Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

Make this gravy up to 3 days in advance. It can also be frozen. The consistency is almost like gelatin, but it will thin when you add turkey drippings to it.

Makes about 8 cups

4 turkey wings (about 3 to 4 pounds) 2 medium sweet onions, peeled, cut up

1 cup water

8 cups less-sodium, fat-free chicken broth, divided

1 large chopped carrot

1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme, optional

3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the turkey wings in a roasting pan; scatter onions on top. Roast 11⁄4 hours or until wings are golden brown.

Put wings and onions in a large stockpot. Add water to roasting pan; stir to scrape up any brown bits on bottom and add all to the pot. Add 6 cups broth (refrigerate remaining 2 cups), the carrot and thyme if desired.

Simmer, uncovered, 11⁄2 hours.

Remove the wings and cool. Once cool, remove and discard skin; reserve meat for another use. Strain broth into fat separator or into a bowl. Let sit 10 minutes until fat rises to the top. Pour de-fatted broth into a saucepan. You also can put the bowl in the freezer. The fat will rise to the top and become solid. What’s left underneath will be jelled, which is what you want.

Whisk flour into remaining 2 cups broth until well blended and smooth. Bring broth in saucepan to a gentle boil. Whisk in flour mixture and cook 5 minutes to thicken gravy and cook out the raw flour taste. Stir in butter and season with pepper.

Cook’s note: Freeze the gravy up to 1 month. Thaw and reheat. You can add fat-skimmed drippings from a freshly roasted turkey. Adapted from several recipes, tested by Susan M. Selasky.