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The Perfect Turkey Gravy

Thanksgiving Recipe: Simple Turkey Gravy

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Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year, dedicated to reflecting on all the good things present in your life and celebrating your good fortune with loved ones. However, it’s also a time when a lot of people get stressed out thinking about how they’re going to prepare a gargantuan meal for their entire extended family. What somehow seemed doable when you agreed in July to host 30 people for a feast now seems…slightly less feasible. But don’t worry, we’ve got a foolproof recipe that will ensure at least one part of the meal goes off without a hitch!

We can all relate to the day-of stress, when things aren’t going quite according to schedule and you’re holding onto your quickly-vanishing sanity by the skin of your teeth. That’s why we’ve got an easy-peasy gravy recipe to lighten your load and make the meal production a little less crazy, regardless of whether you’re using turkey drippings or not! With just four ingredients, this is a recipe that turns out perfectly every time, and we can pretty much guarantee you’ll come back to this gravy again and again.

Without having to worry about that potential headache, you can tackle all the other stuff on your to-do list with a bit more peace of mind. Enjoy!

Yield(s): Serves Yields approx. 4 cups

30 minutes

4.7
Rated by 15 reviewers
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you're making mealtime meaningful.
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Ingredients
  • 4 cups turkey drippings OR 4 cups turkey/chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preparation
  1. If using turkey drippings, pour cooking liquids from your roasting pan through a strainer and into a container to cool. Note: if you don't have enough drippings to amount to 4 cups, add water or turkey stock. If you're not using turkey drippings, just use turkey stock.
  2. Melt 1 stick butter in a medium pan over medium-low heat and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Once melted, add in flour and whisk constantly so it toasts and combines with the butter.
  4. Continue whisking your roux until you've got a smooth, paste-like mixture.
  5. Slowly pour in your turkey drippings or turkey stock, stirring all the while.
  6. Cook gravy for another 10 minutes, or until thickened.
  7. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve immediately or keep on very low heat until ready to serve.

Recipe adapted from Center Cut Cook