Description
Save the backbone and giblets from your Thanksgiving turkey to make this rich, flavorful gravy recipe. It's a family favorite holiday staple!
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 tablespoon high heat cooking oil, such as grapeseed or peanut
- Turkey backbone, neck, giblets (minus the liver), and any other trimmings from spatchcocking
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 stalk celery, diced, (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 medium carrot, diced (about 1/4 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 quart turkey stock
Instructions
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Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
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Pat the turkey pieces dry, then add to melted butter and oil. Cook until golden brown all over, about 3-5 minutes total. Remove to a plate and set aside.
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Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to the pan and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Scrape up bits.
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Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. whisk in flour and season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, dried thyme, dried parsley, rubbed sage, and ground white pepper.
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Cook for 1-2 minutes, then slowly whisk in turkey stock.
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Add seared turkey parts back to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced by about 1/3, about 20-30 minutes.
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If you're making the gravy when your turkey finishes roasting, I highly encourage you to add the pan drippings from your roasting pan into the gravy. You can do this at any point in the gravy-making process once you've added the turkey stock.
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Strain through a fine-mesh conical strainer into a gravy boat. You can use a cone-shaped pestle to help press the solid bits and extract even more liquid and flavor from them without adding any solid bits to your gravy.
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Taste for seasoning, adjusting with more salt and pepper if necessary. If your gravy isn't quite thick enough, you can return it to the saucepan and simmer it to reduce further.
Notes
If you can't find turkey stock, chicken stock can be substituted.
If you're making the gravy when your turkey finishes roasting, I highly encourage you to add the pan drippings from your roasting pan into the gravy.
A cone-shaped pestle or wooden spoon can be used to press the solid bits and extract even more liquid and flavor from them without adding any solid bits to your gravy.
