Photo courtesy of the National Turkey Federation
I always get lots of questions about making gravy, so I thought no matter what meat or poultry you are cooking, this recipe would come in handy when you head for the kitchen. I recommend making 1/2 cup gravy per person. You need that much gravy to pour over everything, and for leftovers. So here is the formula: For each cup of gravy you will need 1 cup broth, 1 1/2 tablespoons drippings, fat or butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons flour (preferably the instant kind, Wondra, which Granny favored because it didn’t cause lumps in the gravy.) Here is a sample recipe for 4 cups gravy serving 8 people:
6 tablespoons fat from drippings in roasting pan, and/or butter or a combination
6 level tablespoons flour
4 cups broth
After you have taken your roast out of the oven, transfer it to a platter and cover it loosely with foil. While it is resting put the roasting pan on the stove. Transfer whatever liquid is in the roasting pan to a glass measuring cup and let it settle. The fat will float to the top. Skim off the fat and measure it. (Save the liquid as well to add later) If you have 6 tablespoons fat, add them back to the pan. If you don’t have that much, add whatever fat you have plus enough tablespoons of butter to make 6 tablespoons fat total. Heat the pan over low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook the mixture, whisking for 5 minutes. Add the broth in a steady stream, whisking. Turn up the heat to moderately high, bring the mixture to a boil and simmer, whisking for 5 minutes. Whisk in any juices from the roast’s resting platter as well as from the glass measuring cup. If the gravy seems thin, simmer it a few minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
Note: You could substitute 1/2 cup white or red wine for 1/2 cup of the broth.
Hi Sara, Thank you so much for Thanksgiving 101. This is the 2nd year in a row that I am following your instructions for turkey, gravy, and more! I can’t tell how much I appreciate having your website as a reference. The instructions are clear and easy to follow, and everything looks great and tastes great!