Holidays are stressful enough! Cleaning the house if you are hosting, setting the table, making the food and hoping it all comes out on time, navigating relatives personalities. So why not make some things ahead of time and take them off your to-do list for the day of?

One of the easiest things to do ahead of time is gravy. But how can you do that without the turkey pan drippings? Well, you make your own pan drippings by roasting off turkey pieces! All you need is to roast off turkey drumsticks, thighs or wings and you’ll get enough delicious pan drippings to make a gravy that tastes just like if you make it the same day. And better yet? It freezes beautifully so you could even make this a week or two ahead. Better yet, double up the recipe for Thanksgiving and then freeze half for Christmas. Winning!!!

This is our last recipe to post before Thanksgiving, so I will use this opportunity to wish you all beautiful food, joyous laughter and full bellies on this holiday. I am thankful for all you, my Drizzlers, everyday. Without your support and love of  my food I wouldn’t be as happy of a chef. Gobble, Gobble!!

xo, Kendra

Make Ahead Turkey Gravy

Free From Top-9, Low Fodmap, SIBO phase 2

Makes approximately 4 cups

Prep Time: 20 minutes + 1 hour roasting of turkey

Ingredients

• 3-4 pounds turkey pieces
• 1/2 c. white wine or sherry
• 1/4 c. fat (combination of drippings from the pan + butter/vegan margarine/olive oil/duck fat)
• 5 Tbsp. flour of choice (if you can eat wheat- regular flour is great! Otherwise for gluten free- rice flour or sorghum works well)
• 4 c. turkey or chicken broth
• salt and pepper
• *Optional 2 Tbsp. heavy cream at the end if you can have cow dairy 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400. Pat the turkey pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Roast on a metal sheet tray or in a shallow, wide saute pan (like a 6 qt. saute) for 50-60 minutes (it must be metal) with a bit of olive oil drizzled over the top.
2. Remove the turkey pieces from the tray and set to the side. Drain off as much fat as you can and save it.
3. Place the pan (that you roasted the turkey in) on the stove and turn the heat to medium low. Begin adding the white wine or sherry, in small amounts, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the goodness up from the bottom. Pour that into a heat safe container.
4. Place a medium saucepan on the stove and add the reserved fat drippings + enough butter or vegan butter to make 1/4 c. Melt and then sprinkle in the flour and whisk until combined, about 1 minute. Add the reserved wine/pan scraping liquid along with some of the stock, about 1/2 c., whisking until combined. Keep adding the stock, 1/2 c. at a time until you had poured it all into the saucepan. Whisk gently until it comes to a soft boil and continue cooking about 1-2 minutes more until thickened.**
5. Gravy is now ready to use! Season with salt and pepper and either use immediately, store in the fridge for a few days until Thanksgiving or freeze for 3-4 weeks!

**If the gravy isn’t thick enough make a “slurry” to help thicken it but mashing together equal parts of fat + flour, I typically start with about 1 Tbsp. of each. Whisk it in and wait to see if it thickens it enough. You can continue adding this until it reaches the consistency you like.

Happy Foods are the Best Foods!