Best 11 Mean Chefs Turkey Gravy Recipes

TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan, over medium-low heat. Add the neck, giblets, onion, and cook stirring occasionally until browned, about 15 minutes. Add the broth, herbs, and bay leaf; cover and simmer over medium-low heat, about 2 hours. (This can be done while your turkey roasts.) Discard the giblets or reserve for chopping and adding to the gravy.
• Pour all the turkey pan drippings into a liquid measuring cup or a degreasing cup. Set aside to let the fat separate from the darker pan juices. (Put the measuring cup in the freezer to helps them separate.)
• Ladle off 1/2 cup of the fat from the top of the drippings, and transfer to a saucepan (or do it the old fashioned way in the turkey roasting pan.)
• Heat the fat over medium heat. Scatter the flour evenly on top and cook, stirring constantly, with a wooden spoon until the flour browns slightly and smells toasty, about 4 minutes. Switch to a whisk; then gradually and carefully ladle the hot broth into the flour mixture while whisking constantly. Bring the gravy to a boil; adjust the heat so it simmers gently. Skim and discard any excess fat from the remaining drippings, and add the pan juices to the gravy. Continue to simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy is thickened, about 10 minutes. Chop and add giblets, if desired. Season with the Worcestershire, salt, and pepper.
• Transfer gravy to a sauce boat and serve hot.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Strain pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids and reserve 2 1/2 cups pan drippings; set aside. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and thyme until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved pan drippings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm.

CLASSIC TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• When your turkey goes into the oven, start the broth: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and turkey neck and giblets; cook, stirring, until the giblets are browned, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth, herb sprigs and bay leaf; cover and simmer while the turkey roasts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and keep warm; reserve the neck and giblets, if desired.
• When your turkey is done, transfer it to a cutting board and pour all the pan drippings into a degreasing cup. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared broth to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. (If the bits are stuck, put the pan over a low burner to loosen them.) Add the bits and liquid to the degreasing cup.
• Let the fat rise to the top of the degreasing cup, then spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat. Make a roux: Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the flour browns slightly, about 4 minutes.
• Gradually add the hot broth to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Pour the dark roasting juices from the degreasing cup into the gravy, discarding any remaining fat. If desired, chop the giblets and shred the neck meat; add to the gravy. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flavored butter, if desired.
• Start with cold heavy cream and mix on high speed.
• After about 3 minutes, you'll have whipped cream; continue mixing.
• After about 6 more minutes, the butter will clump and separate from the liquid. Strain and wrap the butter in cheesecloth, then squeeze out the liquid.
• Tip: To make perfect rounds, shape flavored butter into a log using parchment paper; wrap and chill, then slice.
• Pumpkin
• Mash 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin, 1 stick softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon each sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
• Spiced Cranberry
• Simmer 1/2 cup cranberries with 1 tablespoon water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 strip lemon zest, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 clove, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the zest, cinnamon and clove; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter and a pinch of salt.
• Bourbon-Raisin
• Microwave 1/2 cup raisins with 1 tablespoon bourbon, covered, 45 seconds; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter, 1 tablespoon chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
• Sage Brown Butter
• Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat and cook until browned. Add 1/4 cup sage and fry 30 seconds; drain on paper towels, then chop. Let the brown butter cool; mash with 1 stick softened butter, the sage and a pinch of salt.

TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat.
• Add the carrots, celery, corn cobs, onions, thyme, bay leaf and turkey neck to a medium pot. Add enough water to cover, place over direct heat, bring to a boil and simmer for 3 hours. Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer.
• Melt the butter or turkey drippings to a medium saucepot over medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking for a few minutes, until lightly browned. Whisk in the turkey stock. Bring to a boil and simmer, whisking occasionally, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

MEAN CHEF'S MUSHROOM GRAVY

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat.
• Add the mushrooms and sauté until brown, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in the flour; it will become very pasty.
• Cook this roux for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
• It will stick to the bottom of the pan a little bit; that's okay.
• 2.
• Stir in the stock, wine, soy sauce, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
• Cook the sauce at a lively simmer for 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly and scraping any crusty bits that adhere to the bottom of the pan.
• Serve in a sauceboat.

EASY GRAVY FOR TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Arrange the garlic halves and sliced onions side by side in a single layer of foil with some foil to spare. Drizzle with the olive oil and season generously with salt. Wrap the foil over into a little package and place in the oven. Roast until completely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, 45 to 50 minutes. Carefully open the foil and let cool. Squeeze the garlic out of their skins, using a fork or a knife if necessary to pry them out. Discard the skins.
• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, simmer the sherry until reduced to a couple of tablespoons, about 10 minutes.
• Once the turkey has been transferred from the roasting pan to a cutting board to let rest, put the roasting pan over 2 burners and heat over medium high. Add the chicken broth. Using a whisk, scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and onions, mustard, vinegar, salt to taste, pepper and reduced sherry. Let the flavors infuse for a couple of minutes. Transfer most of the onions and garlic and some of the liquid from the roasting pan, about 1 1/2 cups, to a blender and blend until smooth. Return the puree to the roasting pan and bring to a boil, Cook, constantly whisking, until reduced to desired consistency. Adjust the seasonings.

MEAN CHEF'S TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• When the turkey is done, transfer it to a serving platter to rest and set aside.
• Pour the pan drippings into a 1-quart glass measure, medium bowl, or gravy separator.
• Leave any browned bits in the bottom of the roasting pan.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Using a large spoon, skim the clear yellow fat that rises to the surface and reserve (or pour fat out of separator into another bowl).
• If the drippings don't seem dark enough, pour half back into the roasting pan and set over two burners.
• Bring to a boil over high heat.
• As the drippings reduce they will darken.
• Pour in the remaining drippings until the liquid in the pan is as dark as you want.
• The amount of drippings will decrease, but the finished gravy will be darker and taste better without having to resort to something from a bottle.
• Remove browned drippings and Add enough stock to the drippings to measure 4 cups total cooking liquid.
• set aside Set the roasting pan on top of the stove over 2 burners on moderately low heat.
• Add 6 tablespoons of the reserved fat to the pan.
• Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisking constantly.
• Let the mixture bubble, whisking constantly, until it browns, 1 to 2 minutes.
• It is important to let the mixture cook for a minute or two to allow the flour to lose its raw taste, but adjust the heat as needed to keep it from burning.
• Whisk in the cooking liquid, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.
• Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking occasionally.
• If the gravy seems too thin, increase the heat to medium and boil until it is as thick as you wish.
• If desired, strain the gravy through a wire sieve to remove any extraneous bits of drippings.

CHEF JOHN'S MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Combine onion, carrots, celery, and vegetable oil in a large roasting pan and toss to coat. Place turkey wings on top of vegetables
• Place roasting pan in the preheated oven and cook until the turkey wings are browned and vegetables are caramelized and softened, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Transfer turkey wings and vegetables to a large stockpot. Place the roasting pan over a stovetop burner on medium heat. Pour 2 tablespoons cold water into the pan and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer mixture to the stockpot and add 10 cups cold water, thyme, and garlic.
• Bring turkey wing mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until meat falls off the bone, about 3 hours. Skim off turkey fat throughout the process and set aside 2 tablespoons.
• Strain turkey stock and reserve 6 cups of stock; discard all the solids.
• Heat butter and 2 tablespoons reserved turkey fat in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and cook, whisking continuously, until it begins to smell like cooked pie crust, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly pour in turkey stock, whisking continuously. Increase heat to high and simmer until thick and warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste.

MAKE-AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange a single layer of turkey wings in a large roasting pan. Scatter the onions over the top of the wings. Roast in the preheated oven for 1-1/4 hours or until wings are browned.
• Place browned wings and onions in a 5 quart stockpot. Add water to roasting pan and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the the water from the pan into the stockpot. Stir in 6 cups broth, carrot, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.
• Remove wings from the pot and place on a cutting board. When the wings are cool, pull off the skin and meat. Discard the skin and save the meat for another use. Strain contents of stockpot through a large strainer into a 3 quart saucepan. Press on the vegetables to extract any remaining liquid. Discard the vegetables and skim the fat off the liquid. Bring the contents of the pot to a gentle boil.
• In a medium bowl, whisk flour into the remaining 2 cups chicken broth until smooth. Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the simmering turkey broth; simmer 3-4 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Stir in the butter and pepper. Serve immediately or pour into containers and refrigerate or freeze.

CHEF JOHN'S ROAST TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Mix 2 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Tuck turkey wings under the bird, and season cavity with about 1 tablespoon of the poultry seasoning mixture. Reserve remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Toss the onion, celery, and carrots together in a bowl. Stuff about 1/2 cup of the vegetable mixture, rosemary sprigs, and 1/2 bunch sage into the cavity of the turkey. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Loosen the skin on top of the turkey breast using fingers or a small spatula. Place about 2 tablespoons butter under the skin and spread evenly. Spread the remaining butter (about 2 tablespoons) all over the outside of the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with the remaining poultry seasoning mix.
• Spread the remaining onion, celery, and carrots into a large roasting pan. Place the turkey on top of the vegetables. Fill the pan with about 1/2 inch of water. Arrange a sheet of aluminum foil over the breast of the turkey.
• Roast the turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C). Remove the foil during the last hour of cooking. Baste the turkey with the pan juices.
• While the turkey is roasting, make stock: place neck, heart, and gizzards in a saucepan with the bay leaf and water. Simmer over medium heat for 2 hours. Strain the turkey giblets from the stock, and discard giblets. There should be at least 4 cups of stock.
• Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Pour the pan juices, about 3 cups, into a saucepan and set aside. Skim off the turkey fat from the pan juices, reserving about 2 tablespoons.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the turkey fat and 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Transfer the onion from the roasting pan into the skillet. Cook and stir until the onion is browned, about 5 minutes, then stir in the flour. Continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes more; whisk in 4 cups of the skimmed turkey stock and the reserved pan juices until smooth; skim off any foam. Stir in the balsamic vinegar. Simmer until the gravy is thickened, whisking constantly, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chopped sage, and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

TURKEY MEATLOAF AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute white onions, green onions, carrots, celery, green and red bell peppers, and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• In a large bowl, combine salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg and cumin. Stir in eggs, ketchup and half-and-half. Blend in vegetable mixture from skillet. Add ground turkey, chicken sausage and bread crumbs. Mix well with hands, then shape into a loaf. Place into greased 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 70 minutes, or until cooked through and nicely browned. Let rest for 10 minutes, then serve with gravy.
• To make the gravy: Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute shallots with red and yellow peppers until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with thyme, bay leaf and black pepper. Stir in half-and-half, garlic, beef stock and chicken stock. Increase heat to high, and boil uncovered until liquid is reduced by 1/4, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and ketchup. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain gravy, discarding bay leaf and thyme before serving.