Food and Friendship

Santa Barbara

as long as you’re healthy, the rest is gravy

by

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  For those of us used to boisterous multi-generational gatherings and tables laden with everyone’s favorites, this year is a whole new ballgame.

Party of 2 anyone?

It’s the year of the stay-at-home holiday.  But if this is what it takes to get through the season safely, we will do it.  Anne Frank lived in an attic for years — we can forego one day.

In fact, our traditions are so deeply rooted that many of us are still going to make a turkey and some sides for those in our immediate household or in our pod.  We’re taking the meal outside and keeping the hugs in check.

But even if you’re staying safe and hosting a teeny tiny celebration, there’s probably still going to be turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and pie.  Maybe you’re doing a turkey breast only, or perhaps a roulade, which is kind of like a Thanksgiving jellyroll that you just slice and serve.  But even if your gathering is small, someone is bound to pipe up with “Where’s the gravy?”

You can heat up a jar from Williams-Sonoma … add milk and you’re done.  You can skip the gravy altogether, which many do — I didn’t grow up with gravy, and only discovered its virtues when our English nanny delighted us many years ago with her “mashed potato mountains” adorned with rich creaminess from her roast chicken drippings.  No wonder the kids adored her!

So you have many options… or you can make a simple pan gravy, this one courtesy of Sam Sifton, former New York Times restaurant critic and food writer whose little book, Thanksgiving … How to Cook It Well,  has already attained classic status, and whose simple but perfect recipes are just right for us today.

We have much to be concerned about in 2020, but also much to be thankful for, so let’s count our blessings … and pass the gravy.


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Pan Gravy
Author: 
 
This is the simplest of gravies, second only to buying it ready-made but much tastier -- it does need salt but unlike store-bought gravies, you can control the saltiness of it so it doesn't make your mouth pucker. Also, if you are making a turkey, you can try pouring a cup of white wine into the bottom of the roasting pan for the last hour of cooking -- it will give the drippings some depth and make an even better gravy.
Ingredients
  • 7 tablespoons turkey fat and drippings, left in roasting pan
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour [or Wondra]
  • 4 - 5 cups chicken stock (or turkey stock if you have that)
  • ½ cup dry sherry
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Pour off all but the 7 or so tablespoons of turkey drippings and fat from the pan you roasted the turkey in, and set the pan on the stove top over medium heat.
  2. Sprinkle the flour over the fat and cook, stirring [or whisking] constantly, until the mixture is golden, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  3. Increase heat to medium-high and slowly add the stock, stirring constantly [or pureeing with an immersion blender] until the mixture is smooth.
  4. Cook, continuing to stir, until the gravy has thickened, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
  5. Add sherry and stir to combine.
  6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Comments

  1. If you brown the neck and wing tips in the oven, and then simmer them in the stock with some sage, you’ll have even more flavor. Additionally, adding carrots, celery and onion to the roasting pan with the turkey will provide more depth to the drippings.

    • You are so right… adding those additional ingredients will make the gravy so good! Gravy always intimidated me!

      • It’s actually easy, Rhona. You keep tasting till you get it. If it gets lumpy like it often does, I just pass it through a sieve into a sauce pan that I keep on simmering on the stove until you’re ready to serve. The sherry really does wonders – better than wine.
        !

  2. Gravy is not my friend! But Williams Sonoma jar is. So I will spatchcock my turkey, make mashed, veggies, Grandmothers stuffing in my Instant Pot(s)! with homemade marshmallows and fudge for dessert, and not beat myself up over not being able to male gravy!
    Happy Thanksgiving my dear friends Rhona and Joan

  4. Hey, Rhona–I appreciate, as always, your recipes, and the enthusiasm of your readers in trying new things, enjoying their creations—-I remain intimidated by all of it! But want to wish you and family a thankful Thanksgiving—-as you say, despite the very real difficulties we are enduring, there is still plenty to be thankful for. And loved the heading of this entry: yes, if we are healthy, the rest IS gravy! Much love to you!