How to Make Chicken or Turkey Gravy

When you prepare an exceptionally nice meal, there’s one food that makes the meal truly complete: gravy.

Some people believe that making gravy is difficult; however, it’s actually almost effortless and even fun. The process isn’t time-consuming or expensive, and it’s not fraught with potential mistakes that could lead to a kitchen disaster.

Whatever meat you’re cooking—beef, chicken, turkey, ham, or wild game—can be accompanied by a few tablespoons of gravy that add the finishing touch to the meal.

Pan Gravy is Flourless Gravy

Pan gravy is essentially au jus. Here’s a simple way you can make perfect pan gravy every time.

Papa’s Pan Roast Beef Gravy

This gravy is very easy to make and an excellent way to add moisture to slices of roast beef.

1. First, determine what type of gravy you want.
2. Prepare to bake a 6-lb roast on a rack, fat side down, in a baking pan in an oven at 325°F.
3. Insert a meat thermometer into the deepest part of the meat and bake the roast covered until the thermometer reads 150-160°F. The total time is generally about 36 minutes per pound for a medium roast of this size.
4. Remove the meat from the cooking pan, place it on a platter, and set aside.
5. Remove the meat juices from the pan, making sure to scrape out all the bits of meat from the bottom. You should have about one cup of liquid. If not, add water until you reach a total of one cup.
6. Put the drippings in a small cooking pot or skillet, and place over low heat to simmer.

Before you know it, you’ll have gravy. The best part? You didn’t even have to add any flour!

For great flavor, you can even add a pat or two of butter to give it a glossy finish.

Mushroom Chicken Gravy

Ingredients:

One 16-ounce package fresh mushrooms
One bunch of green onions
1 ½ sticks butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 boneless chicken breasts
A bottle of cooking sherry

1. Remove mushrooms from the package, wash, and drain them on a paper towel. Set aside.
2. Wash, drain, and chop the green onions. Set aside.
3. Using a wooden kitchen mallet, beat the chicken breasts until flat. Coat each side with all-purpose flour and set aside.
4. In a 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over low heat.
5. Add mushrooms and green onions. Sauté over slightly higher heat until the mixture cooks to a golden brown.
6. Remove the mixture from the skillet, place it in a cup, and set aside.
7. Place the chicken breasts into the skillet, cooking for about four minutes on each side or until golden brown and tender. Remove and place on serving dishes.
8. Add the mushroom mixture back to the skillet, raise the heat to medium, and slowly add the sherry, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens.
9. Pour over the chicken and serve with green beans and rice.

Easy Turkey Gravy

This smooth and creamy gravy is easy to prepare and sure to please any dinner guest. If you’ve already cooked the turkey, eliminate the first four steps of this recipe.

1. Place a 12-lb turkey in a roasting pan. Baste with butter and rub with poultry seasoning. Insert a meat thermometer into the deepest part of the thigh without touching the bone.
2. Cover with foil and place in the oven preheated to 350°F.
3. Remove the foil and baste every 30 minutes until done.
4. Cook for at least three hours, until the thermometer reads 160°F. Then remove the turkey from the oven.
5. After removing the turkey from the pan and placing it on a platter, skim the fat from the drippings with a large tablespoon and set aside in a bowl. The fat will float on top of the drippings. Gently place the spoon at the edge of a layer of fat and tip it slightly. The fat should flow into the spoon.
6. Repeat the process until much of the fat has been removed from the drippings. Set aside. Pour the remaining drippings into a large measuring cup or bowl and set aside.
7. Reserve 3 cups of drippings and place these ingredients in a bowl:
   • The skimmed fat from above
   • ½ teaspoon salt
   • ¼ teaspoon pepper
   • 3 tablespoons flour
   • ½ cup half and half (optional)
8. Put the skimmed fat in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour a little at a time until you have a good paste but still some liquid from the fat. Don’t add too much flour, or the mixture will become too pasty.
9. Brown the flour slightly. Add the drippings little by little, stirring constantly until the desired thickness is reached.
10. Slowly stir in the half and half. Remove from heat. Add the salt and pepper, stir, and transfer to a covered dish or gravy bowl until ready to serve.

Making gravy is a simple, step-by-step process. Make it fun, add a little love, and your guests will feel your care for them.