Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Turkey Gravy

I have to admit that I haven't made this in a year. So today in order to post an accurate recipe I made my Thanksgiving gravy. This recipe is fun to make and the aroma from the roasted vegetables is wonderful.

2lb Turkey wings
5T extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion - not peeled, cut in half (or 1/4 if large)
4 large carrots - not peeled, scrubbed and cut in 1/3
2 whole garlic heads - not peeled - top cut off to expose the garlic
4 sage leaves
4 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs rosemary
16 whole peppercorns
4T butter
1/4 - 1/2C all-purpose flour
1 1/2 qt chicken stock
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Heat oven to 375F.
1. Cut all of your vegetables and set them aside. Wash your turkey wings off and use a paper towel to dry them.
2. Spray inside of roasting pan with non stick spray. Add the vegetables, peppercorns, and herbs to the pan. Rub turkey wings with olive oil. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Put turkey wings on top of the vegetables. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan. Roast in the oven until the wings are golden brown, about 45-60 minutes.
3. When the wings are done put the roaster on your stove over medium heat. Remove the turkey wings, and set them aside to rest. Tent them with foil to keep them warm.
4. Make a roux: Add the butter, stir until melted. Depending on how much juice you were able to get from the turkey wings you may need to add an additional 1.5T of olive oil. Sprinkle the flour into the pan and scrape up any of the cooked on bits left in the pan (note any burned bits will make your gravy bitter). Cook over medium-high heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Once you have the flour all mixed in with the vegetables, gradually add the chicken stock to the pan, whisking well to work out any lumps. Add turkey wings back into the roaster. Simmer the gravy until thickened and well developed in flavor. Remove turkey wings. Strain through a mesh strainer. Adjust seasonings as needed. Serve.

Note: In order to get more nutrients in my gravy after it is all cooked I put the gravy in the blender with some of the cooked carrots, onion and garlic and puree it smooth.
Freezing: You can make your gravy ahead of time and freeze it. The day before you need it thaw in fridge. When you need it heat to a full rolling boil. Gravy will freeze for 6 months.

No comments:

Post a Comment