Turkey Gravy from Pan Drippings

Steps

1. Once the turkey is out of the oven, pour everything from the roasting pan into a fat separator or a large heatproof measuring cup and let it settle until the fat floats on top.
   ⏱ Let fat rise: 5 min
2. No drippings, or making it ahead? Skip the next two steps: the butter is your fat and 4 cups of broth is your liquid. Everything after that is the same.
3. Spoon the clear fat off the top. Use up to 1/3 cup of it in place of the butter (make up any shortfall with butter) and save the dark juices underneath.
4. Set the empty roasting pan across two burners over medium heat, pour in 1 cup of the broth and

   scrape up the browned bits (how to deglaze)

   Deglaze Pour liquid into a hot pan and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom, which hold a lot of flavor. 1. After browning, pour off all but a spoonful of fat.2. With the pan still hot, pour in wine, broth or water; it will sizzle and steam.3. Scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon or flat spatula until the brown layer dissolves.4. Let it bubble down, as the recipe says, into the base of a sauce. Done when: The bottom of the pan is clean and the liquid has turned brown and tasty. Safety: Take the pan off the flame before pouring in wine or spirits, and turn your face away from the steam.How to deglaze a pan: mistakes to avoid

   with a wooden spoon until they dissolve. Pour this into the saved juices.
   ⏱ Deglaze pan: 3 min
5. Add enough of the remaining broth to the juices to make 4 cups of liquid in all.
6. Melt the fat or butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
7. Whisk (how to whisk)

   Whisk Beat ingredients with a whisk to mix them smoothly or to add air. 1. Use a bowl big enough to whisk without splashing; set it on a damp towel to stop it spinning.2. Hold the whisk loosely and move it in quick circles or side to side, touching the bottom.3. For lumpy mixtures, add liquid a little at a time and whisk after each.4. For sauces on the stove, keep the whisk moving across the whole bottom of the pan. Done when: The mixture is even with no lumps or streaks of egg. How to whisk: mistakes to avoid

   in the flour to make a

   roux (how to roux)

   Roux Flour cooked in an equal amount of fat, used to thicken sauces, gravies and soups. 1. Melt the butter (or heat the fat) over medium heat.2. Whisk in the same amount of flour.3. Keep stirring for 1 to 2 minutes for a pale roux, longer for a darker, nuttier one.4. Whisk in the liquid a little at a time, smoothing out lumps before adding more.5. Simmer a few minutes to thicken and cook out the floury taste. Done when: A pale roux smells like toasted bread and bubbles evenly; the finished sauce is smooth and coats a spoon. Safety: A hot roux sticks to skin and burns badly; stir with a long spoon and add liquid slowly.How to make a roux: mistakes to avoid

   and keep whisking until it smells toasty and turns light golden brown.
   ⏱ Cook roux: 3 min
8. Pour in the warm liquid about 1 cup at a time, whisking hard after each pour so no lumps form.
9. Add the thyme, bring the gravy to a

   boil (how to boil)

   Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   , then lower the heat and

   simmer (how to simmer)

   Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid

   , whisking often, until it

   coats the back of a spoon (how to coat the back of a spoon)

   Coat the back of a spoon A simple test for when a sauce or custard has thickened enough. 1. Dip a spoon into the sauce and lift it out.2. Turn it over and look at the back.3. Draw a line through the sauce on the spoon with your finger.4. If the line stays clean and the sauce doesn't run into it, it is ready. Done when: The sauce clings in an even, opaque layer and your finger line holds. Safety: Let the spoon cool for a second before you touch it; custards should reach 160°F.How to tell when a sauce coats a spoon: mistakes to avoid

   .
   ⏱ Simmer gravy: 8 min
10. Stir in the pepper, then taste and add salt a pinch at a time. Drippings can be salty, so always taste first.
11. Thin with a splash of broth if it gets too thick, or simmer a few minutes more if it's thin. For extra-smooth gravy, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer. Serve hot.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• No fat separator? Set the cup of drippings in the freezer for about 10 minutes; the fat firms up and is easy to lift off.
• For darker, nuttier gravy, cook the roux a few minutes longer, until it's the color of peanut butter.
• Lumpy gravy can be saved: whisk hard, or strain it, or blend it for a few seconds with an immersion blender.

Storage

Refrigerate within 2 hours, up to 3 days; freeze up to 3 months. Bring leftover gravy to a full boil before serving.

Make ahead

Make the no-drippings version up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. On the day, rewarm it in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking, and stir in any juices from the turkey pan.

Cook once, eat twice: It makes 12 servings: eat half and freeze the rest. It keeps 3 months frozen, by the storage note above. Print a freezer label · More freezer meals

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.