The ultimate turkey gravy
4 HOURS | SERVES 8 | EASY
Restaurants can spend several days making glossy sauces and gravies. That’s not necessary at home but this recipe, using a stock made with lots of gelatin-rich chicken wings, and then gently simmering until reduced, will result in the best gravy you’ve ever made.
Every good gravy starts with great stock. If you want to make this ahead, you can leave out the giblets, freeze and defrost on the day.
STOCK
turkey fat 3 tbsp (see method, opposite) plain flour 3 tbsp turkey giblets roughly chopped (optional) chicken wings 1.5kg
vegetable oil 2 tbsp
onion 1, roughly chopped
carrots 2, roughly chopped
celery 2 sticks, roughly chopped
garlic 1 bulb, halved horizontally
bay leaf 1 thyme a few sprigs
white wine 300ml
• Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Spread the giblets and wings between 2 roasting trays, ensuring they aren’t overcrowded. Roast in the oven for 1 hour, turning halfway, until really caramelised.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan over a medium-high heat. Cook the onion, carrots, celery and garlic for 10-15 minutes or until well caramelised. Tip in the bay, thyme and wine, and bubble for a few minutes, scraping any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan.
• Tip in the giblets, chicken wings and any left-over fat, scraping the trays really well. If you can’t get the crusty bits off the roasting trays, tip in 150ml of water to each, put back into the oven for 10 minutes, then remove and all the crusty bits will come off easily.
• Pour 2.5 litres of water into the pan and simmer gently for 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Pour into a large, wide pan through a fine metal sieve or muslin, a ladleful at a time, pushing all of the juices through. Simmer gently for another 1 hour 30 minutes, skimming regularly, until reduced by half.
• To make the gravy, put the roasting tin you used to cook the turkey over a medium heat. Skim 3 tbsp of turkey fat from the settled jug of turkey juices and tip into the tin. Add the flour and stir for 4-5 minutes, scraping up all the golden bits from the bottom and sides of the tray until the flour is golden. Add the hot stock and turkey juices, ladle by ladle, stirring in between. Bring to a boil and check for seasoning. Pour into a gravy boat and serve piping hot.