Elevate Your Holiday Feast With This Rich And Flavorful Gravy For Turkey & Chicken!
There’s nothing quite like the rich, savory flavor of a homemade gravy to complement a delicious roasted turkey or chicken. This gravy for turkey & chicken recipe is a classic gravy that’s easy to make and will impress your guests. Moreover, making the gravy starts with creating a broth from scratch using the bones from either turkey or chicken. Additionally, making a roux is a game changer adding a delicious nutty buttery flavor.
Understanding Roux:
First, before we dive into the gravy for turkey & chicken recipe, let’s talk about roux. Importantly, roux is a mixture of equal parts flour and fat (butter or oil) cooked together. Specifically, it’s a fundamental building block for many sauces, including gravy. Moreover, the color of the roux determines its flavor profile:
- Blonde Roux: Cooked for a short time, this roux has a mild flavor and is often used in white sauces. For example, use this one to make béchamel sauce.
- Brown Roux: Unlike, the blonde roux, this one is cooked longer. Hence, this roux develops a nutty flavor and is ideal for darker sauces like gravy.
- Dark Roux: Cooked until dark brown, this roux has a deep, rich flavor and is perfect for dishes like gumbo.
What You’ll Need For This Recipe:
First and foremost, turkey bones. For example, neck, back bone and also giblets (ofals). The only caveat about using turkey, is the fact that it takes three to four hours of simmering the meat on the bones to pull apart tender. However, if planning to not use the meat off the bones in the final gravy, cook for 2 hours. Additionally, chicken bones are a great substitute and simmers to tenderness in one hour.
Also, needed for this recipe are celery, garlic, onion, thyme, parsley, whole black peppercorns and water. When making the broth, no salt is necessary. Dump all the ingredients in a dutch oven or stock pot and simmer away. Additionally, to make the actual gravy you’ll need equal parts butter and flour. Plus some flavorings, like more fresh thyme, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Get the detail recipe –
Jump Full RecipeWhy Make This Homemade Recipe?
- First and Foremost, Superior Flavor: Store-bought gravies often rely on artificial flavorings and preservatives. However, homemade gravy, on the other hand, is crafted with fresh ingredients, resulting in a more authentic and delicious taste.
- Next, Customization: Tailor the flavor profile to your liking by adjusting the herbs and spices. Whether you prefer a classic or bold flavor, you have the freedom to experiment.
- Lastly, Versatility: This gravy isn’t just for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. It’s perfect for any occasion that calls for a comforting, flavorful sauce.
Tips For Making The Best Gravy For Turkey & Chicken!
- First, for a less buttery flavor, use a combination of butter and oil in the roux.
- Also, if the gravy is too thick, add more broth.
- Similarly, if the gravy is too thin, cook it longer or add a slurry of flour and water.
- Lastly, this gravy for turkey & chicken is a great make ahead condiment. Plus, store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for longer.
Serving Suggestions Using Gravy For Turkey & Chicken:
- Serve the gravy over roasted turkey, chicken, or mashed potatoes.
- Also, use the gravy as a base for other sauces, such as mushroom gravy or gravy with pan drippings.
So go ahead and ditch the store-bought gravy and make this delicious and flavor packed gravy for turkey & chicken. And bask in the pleasure of everyone singing your praises.
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Nutritional information
Importantly,this website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For the most precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator based on the actual ingredients you used in the recipe
Gravy For Turkey & Chicken
Equipment
- 1 5 quart Dutch oven for making the broth
- 1 fine mesh strainer for straining the broth
- 1 heat proof jug for straining the broth
- 1 3 quart saucepan for making the turkey gravy
- 1 silicone spatula or
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
For the Broth:
- 1 pound turkey bones with meat (neck, skinless backbone and giblets) Can substitute chicken bones with some meat on and giblets.
- 3 – 4 cloves garlic crushed and peeled
- 2 medium celery stalks cutup into chunks
- 1 medium onion peeled and chopped roughly
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs
- 5 – 6 parsley stems only
- 8 cups water
For the Gravy:
- 3 ounces butter cutup into chunks
- 3 ounces flour
- 6 to 7 cups of the fresh turkey broth
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper
- 4 – 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- about 1 cup of the meat removed from the cooked bones chopped finely
Instructions
Make the Broth:
- Add all the broth ingredients into a stock pot or dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the meat on the bones are pull apart tender.Note: This can take 3 to 4 hours. And can be made up to 2 days in advance.1 pound turkey bones with meat, 3 – 4 cloves garlic, 2 medium celery stalks, 1 medium onion, 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns, 1 small bunch fresh thyme sprigs, 5 – 6 parsley stems only, 8 cups water
- Remove the bones to a bowl. Strain the broth into a heat proof jug and reserve the broth for the gravy.Note: At this stage the broth can be cooled and refrigerated for up to 3 days or store in air tight jars and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Pull apart as much meat from the bones. Discard the bones and chop the meat very finely. Reserve the meat for the gravy.
Make the Gravy:
- Heat a 3-quart saucepan using medium flame. Add the butter and cook a few seconds until melted. Turn the flame to medium low.3 ounces butter
- Sprinkle in the flour, a little bit at a time, while using a spatula (or whisk) to incorporate the flour and butter. Mix each addition until flour is fully incorporated and no lumps exist. Tips: This step is critical to preventing lumps.3 ounces flour
- Once the flour and butter is fully incorporated, continue cooking until you achieve your desired color. Tips: For a blonde color rough cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. For a brown color roux, cook 8 to 10 minutes. And for a dark brown roux, cook 10 to 15 minutes.The darker the roux, the nuttier the flavor. And keep a watchful eye and mix as often as possible, cause the roux can go from brown to burnt in a jiffy.
- Slowly pour in the broth, in batches, whisking or stirring with a spatula as you pour.Tips: After each pour of the broth, stir or whisk until the broth and roux are incorporated and smooth.This step is critical to prevent lumps.6 to 7 cups of the fresh turkey broth
- Once all the liquid has been incorporated in , season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add in the thyme for extra flavor. And add in the chopped turkey meat.Stir and continue cooking 5 to 8 minutes until the gravy is thickened to your desired texture. Remove the thyme stems. Pour into your favorite gravy bowl and serve with roasted turkey or chicken Note: If the gravy becomes too thick, add more liquid to thin it out. The gravy can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, if it lasts that long. Also, for freezer storage, pour into air tight jars and freeze up to 3 months. Defrost in fridge before reheating on the stovetop.kosher salt to taste, freshly ground black pepper, 4 – 5 sprigs fresh thyme, about 1 cup of the meat removed from the cooked bones
Nutrition
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