Easy gravy?

[oceanbaby]

Every Thanskgiving, gravy is super stressful. It seems like I am forever adding some of this or some of that to try to get it to taste right, or thicken right, or whatever. Does anyone have a recipe, or links to a recipe, that produces an easy, delicious gravy that I can count on?!?!?

Thanks!

[Magelet]

I don't know how you normally make your gravy, but this is how I make chicken gravy. It is incredibly easy and fast. And would work fine for turkey too, though I would add the onions in the last bit of roasting the turkey, maybe the last 45 min to an hour.

Prep your chicken (or turkey), and start to roast it in a pan with nice sides that is stovetop safe. Quarter an onion or two, seperate it into layers, and pop it in the bottom and sides of the pan, around/under the bird for the last hour of cooking. (this completely caramelizes and almost burns, leaving a lovely flavor to the gravy). When done, take the bird out of the pan, making sure to get the drippings from the cavity into the pan. Put the pan on one - two burners on the stove depending on it's size, over mediumish heat. Stir in flour until it gets very pasty. Keep stirring and let it cook a bit more (this gets rid of a "floury" taste). Add two cups (for a chicken, more for turkey) homemade chicken stock (I keep it frozen in two cup bags, pop the stock ice cube straight into the pan, it melts). Add a bit more flour or stock to the get the consistancy you desire. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Easy, peasy, and delicious. Takes, oh, 7 minutes? I would not recommend this direct method with duck or goose, because they have more fat than chicken or turkey, and would remove some of the fat before making gravy in that case. It should work well with any less fatty (like chicken or turkey) bird.

[Drummer's Wife]

I make it similar to Caroline, with the pan drippings, flour, salt/pepper, and additional stock (chicken, but turkey gravy is the same).

How did you make it in the past when it didn't turn out? I just adjust to taste - DH doesn't like it flour-y at all, so I try to go easy with it.

[oceanbaby]

It just seems like mine is either too sharp, so I'm trying to add butter or flour, or a little burnt tasting, or bland, or something. It always ends up tasting good when I'm done, but I find it stressful to be totally winging it right at the last minute. I like the taste of a little port or sherry or something in it, but that's tricky to balance as well.

[staceychev]

I've never done turkey gravy, but for roast chicken, I strain the drippings into a pan and add salt, pepper, chicken stock, a pat of butter, and lemon juice. I start to heat it, and take some aside and mix the flour in to make a slurry. Then, I add the slurry back in and whisk.

I really what the lemon juice adds to it. Whenever I roast a chicken, I spend most of my dinnertime inhaling bread with butter and gravy!

[MammaG]

I usually simmer the innards on the stovetop while the bird is cooking...I add in an onion, celery, carrot, snips of some fresh herbs. Cover with water and/or white wine. I keep adding liquid as needed to make a flavourful stock (about this time of year, I keep a baggie of chicken carcass and greens tops in my freezer to add to this stage!).

When the bird's done, I deglaze the roasting pan with more white wine and add that into the stock on the stovetop. In a seperate pan, I melt some fat (butter works, but I always have a pot of drippings in my fridge...bacon drippings are particularly good and add depth to the gravy). Add in some flour and cook for a minute or two, then slowly strain in the stock you made, stirring constantly. You can adjust seasonings now...I add in lots of sage usually. You can also adjust thickness by adding some butter mashed with flour to thicken or some white wine (or a tbsp of apple cidre vinegar's good, too) to thin. Always yummy!

[mommathea]

I just take the pan drippings, add flour, wisk untill it just starts changing color. Then I add stock, wisking untill everything is well incorperated. Then I let it reduce to the thickness that I want. Add salt, pepper, and a touch of pultry seasoning to taste.

If you get a weird taste - like a deep almost dirty nutty taste you heat is up to high and your burning the oils, and flour. Make you rou(sp) at a lower temperature.
And I swear by a touch of pultry seasoning. I just adds that Thanksgiving taste.

[chattyprincess]

I do basically what mamma g does. and yup amazing gravy every time. The only dif is that I drain the "drippings" into a large clear bowl and let set and then use a large ladel and remove the fat....I find the whole fat floating on top of my gravy makes me gag...I leave a bit but not all. Then I just throw it back in the roasting pan and do as mamma g does.