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Bad Manners and Brimstone
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#Post#: 80526--------------------------------------------------
am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: TootsNYC Date: November 20, 2023, 8:58 am
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I have to be gluten free, so many years ago, I declared dibs on
making the gravy. I thicken it with cornstarch instead of using
a roux. And I make it ahead of time.
It always comes out good, but every time I do it, I wonder if
I’ve overcomplicated it. (a little complicated is often good;
it’s the “over” part)
I get turkey wings and roast them with carrots, celery and
onion.
Then I remove most of the meat from the wings (for eating), and
dump the bones and the roasted vegetables into a pot with
liquid. There usually isn’t a lot of pan drippings, but I put
those into the pot as well. My aunt long ago suggested I use
chicken broth or turkey broth to make the flavor more intense.
So I boil that for a couple of hours.
Then I strain the solids out, and refrigerate (usually for
timing reasons). I come back later, scrape off the fat from the
top, and thicken it with cornstarch.
The part I’m wondering if I’m doing too much is the roasting of
the wings and veggies.
I do this because I think it changes the flavor—darkens it, or
something. I guess it’s the
HTML https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction.
And maybe it’s overkill to use broth instead of plain water?
Though, when I poured it out of the pot tonight to strain it,
that broth looked very good—dark and rich.
#Post#: 80527--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: Rose Red Date: November 20, 2023, 9:44 am
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If you don't mind the work and if it taste better this way, keep
doing what you're doing. You can also experiment by making two
smaller batches of gravy and to a taste test to see if there's a
difference.
#Post#: 80528--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: QueenFaninCA Date: November 20, 2023, 3:15 pm
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I would make the stock in the pot you roasted wings and veggies
in. That way you get the bits and pieces stuck to the bottom.
And I'd probably loosen them first with a bit of wine before
adding water. And I'd probably only remove the meat after making
my stock.
#Post#: 80529--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: jpcher Date: November 20, 2023, 3:59 pm
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LOL! Perfect timing for this question!
The other night I watched an old episode of Julia Child. When
making the sauce, according to her, it is important to brown the
bones in order to draw out a richer flavor. She browned the
bones in butter and olive oil (OO so that the butter doesn't
burn) with some root vegetables (onions or leeks, carrots and
I'm pretty sure parsnips).
She transferred the browned bones and veggies into a pot, then
deglazed the pan that the bones were browned in with a bit of
wine, or French vermouth (preferable ;)), incorporating all of
the "goodness" off the bottom of the pan and added that to her
pot.
She did add chicken stock to her pot, and boiled it for two
hours.
My personal thought -- I think adding water instead of stock
would thin out the flavor, negating the work done by browning
the bones.
JC used corn starch for thickening as well. Plus, once the birds
were removed from the oven, she added those pan drippings to her
sauce. Maybe you could do this as well? Once the turkey is out
of the oven? While your gravy is warming?
Nothing wrong with a full-flavored gravy. I think you're hitting
all the spots that JC mentioned. Since it's always been a big
hit? Why change what you're doing?
On the flip side, if you want less work -- I recently made some
chicken stock, not browning the bones, and I was a bit
disappointed. The flavor was good, but not strong. My mother
told me that she makes chicken stock the same way I do but when
she wants to use it (takes it out of the freezer) she boils it
and lets it reduce to 1/2 the amount. This method does
strengthen the flavor.
#Post#: 80530--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: Hmmm Date: November 20, 2023, 4:59 pm
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I don't think you are because I do similar. But I keep the fat
from browning the turkey parts (I used necks or tails usually*)
separately. Then I make the stock using the browned carcass and
vegetables. I make a roux with the reserved fat and flour (I use
rice flour when I know I have someone gluten free) and then add
in the reduced stock.
This year the price of turkey parts was so high, I just got a
second turkey that cost me $6 with the discounts. I'm carving it
up tomorrow to use the back, necks, wings and other bits to make
the gravy. We are frying the primary turkey and I've decided to
dice up the breast on this auxiliary turkey and marinate in
tandoori spice, skewer and put on the grill. I may do the same
with the legs and thighs or we may just fry them after the first
turkey is done.
#Post#: 80531--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: TootsNYC Date: November 20, 2023, 8:47 pm
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[quote]I would make the stock in the pot you roasted wings and
veggies in. [/quote]
I roast them in a 10x10 roasting pan. I can’t boil stock in
that! I figure if I transfer everything to a stockpot or
extra-large saucepan, I get all the good parts anyway.
Some years, I’ve left the meat on the wings; this year I took a
lot of it off.
#Post#: 80532--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: TootsNYC Date: November 20, 2023, 8:50 pm
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[quote author=jpcher link=topic=2568.msg80529#msg80529
date=1700517553]
LOL! Perfect timing for this question!
The other night I watched an old episode of Julia Child. When
making the sauce, according to her, it is important to brown the
bones in order to draw out a richer flavor. She browned the
bones in butter and olive oil (OO so that the butter doesn’t
burn) with some root vegetables (onions or leeks, carrots and
I’m pretty sure parsnips).
She transferred the browned bones and veggies into a pot, then
deglazed the pan that the bones were browned in with a bit of
wine, or French vermouth (preferable ;)), incorporating all of
the “goodness” off the bottom of the pan and added that to her
pot.
She did add chicken stock to her pot, and boiled it for two
hours.
My personal thought – I think adding water instead of stock
would thin out the flavor, negating the work done by browning
the bones.
JC used corn starch for thickening as well. Plus, once the birds
were removed from the oven, she added those pan drippings to her
sauce. Maybe you could do this as well? Once the turkey is out
of the oven? While your gravy is warming?
[/quote]
So fun, that you just saw that. It seems to support my idea that
it tastes better once the bones have actually been cooked.
I do add the drippings from the turkey to the gravy, on the day.
This year, we’re doing ham, though, so it’ll just be turkey
gravy.
#Post#: 80533--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: Rho Date: November 20, 2023, 9:02 pm
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Dont look at me because I don't eat gravy but I agree with:
If you don't mind the work and if it taste better this way, keep
doing what you're doing. You can also experiment by making two
smaller batches of gravy and to a taste test to see if there's a
difference.
#Post#: 80534--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: Hmmm Date: November 21, 2023, 9:31 am
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Let's cook along with Toots
Just took the cornbread for the dressing out of the oven.
I cut up a turkey (the extra I mentioned previously) and have
the back, neck and wing tips in roasting.
I'll start the stock this afternoon.
#Post#: 80536--------------------------------------------------
Re: am I going overboard when making my make-ahead GF gravy?
By: jpcher Date: November 21, 2023, 1:32 pm
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[quote author=TootsNYC link=topic=2568.msg80532#msg80532
date=1700535023]
I do add the drippings from the turkey to the gravy, on the day.
This year, we’re doing ham, though, so it’ll just be turkey
gravy.
[/quote]
Oh! Are you glazing your ham? You could add the (degreased) ham
juice and glaze drippings from the bottom of your roasting pan
and add that to your gravy.
I've done that before, and it makes a very tasty gravy.
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