I’ve gone to holiday dinner when the host or hostess serves gravy from a jar. Yes, gravy can be lumpy, which has happened to me a time or two. However, gravy is easy to make.
I grew up on farms and I often asked my mom, “What kind of potatoes are we having tonight.” We had gravy often. My mom was really great at making potatoes and gravy.
Great Gravy Every Time
¼ cup flour
¼ cup water
2 cups of liquid – water, milk, or broth, or add some dry white wine with broth
Salt
Pepper
Optional ingredients – Thyme, basil, tarragon, or other dried herbs or mushrooms
Put the turkey on a serving platter when it’s finished cooking.
Check out the drippings in the pan. If the drippings look they’re mostly fat, you can stir the flour right into the drippings. If the drippings look more watery, put them in a small bowl then add the flour. Use a whisk or potato masher to make the mixture is smooth with no lumps. Putting the water and flour mixture into a small jar with a lid and shaking vigorously also works to get rid of lumps. These two steps are ways to separate the starch granules in the flour so the gravy won’t be lumpy.
You can use the metal roasting pan you cooked the turkey in or a frying pan to cook the gravy.
Add the flour or the flour-water mixture to the drippings. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture begins to thickened and bubble, scraping up the crusty parts from the bottom of the pan for added flavor and color. Cook for at least a minute to activate the flour’s thickening properties and ensure that the starch is fully incorporated, preventing a raw taste and achieving a smooth texture. Stir well to keep lumps from forming later when you add the liquid.
Remove the roasting pan or frying pan from the heat. Add enough milk, water, or broth or broth with some dry wine to the meat juices to be about 2 cups total liquid. Return the roasting pan or frying pan to the heat. Add dried herb if you’d like.
Stir constantly so the gravy doesn’t get lumpy or burn. Cook over medium heat to medium high heat until the mixture is thicken and bubbly stirring constantly. When the gravy starts to bubble, turn the heat down. Simmer and stir for 2 minutes more to make sure that the flour cooks completely. Season with salt and pepper.
If you happen to get some lumps in your gravy, here are some methods to remove them:
- Try breaking them up by whisking the gravy vigorously with a wire whisk or potato masher.
- Pour the gravy through a mesh strainer.
- Try pureeing the gravy in a blender or food processor or use an immersion blender to smooth the gravy.
- Use an instant flour, such as Wondra, that has been formulated so it doesn’t lump if you’re really having trouble.
You can purchase some ready-made gravy in a can or jar as a back-up … just in case, if you’ve never made gravy before. Or, you could also ask an experienced gravy maker to prepare it.
