BEST TURKEY GRAVY EVER !!

There are 3 reasons we LOVE this turkey gravy. First of all, it is rich, savory and has a delicious, concentrated turkey flavor (the kind that you CAN NOT get from a package or a jar). Secondly, you can make this gravy a day ahead of time and escape those "last minute" holiday scheduling conflicts or the dreaded "I need just one more stove burner" issue. Thirdly, the recipe makes enough gravy for a big turkey dinner AND enough for those scrumptious "day two" hot turkey sandwiches!!

 

It may sound like this recipe makes a ton of gravy, but don't forget that the liquid "cooks down" for a couple hours, so actually you'll end up with about 5 cups of good rich gravy, which is just perfect.

8 turkey wings (or 6 turkey drumsticks)
2 small onions (or 1 large) peeled and quartered
2 quarts water 
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup (large chopped) celery
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 to 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (*see note below)
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
*(note don't add salt until the end)

Put the turkey wings (or drumsticks), quartered onions and 1 cup of water in a large baking pan. Make sure the pan is big enough so that the wings are not on top of each other.

Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 1 1/2 hours or until wings are nice and golden.

 

Put the baked wings and onion into a large soup pot. Add 1 cup of water to the original baking pan and stir/scrape up all of the crusty bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour it all over the meat in the soup pot.

Add 6 cups of water to the soup pot, along with the carrot, celery and dried thyme leaves. Make sure the "browned" side of the wings are down in the water. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce the heat to a VERY SLOW SIMMER and cook for 2 hours (with the lid very slightly open).

After the broth has simmered for 2 hours, remove the meat

(you won't need it for the gravy).

Strain the broth (throwing away the veggies) and return broth to soup pot. Bring the broth to a boil.

Whisk the flour into the remaining 2 cups of water until smooth and gradually whisk it into the simmering turkey broth. Cook and stir until thick.  Stir in butter and pepper.

IMPORTANT: Taste the final gravy for salt. I usually end up adding about 3/4 teaspoon of salt (to the whole pot).

NOTE: *How much flour you use to thicken your gravy depends on how much liquid broth you have after it's boiled down. I usually end up using 1/2 cup of flour.

 

 

 

NOTHING says HOLIDAY

like a GREAT gravy!!

 

ENJOY!!