Turkey Gravy

My friend Virginia is making Thanksgiving dinner this year for the first time in like 20 years and is worried about the gravy - I told her I have a foolproof recipe that I've been making for years and would share it with her. I posted this last year but since everyone and their mother will most likely be making or eating gravy in a few days I thought I'd repost it...I don't think I've done a repeat to date but gravy deserves an encore posting!! Are you with me? I think these directions are pretty straightforward and easy to follow, I do want to point out that after you cook the flour and fat together for a couple minutes remove the pan from the heat while slowly incorporating the broth (add the broth a little at a time stirring until it's totally mixed into the flour before adding a little more broth - no lumps that way!), then put it back on the stove and stir while it thickens. This recipe makes 4 cups - sounds like a lot I know, but running short on gravy would be a travesty and a risk I'm not willing to take :). Besides, can you have too much gravy?

Making your own turkey broth is pretty easy - I put the bits that come out of the turkey before you roast it (you know, the neck and giblets - yuck) in a pot and fill it up with water. If you have the time and inclination you can add other things to the pot for more flavor; onions, celery, peppercorns... whatever. Bring it to a boil then reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and let it cook for a couple hours (obviously watch that it doesn't boil over or reduce too much, add more water if it does).

Here is the post from 11/24/15:

 I love gravy and have followed the same recipe for years with total success......
mmmmmmm gravy.


After roasting the turkey drain off the drippings and measure out 1/2 cup of fat (it's easiest if you have a fat separator but you can separate by  hand - let the drippings rest in a clear measuring cup until the fat rises to the top then spoon it off). If you don't have enough fat add enough butter to equal 1/2 cup total. Heat the fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and cook, stirring constantly for a couple minutes to cook off the flour taste. Remove from heat, gradually whisk in 4 cups of broth (I do this very slowly, maybe 1/3 cup of broth at a time stirring constantly until its incorporated into the flour, then add another 1/3 cup... continue adding slowly so you won't have lumps). After all the broth is mixed in, return pan to heat and cook until bubbly, thick, and smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 cups and its yummy.