Thanksgiving isn't complete without gravy and this one is easy to make. It's made from turkey pan drippings, flour and chicken stock/broth.
1/4 c. turkey fat or vegetable oil or butter
1/4 c. all-purpose flour or cornstarch
1 c. pan drippings
1-2 c. chicken stock/broth or water
salt and pepper, to taste
Optional: splash of sherry, splash of wine, teaspoon of minced herbs, such as rosemary, thyme, or sage
Remove the turkey from the oven; set aside to rest, for 30 minutes.
Place the pan over medium-high heat on the stove-top, using 1 or 2 burners, depending on the pan size.. When the pan drippings are hot and bubbling a bit, pour in 1 cup stock/broth; scrape all the bits from the bottom of the pan.
Pour the deglazed pan drippings into a measuring cup; place it in the refrigerator or freezer. While the turkey is resting, the fat and drippings will separate and the fat will begin to harden, making it easier to skim off just the fat for making the gravy.
There should be about 1 cup pan drippings and 1/4 cup fat. If there is less, make up the difference with stock/broth or oil, respectively. If there is more, discard a little of the fat and use less stock/broth in the next step. If there is a lot more, the recipe can be doubled.
Skim the fat from the top of the pan drippings; warm fat in a saucepan over medium-high heat. When fat is hot, whisk in flour to form a thin paste, removing lumps. Let cook for a few minutes until bubbly.
Pour in the pan drippings; whisk to combine with the roux, forming a thick paste. **
Whisk in 1/2 cup stock/broth. If a thinner gravy is preferred, add more stock/broth. If a thicker gravy is desired, let the gravy cook a few minutes. Taste the gravy; add salt, pepper, or other herbs or seasonings to taste.
Serve.
Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to three months. To reheat, heat gently over low heat, whisking/stirring occasionally.
**To get a very smooth gravy, strain the pan drippings before adding them to the gravy.