Friday, November 4, 2011

Thanksgiving gravy starts now!

We are starting the Thanksgiving gravy three weeks early. Here's the plan:

We roasted two turkey legs and three turkey wings. First, collect the drippings. Let them chill, separate the fat, and freeze the drippings and fat separately. After stripping the bones of their meat, we will make about two quarts of rich stock from the bones and scraps, along with onions, celery, carrots. After straining the stock, we chill it to let the fat rise and solidify atop the liquid. Remove the fat and freeze it.

Now boil the stock down, reducing it by about half. Freeze the quart of concentrated stock.

When Thanksgiving comes, we will have extra turkey fat, extra drippings and plenty of stock to extend the gravy.

Since gravy is simply fat and flour, cooked to a brown roux along with flavorful liquids stirred in, we are in great shape. Plenty of turkey fat and plenty of drippings and stock to make the most flavorful of gravies.