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Posted by Sue (MN~Sue) on 11/19/2002, 11:42 am Passing along this make-ahead turkey gravy. I found this on the Women's Day forum and I made it yesterday. I am impressed with it so far (still have to thicken it today)! I hate that last minute shuffle to make gravy when so many things are happening to get all the food on the table to serve the big meal, so thought I would give this a try. I decided to use turkey legs instead of wings for a couple reasons. 1) The legs were cheaper 2) I felt I could get more meat off of the legs to use in other recipes. I used 5 medium to large legs (4#). They browned nicely when roasting and created nice browned drippings to add to the chicken broth that you then simmer the turkey in after roasting. I had chicken broth in my freezer from chicken I had simmered for a previous recipe and used that. I added 2 boullian chicken cubes, since my broth is not as salty as canned broth and probably still less sodium than had I used canned or made it all out of boullioun cubes - I prefer to use less salt and let anyone add it that likes more. However, it tasted plenty salty! We ended up with a big bowl of turkey meat to use in other recipes when I cut it off the bone. I made shredded turkey tacos for dinner last night with half the turkey, yum! We have enough for 2 meals of the tacos and the half a bowl of remaining turkey for something else. Then we also have the left over veggies that I put in the broth to eat with another meal - no point in discarding those yummy veg! I used more celery and carrots than called for as we like the added flavor a lot and also to have later to eat. I refrigerated the broth over night, rather than thickening it when it was completed simmering. I had intended to remove any excess fat that would form on top, but there is barely a thin layer of just gelled type fat, so really nothing to remove! The recipe calls for adding 2 T of butter when you go to thicken it, but I am not going to do this. I see no need. We tasted the broth and it was excellent, full of flavor! I also don't see the point of removing the turkey fat and replacing it with more in the form of butter, haha. I want some turkey fat in it for the added flavor and don't see substituting butter instead - at most, there can only be about a tsp. of turkey fat, if that. Today I will thicken it and then freeze for Thanksgiving Love, From Womens Day Site/magazine THE GREATEST GRAVY EVER MAKES 8 CUPS PLANNING TIP: make up to 1 month ahead and freeze in an airtight container. Thaw 2 days in refrigerator. Whisk often while reheating in a saucepan. NOTE:
Hi Friends, 
Sue
********
PREP: 10 minutes
ROAST: 1 1/4 hour
COOK: 1 hour 40 minutes
TIP: Refrigerate overnight so the fat that rises to the top can solidify and be easily removed.
4 turkey wings (about 3 to 4 lbs)
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 Cup water
8 Cups chicken broth
2 medium carrots, cut in chunks
2 medium ribs celery (with leaves), cut in chunks
4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
3/4 Cup all purpose flour
2 TBSP stick butter or margarine
1 tsp freshly ground pepper, or to taste
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Have ready a large roasting pan.
2. Put wings in pan and add onions. Roast 1 1/4 hours or until wings are browned.
3. Put wings and onions in a 5 to 6 quart pot. Add water to roasting pan and stir to scrape up and brown bits on bottom. Add to pot. Add 6 cups broth (refrigerate remaining 2 Cups), the carrots, celery and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours.
4. Remove wings. When cool, pull off skin and meat. Save meat for another use.
5. Strain broth into a 3-quart saucepan. Discard vegetables; skim off fat. (see TIP)
6. Whisk flour into remaining 2 Cups broth until blended and smooth.
7. Bring broth in saucepan to a gentle boil. Whisk in flour mixture and boil 4 to 5 minutes to thicken. Stir in butter and pepper. Serve (see NOTE), or pour into containers and refrigerate up to 1 week or freeze up to 1 month.
On Thanksgiving (or occasion), you can skim fat from turkey roasting pan drippings and add drippings to the gravy
PER 1/4 CUP: 28 cal, 1 g pro, 3 g car, 0 g fiber, 1 g fat (1 g saturated fat) , 2 mg chol, 264 mg sod.
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