These instructions apply to turkey, poultry, and meats - but mostly to turkey!
Never wrestle with a heavy turkey; the turkey will always win. Invest in a good-quality lifter to transfer the turkey from pan to platter. Put that platter on a damp tea towel: Turkeys are slippery. The distance from platter to shatter can be short.
I don’t use precise measurements to make gravy: Everything depends on the weight of the turkey, how much fat you add, and how much juice and fat the bird releases. Once the turkey’s done, remove it from the roasting pan with the lifter you raced out to buy when you started to read this recipe.
A reliable gauge to a turkey’s “doneness” is its wiggly leg; if you aren’t sure, use a meat thermometer. Or (the belt-and-suspenders method), use both.
Tent the turkey lightly with foil and allow to rest (10 min. for most meats; 20 min. for a sizable turkey) before carving. Don’t wash the roasting pan!
Heat the drippings in that same roasting pan over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in just enough all-purpose flour to absorb most of the fat in the pan. Whisking quickly, thoroughly combine the fat and and all-purpose flour, adding extra flour as needed. Continuing to whisk, let bubble about 1 min. over medium-low heat.
Gradually add homemade or commercial broth (see One Click: How to Make Stock), as well as the cooking water from potatoes or other non-cruciferous (look it up, Dollinks) vegetables on the menu. The term non-cruciferous is important: No one wants a fart-fest at the dinner table.
Whisk, whisk, whisk until gravy reaches desired thickness. Gravy thickens on standing, so don’t be too heavy-handed with the flour. If floating fat remains on the surface, add a little more flour and liquid or simply skim off the fat.
Season to taste (and do taste it!) with garlic powder, salt, pepper, and any herb or combination of herbs, to taste. You may want to add a splash of red wine (for meats) or white (for poultry) to flavor your gravy, or sliced mushrooms, or a spoonful of Dijon-style mustard.
You may also want to “cheat” by adding a gravy browning agent or a poultry-flavored concentrate, at this point. There are plenty of brands available: All produce attractive, nicely colored gravy.
Because this gravy may contain bits of poultry (or meat) and the occasional flour lump, strain and reheat it before transferring it to your gravy boat. Stirring the flour into cold broth before adding it to hot gravy may slightly reduce the number of lumps, but the best gravies are strained and smooth. Substitute cornstarch for flour at your peril: The result is often a far thinner, less “substantial” gravy, suitable for anaemic folks who want a pale drizzle, but not for those with heartier expectations.
I’ve had cornstarch-thickened gravy in chi-chi dining rooms, and found it disappointing. If you’re going to have gravy, for goodness sake, have gravy! You don’t do this everyday, so enjoy the splurge!
Note: I like to make lots of gravy. Leftover gravy is a superbly reliable addition to homemade soups, stews, and dishes such as turkey pies. For more turkey recipes, see One Click: Turkey.
