as parsley, sage, rosemary, oregano, or thyme to a melted butter wash on the top at the end of the first rise, makes a welcomed surprise.  Bake for 15 minutes.

If you want a darker crust, brush each roll with egg wash prior to baking. (egg white wash is one egg and 1/2 of an egg shell full of cold water, beaten to blend thoroughly).

When I make dinner rolls from scratch, let me refer you to recipe I use. Parker House Roll Recipe from The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer. 

It uses 1C scalded milk, 1Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp butter, and 3/4 tsp salt. When milk is lukewarm add 2 tsp yeast that has been dissolved in 2 Tbsp lukewarm water.  Add 1 XL egg, mix into 2-1/2 C sifted bread flour, place into a bowl, light brush with melted butter; let rise until doubled in size(about 2 hours).  Roll out,, cut into 2 inch squares and fold the corners into the center.  Place in a greased 13 by 9 loaf pan and bake in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

 

More Thanksgiving Day Dinner Recipes:

Gravy From Scratch 

Homemade Stuffing 

Moist Turkey Recipe

Ambrosia

Cranberry Relish

Green Bean Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Shopping List For Thanksgiving Dinner

How To Make Sweet Potato Maple Pecan Casserole Side Dish For Thanksgiving

Pecan Covered Sweet Potato Casserole

Maple Pecan Covered Sweet Potato Casserole

An American Thanksgiving Day celebration is not complete without sweet potatoes or yams.  After years of serving just baked yams and butter, this casserole recipe has taken over as THE favorite to include on the dinner menu.  I have been told it is better than the Cracker Barrel recipe.

It typically makes (12) ½ cup servings, but can be easily scaled to fit any number of servings.  It can be made ahead of time, as much as 2 weeks in advance, and frozen until needed.  However, the best result I have had is making it a day ahead and serving it freshly heated.  If I use more potatoes, I increase the pecan recipe proportionately.  If I use fewer potatoes, I prepare the pecans as listed and just put more topping on the potatoes.

The secret to the success of this recipe comes down to two things: using baked sweet potatoes rather than boiled, because baking the potatoes in their skin makes them sweeter;  and preparing the pecans in a special way.

Ingredients required are:

Yams or sweet potatoes, about 5-6 pounds
½ stick of softened butter (salted or unsalted-your choice)
3/4 cup of light brown sugar divided
1 fresh seedless orange (for the juice and the zest)
1 cup of chopped pecans
½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon of ground ginger
½ cup maple syrup (I use real maple syrup but a corn based maple syrup will work)
Sprinkle of salt from a saltshaker

Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them for 65 to 75 minutes at 325 degrees F on an oven rack.  Place a baking sheet on the rack below potatoes to catch any juices.  Test for being done by inserting a serving fork or sharp knife, which should be clean when removed from a fully baked sweet potato or yam.  Remove cooked potatoes from oven and let cool to touch.  When cooled remove skin by peeling with the edge of a semi sharp knife, trying to avoid taking any of the potato meat with the skin. Set aside.

(Alternate cooking method is to peel, slice and boil on the stove top until cooked….Just not as sweet as baked.)

After putting the potatoes in the oven to bake, start preparing the pecans.

In a small saucepan, combine the syrup, ¼ cup of the light brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger and nuts.  Stir while bringing to a slight boil and remove from the heat.  About 20 minutes before the sweet potatoes have finished baking, spread the nuts on a non-stick baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Bake in same oven as yams for about 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove and set aside to cool.

After yams are baked, cooled, and peeled, combine with the butter, the remaining ½ cup of brown sugar, and all the juice of the orange.  This can be done using a mixer, a food processor, or by hand with a potato-masher and a few hundred strokes of a wire whisk.  When mixed completely, place into a large casserole-baking dish, top with the nuts and a generous amount of orange zest.
To prepare to serve, with the turkey dinner, heat in a hot oven 400 to 450 degrees F oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the topping forms a crust.  (I share this oven time with my dinner rolls).

Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Notes: Frozen orange juice concentrate can be substituted for orange juice.  An apple crisp type topping can be used instead of the nuts.  A cup of marshmallows can be used instead of the brown sugar as the sweetener in the casserole.

More Thanksgiving Day Dinner Recipes: 

Gravy From Scratch 

Homemade Stuffing 

Moist Turkey Recipe

Cranberry Relish

Green Bean Casserole

Sweet Potato Casserole

Parker House Dinner Rolls

Shopping List For Thanksgiving Dinner