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Turkey Gravy Notes

Source of Recipe

My own


Recipe Introduction

Try to get the kind of wings that are only the tip and the attached piece – not the drumstick-looking bit – the meat is much better. Since I first posted this recipe, I’ve made some changes. I’ve found that making an olive oil slurry doesn’t add much to the flavor – it just adds oil that needs to be skimmed or removed later, so I’ve made it optional. I also make my stock in a slow cooker now instead of on top of the stove, so I’ve added that to the directions. The slow cooker is the best way to make a deep, rich stock. Note that if you are making the entire recipe (more than a gallon) you will need TWO Dutch ovens.

List of Ingredients

3 pkgs. Turkey wings (about 12 pieces)
Olive oil (optional)
tomato paste
Salt and pepper
Poultry seasoning
3 large onions, quartered (I don’t bother peeling)
About 4 large carrots, roughly chopped
About 5 stalks celery, roughly chopped
2 c. butter
2 c. flour
Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay
Water
Better Than Bouillon, turkey or chicken
Marjoram, fresh, minced fine
Thyme, fresh, minced fine



Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make a slurry of the olive oil and tomato paste (or just smear tomato paste onto the turkey/vegetable mixture). Drizzle the wings, carrots, onions and celery with the slurry. Sprinkle with a little salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Toss to coat. Roast until done and browned and the vegetables are caramelized. Pour everything into a large stock pot and cover with water. [Get the water to a simmer first, that way the wings are less likely to stick.] Add the recommended amount of the Better Than Bouillon to go with the amount of water used. Simmer for about 1 hour. OR: Place the roasted turkey/vegetable mixture in 2 large slow cookers and cover with water to a couple of inches from the top of the cooker. Add 2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon to each slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 12 hours (I usually do this overnight).

Take the solids out of the stock and discard the vegetables. Take the meat off the bones and shred. Reserve the meat. Refrigerate the stock overnight (or use a fat separator and continue with recipe).

The next day, in good, heavy Dutch oven, make a dark roux with one cup of the butter and one cup of the flour. Add some of the wine. Remove the fat from the top of the stock (which should be gelatinized by now). Gradually add about half the stock to the roux and cook down very, very slowly for about an hour. It should reduce by more than half. Periodically taste and add pepper. You will probably never need to add salt to this gravy. Make a second batch of roux in another Dutch oven, and prepare this batch the same as the first. Basically, you are doing this twice. If you only make a half batch, you will only need one Dutch oven. When the gravy is almost done, add the reserved shredded turkey. Continue to simmer until it is the consistency you want and the turkey is heated through.

At this point, you can freeze or serve. If you are going to serve it right away, add the marjoram and thyme at the same time that you add the turkey. If you are going to freeze, don’t add the herbs until you reheat the gravy.

Makes about 1 1/2 gallons gravy.