Ah, gravy: the great mystery of Thanksgiving. Delicious gravy eludes even turkey pros—too greasy, too lumpy, aargh! But, what’s Thanksgiving dinner without a stunning, steaming, smothering gravy?

Growing up in my house, there was only ever one person, my Aunt Jane, who we trusted to make the gravy. Our undisputed Gravy Master could obliterate the lumps and overcome the grease-separation-anxiety with the best of them, rendering a saucy goodness that pulled the side dishes and stuffing together seamlessly.

These days, with so many of us vegetarians and vegans, the mystery of great gravy becomes even more complex. How do we bring this holiday meal staple home for friends and family who are rooted in diverse nutritional lifestyles? And why should we miss out on the deliciousness?

Fortunately, you don’t have to suffer through the pain of being gravy-less with the following tips and recipes:

The first trick to groovy gravy: make a roux. Banish cornstarch from your mind! Without that roux, no gravy will warrant a smothering over your Thanksgiving delights. And the trick to a good roux is timing…making sure you don’t let the ingredients boil too quickly, and that you don’t add the liquid too quickly, either. Since gravy is inevitably the last menu item to be prepared, we’re so ready for the cooking process to end and the feasting to begin it’s difficult to resist rushing it. But don’t let hunger bite you in the behind.

Traditional Turkey Gravy
Ingredients:
2 tbs all-purpose flour, sifted
Salt and pepper to taste
Warmed milk or cream to taste
Pan drippings in original roasting pan

Instructions:
Remove your perfect turkey from the roasting pan and set aside. Set the roasting pan (with pan drippings) over two adjacent burners on medium-high heat. As drippings begin to boil softly, quickly whisk* in flour using large, circular strokes, to be sure the flour absorbs the liquid. When roux is thick, right before it begins to boil, slowly whisk in heated milk/cream to taste. Bring gravy up to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer immediately after boiling.
* Since the roasting pan is large, initially you should whisk ingredients over where the heat is. The gravy will ultimately be a big enough yield to cover the entire pan, but a roux will only form over heat.

Vegetarian Herb-Cream Gravy
Ingredients:
1 heaping tsp of each of the following fresh, finely chopped herbs: Italian parsley, basil, sage, scallions, oregano and thyme
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups heavy whipping cream, warmed
3 cups 2% milk, warmed
¼ cup all-purpose flour, sifted
Pinch white pepper
Salt to taste

Instructions:
Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add herbs and “sweat” them (another word for “fry”) for four minutes. Bring heat to high and whisk in the flour. Continuing on high heat, when a stiff roux forms, slowly whisk in a fourth of a cup of cream. When the cream is incorporated and begins to bubble at edges, slowly whisk in another half of a cup of cream. When incorporated, add the rest of the cream and milk and bring down to a simmer. When thick enough (about two or three minutes), turn off heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Vegan Tomato Gravy
Ingredients:
½ cup olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1 bay leaf
¼ tbs dried thyme
½ tbs dried basil
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
4 cups canned tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tbs granulated sugar

Instructions:
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions, thyme, basil and bay leaf until onions are translucent. Whisk in flour to make a roux and cook three minutes longer. Add tomatoes. Stir well, making sure roux is scrapped off bottom of pan. Cook over medium heat until all tomatoes are broken down. Check consistency at this point and thin with vegetable stock if necessary. Remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the sugar last.

Casey Johnson is the general manager of North Star Diner in Weaverville, NC, and was previously the manager of their sister restaurant, Early Girl Eatery (www.earlygirleatery.com). She has worked for owners John and Julie Stehling for over three years, chiefly because of their commitment to localism and providing guests with comforting, healthful food. Look for all three gravies on the restaurant’s menu.

Back to New Life Journal..