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On today’s show, I walk you through the proper way to make a rich and flavorful stock, then a wonderful turkey gravy. With the big Thanksgiving Holiday coming soon, I want you to have the best possible gravy; making it yourself using these methods will ensure you’re a rockstart in the ktichen and in the dining room!
I can’t stress enough how important a well-made gravy is to the final Thanksgiving meal. The gravy is the final touch, and it has to be substantial, has to taste and look amazing. Like adding a cherry on a milkshake, the final touch is important.
I love a flavorful turkey gravy on my potatoes and my sliced turkey and don’t forget the Thanksgiving sandwiches, later on, gravy is a perfect thing to mix with mayonnaise to make a spread for that turkey sandwich, trust me!
The secret to making stock is using a combination of roasted turkey and chicken, particularly the fatty wings. Also, a basic mirepoix or trinity is needed. When you roast the turkey wings first you develop a deeper, richer flavor than just poaching them.
The dry heat creates color and most importantly, flavor-especially the fond that will be stuck to the roasting pan. Harvesting that fond equals big flavor boost in your final stock and ultimately, the gravy. Thos caramelized bits are the culinary equivalent of magic dust and bring boatloads of added flavor to the party. Please do not miss out on adding the fond, just takes a minute to acquire but will make your food taste like a restaurant.
Fons is a culinary term that refers to the brown bits that accumulate on the bottom of pans and roasting dishes. This substance needs to be removed by using a technique called deglazing, which effectively lifts the find from the pan so it can be used to further enrich the sauce or gravy.
If you like a very dark gravy roast the poultry parts longer and also considering adding the vegetables to the roasting pan as well. If you get color on the vegetables too, the final product will be darker and richer tasting. However, in my opinion, I don’t like turkey stock and gravy that dark. so I prefer to just roast the bones only, but this is your food, so do what pleases you!
I like using turkey wings and also chicken wings, they’re fatty and have good bone density with plenty of connective tissue and gelatin. The gelatin and connective tissue will melt when cooked above 160 degrees for a few hours, creating a thick “jelly-like” substance once cooled. This is your sign that the stock was properly prepared.
I hope this episode and these written tips will allow you to bring your stock and gravy making to the next level. Happy Thanksgiving!
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