A well-made gravy can be a tricky thing to accomplish. Gravy is a marriage of two contrasting elements: juices from a roast that are thin and intensely seasoned; and a roux — a flour and butter base that’s thick, bland and starchy. A good gravy should be thick enough to coat the meat — to nappe it, as we professional chefs like to say; it should have a rich mahogany color, not a pale tan one; and it should be vibrant and complex.
The thickness comes from the roux. The color comes from deglazing the brown bits that have accumulated at the bottom of the roasting pan and from using a caramel-colored fortified wine like sherry; it also comes from browning the odds and ends that come with the turkey, the giblets and the neck.
The complexity derives from using fresh herbs, black pepper and sherry vinegar.
Note: If you want a more thorough discussion of gravy, check out Hugh Fearnley Whitingstall’s definitive essay in his “River Cottage Meat Book.” J.B.
Gravy
Recipe by John Broening. Makes about 2 cups.
Ingredients
5 tablespoons butter, divided
Giblets and neck from a turkey
6 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry sherry, divided
1/2 yellow onion, minced
4 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup roast chicken or turkey drippings, poured from the roasting pan, fat skimmed
Handful fresh sage or rosemary
Freshly ground pepper
Few drops sherry vinegar
Directions
In a medium stockpot, brown the neck and giblets in 1 tablespoon butter. Add the chicken stock, reduce the mixture by half, and strain.
Over medium-high heat, deglaze the roasting pan with half the sherry. Scrape well, bring to a boil and transfer this mixture to a small pot or bowl to hold.
In a heavy-bottomed pot, melt the rest of the butter. Add the onion and cook until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook over low heat, about 5 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk in the broth and simmer, skimming often, over low heat, about 30 minutes.
Add the poultry drippings, the deglazing mixture and the fresh herbs and turn off the heat. Let the herbs infuse for 5 minutes, then remove.
Add the pepper, sherry and vinegar. Taste for seasoning.
