Recipe(tried): Turkey Gravy for Cathy/NY

Dear Cathy,

In my family you just can't have enough gravy. The first thing you should do is pour the drippings into a glass jar so that you can separate the fat, which rises, from the drippings. You can make the gravy one of two ways: (1)you can use the fat to make a roux (a combination of fat and flour in a 1:1 ratio) that you cook in the pan until it is lightly browned and then add the liquid back in. Most of my family prefers a lower-fat version, in which a slurry (mixture of water and flour) is added to the drippings to thicken them.

A good rule of thumb is 2 tablespoons of flour for each cup of drippings.

If you use the slurry method, please make sure that all of the flour lumps are dissolved before adding it to the drippings. You can make the slurry in a blender if you like. Add the slurry to the boiling drippings in a slow stream, whisking constantly.

If you use the roux method, get the roux hot, bubbly and lightly browned and add the hot drippings to the roux, stirring constantly.

I'm assuming that you already know how to make gravy. If not, you can now season the gravy with poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, sage and a tiny dash of lemon juice. The acid in the lemon juice just "peaks" up the flavor. I would say about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for a whole pot of gravy.

Let me know if you need any more information. I am the gravy queen of my family!

Marilyn

Bon appetit.