My gravy came out so good, I wanted to put some in a sippy cup and take it to bed with me. I made it just as I said here; my plain gravy base worked out fine. I did end up buying some from Whole Foods just as a backup, but I didn't like the taste after I got it home. Couldn't put my finger on what the offending flavor was, though. So here's the recipe for plain gravy; it is absolutely tasteless on its own, but once mixed with the concentrated pan gravy from the brined birds . . . oh, behave!
Melt 5 tablespoons unsalted butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add ⅓ cup flour and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in 3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (I usually use Swanson's). Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The gravy will be unappealingly pale and bland, but don't forget you're going to be adding that rich, dark gravy concentrate! Cool completely and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. You may need to use your new Braun hand-held blender to smooth out any lumps. (I doubled this recipe for each turkey.)
Ah - gravy. My dad made ours for dinner yesterday and left it at home! AGH! I had to drive back to get it, but fortunately it is only 3 miles away.
Our turkeys came out really well. The one I smoked on the grill Wednesday was subtly smoky and incredibly moist (4 hours for a 12 lb unstuffed bird), while the Alton Brown brined bird was gorgeous but just a tad undercooked in the thighs. We put the dark meat back in the over for a few minutes.
I used your recipe for roasted root vegetables and they were a real hit! Thanks for posting it. I'd forgotten how nice parsnips are. That dish was a last minute add since one of my sisters didn't want to make the hour drive in the snow. Can't say as I blamed her, and she was taken in by friends for the evening.
Glad you had a great holiday! Now for that turkey sandwich tonight. I won't get into the debate on how to make one properly....
Posted by: Joel | November 25, 2005 at 03:40 PM