Turkey Gravy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to turkey gravy to make it taste better? ›

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

It's bland.

The solution: The first thing you should try is adding a little more salt, as salt helps bring out the inherent flavors of the gravy that you didn't taste before. If that doesn't work, add umami (savory)-heavy condiments like soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.

Fortunately, Shannon has several suggestions for fixing bland gravy, starting by adding a bouillon cube, herbs or a splash of wine or cognac. But if you have time to spare, add pan drippings from turkey, bacon or bacon drippings, caramelized vegetables (like onions, leeks, carrots and celery), herbs or garlic.

Milk and cream add richness and flavor; they can round out or mellow any sharper flavors that develop along the way. Finishing a sauce or gravy with butter will thicken the gravy and add a velvety texture—a surefire way to up your gravy game.

(The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.) You can add other flavors to the mixture, swap out the stock for another liquid, or use cornstarch rather than flour to thicken your gravy.

Boneless Turkey Breast Roast: Contains Up To 20% Of A Solution Of Water, Contains 2% Of Salt, Dextrose, Natural Flavor, Modified Food Starch, Sodium Phosphate For Tenderness And Juiciness, Gravy Packet Ingredients: Water, Modified Corn Starch, Maltodextrin, Salt, Rice Flour, Cooked Turkey, Onion Powder, Caramel Color, ...

Thus, turkey gravy is a brown gravy. You can also make brown gravy with the drippings from other kinds of meat, such as a roast or chicken. White gravy is made with milk, fat, and a thickening agent; white gravy is made without drippings, and with sausage added is popular for biscuits and gravy.

Poultry_stock (water, Poultry Broth Concentrate* [chicken Broth And Turkey Meat*, Salt, Potato Flour*, Soy Sauce*, [water, Soybeans*, Salt, Alcohol*], Natural Flavors, Chicken Fat*, Onion Powder*, Spices*, Lactic Acid]), Cooked Turkey Meat (turkey Meat, Salt), Enriched Flour (wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine ...

Chefs and home cooks often use pan drippings and other cooking liquids, such as chicken broth, wine, or milk, to thicken and flavor the gravy. You can add different seasonings to enhance the flavor; common additions include salt, pepper, herbs, mustard, and balsamic vinegar.

Why won t my turkey gravy thicken? ›

Cook the Gravy Longer

Oftentimes, a thin gravy just needs more time on the stove. You can also use this method if you accidentally overdid it on adding stock to your gravy. Continue to simmer the gravy, uncovered, until enough liquid evaporates to thicken the gravy.

Making a roux with flour and butter “boosts flavor and gives the gravy a silky texture and rich flavor,” she says. Flour also gives the gravy a traditional opaque look, she adds, whereas cornstarch will make the gravy shiny and clear.

Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, and sage along with a half lemon go a long way to add flavor, and stuffing it into the bird takes almost no time at all. (While you're at it, season the cavity with a good amount of salt and pepper.) Brining is an essential step to ensure a juicy bird.

Seasonings + Herbs: I use pantry staples like garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, kosher salt, and white pepper. If you don't happen to have white pepper on hand, you can replace it with black pepper. I find that white pepper not only adds a more delicious flavor but it also makes the gravy look better!

If your spices are ground, you can just add them to the gravy and stir them in. Salt, you can add any time. If your spices are whole, you can simmer them for a while in the gravy and them remove them. You can also toast them in a separate dry pan, grind them (see here), and then add them to your gravy.

Finish your gravy by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice. This might seem like a strange addition, but the acidity works to bring out all those delicious flavors in the gravy. If you don't have lemon juice on hand, a splash of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar will work just fine.