Made-ahead gravy cuts stress

it was ready with time to spare and offered incredible meaty depth. If you wish to make this gravy at the same time as your turkey, you can add the giblets and neck along with the thighs or wings. Make sure you discard the strong-tasting liver before using the giblets.

For more flavor, after roasting the turkey, skim the drippings from the pan and slowly add them to the gravy (tasting as you go so the gravy does not become overly salty). degrees. Toss thighs, giblets (if using), carrots, celery, onions and garlic together in large roasting pan and coat with vegetable oil spray. Roast, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours.

Transfer contents of roasting pan to Dutch oven. Add broth, wine and thyme sprigs, and bring to a boil, skimming as needed. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until broth is brown and flavorful and measures about 8 cups when strained, about 1 ½ hours. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer into large container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard solids.

Let strained turkey broth settle (if necessary), then spoon off and reserve ½ cup of fat that has risen to top (add butter as needed if short on turkey fat). Heat fat in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until bubbling. Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until well browned, 3 to 7 minutes.

Slowly whisk in turkey broth and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer and cook until gravy is very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Add defatted drippings, if using, to taste, then season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

PER SERVING: 92 calories, 2 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 4 mg cholesterol, 69 mg sodium Makes 20 to 24 servings From “ATB Holiday Entertaining” by America’s Test Kitchen. 3 onions, chopped coarse 3 carrots, chopped coarse 3 celery ribs, chopped coarse 1 lemon, quartered 2 sprigs fresh thyme 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 1 (18- to 22-pound) turkey, neck and giblets removed and reserved for gravy, if desired 1 cup water, plus more as needed 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon pepper

Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line large V-rack with heavy-duty foil and poke several holes in foil. Set V-rack

PER SERVING: 567 calories, 66 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 32 g fat (10 g saturated), 215 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium