Ingredients
Scale
- Turkey neck and giblets (heart and gizzard; reserve the liver for another use), from 1 turkey
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water, for the stock
- 1 small yellow onion, quartered
- 1 celery stalk, cut in chunks
- 1 small carrot, cut in chunks
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1 teaspoon thyme leaves for the gravy
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 black peppercorns
- Pan drippings from the roasted turkey, separated (you need 1/4 cup of the fat plus the dark juices)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) separated turkey fat (from the drippings), or unsalted butter if you are short
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- About 4 cups (960 ml) warm liquid in total: the giblet stock plus the defatted pan juices, topped up with low sodium turkey or chicken stock as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, to finish
Instructions
- Start the stock when the turkey goes into the oven. Rinse the neck, heart and gizzard, then place them in a saucepan with the water, onion, celery, carrot, thyme sprigs, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring to a gentle boil, skim any foam, then reduce to the barest simmer.
- Simmer the stock for about 1 hour 30 minutes while the turkey roasts, topping up with a little water if it drops below 4 cups. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pan, discard the solids (or pick out the gizzard and heart, chop them finely, and save them to stir in later). Keep the stock warm over the lowest heat.
- When the turkey comes out, transfer it to a platter to rest. Pour every bit of the pan drippings into a heatproof measuring jug or a fat separator and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until the fat rises in a clear layer on top.
- Spoon or pour off 1/4 cup of the clear fat and set it aside for the roux. Pour the dark juices underneath into the warm stock. Measure the combined liquid: you want about 4 cups in total, so top up with extra stock or thin with a little water if the drippings were very concentrated.
- Set a wide, heavy saucepan or the washed roasting pan over medium heat. Add the reserved turkey fat. When it shimmers, sprinkle in the flour and whisk it into a smooth paste.
- Cook the roux, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes, until it smells faintly nutty and turns the color of pale honey. Do not rush this step; it cooks out the raw flour taste and sets the color of the finished gravy.
- Ladle in about 1/2 cup of the warm stock mixture and whisk vigorously until the paste loosens and looks glossy. Add another ladle and whisk again. Once the base is smooth and thick, pour in the rest of the liquid in a slow, steady stream, whisking the whole time.
- Bring the gravy to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, whisking now and then, until it thickly coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clear trail when you run a finger through it.
- Stir in the thyme leaves, the salt and the pepper. Taste carefully: drippings vary, so adjust the salt a pinch at a time. If you saved chopped gizzard and heart, stir them in now.
- Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the cold butter until it melts and the surface turns glossy. Pour the gravy through a fine mesh sieve into a warmed gravy boat or a small saucepan, and serve hot.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes