gravy question

[KidWalleye]

When I make my turkey I brine it over night. The recipe I use says the drippings should not be used for gravy, because it will come out really salty. Does anyone know of a good recipe for gravy? Maybe starting with broth. I don't eat alot of gravy but the family does. This is my year to have Turkey day at my house and I am determined to have gravy for them. The obvious answer is to bake the bird traditionally but I won't do that. My recipe comes out so moist and has the best flavor I've ever had. (sorry mom)

Thanks, Jeremy

[Jim Almquist]

I always cook my turkey on the Weber using the rotisserie kit and like you I always brine my turkey. I put a tin foil drip tray under the turkey and put 2 cans of Swanson's chicken broth in the pan. I don't think that the brine will cause it to be salty but is there to aid in getting more moisture into the meat so it stay moist while cooking.

[fishinchicks]

I typically make a cider-brined turkey when I host Thanksgiving. The recipe has a Savory Herb Gravy that goes along with it. I haven't made it, since that is one thing I have never mastered, but here is the recipe. (Cooking Light, November 2004) It says to reserve pan drippings for the gravy in the recipe for the turkey. You can make this through step 1 and put in the refridgerator until the next day to help save time.

Savory Herb Gravy

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Reserved turkey neck and giblets

4 cups water

6 black peppercorns

4 parsley sprigs

2 thyme sprigs

1 yellow onion, unpeeled and quartered

1 carrot, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 celery stalk, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 bay leaf

Reserved turkey drippings

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Step 1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add turkey neck and giblets; cook 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Add water and next 7 ingredients (through bay leaf); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until liquid is reduced to about 2 1/2 cups (about 1 hour). Strain through a collander over a bowl, reserving cooking liquid and turkey neck. Discard remaining solids. Chill cooking liquid completely. Skim fat from surface and discard. Remove meat from neck; finely chop meat. Discard neck bone. Add neck meat to cooking liquid.

Step 2. Strain the reserved turkey drippings through a colander over a shallow bowl; discard solids. Place strained drippings in freezer for 20 minutes. Skim fat from surface; discard.

Step 3. Place flour in a medium saucepan; add 1/4 cup cooking liquid, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Add remaining cooking liquid, turkey drippings, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes or until slightly thickened. Yield: 2 1/2 cups

[delcecchi]

I saw this one on TV and it looked really good:

Turkey Gravy

Ingredients

* 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 large, smoked turkey wing or 2 small ones

* 1 medium onion, quartered

* 2 carrots, chopped

* 1 ribs celery, chopped

* 1 head garlic, split through the equator

* 4 stems fresh sage

* 4 sprigs fresh thyme

* 6 parsley stems

* 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

* 6 cups chicken stock

* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

(you could use dried herbs instead, just adjust amount to taste. You know those TV chefs and fresh herbs.)

(The wing he had looked really big.)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the wing, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs, and cook for 5 minutes. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place over medium heat. Remove the wing and set aside. Add the flour and let cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock and simmer until it has reduced by about 1/4, about 15 minutes. Strain the sauce and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.