Holiday Entertaining: Gluten-Free Rosemary Pan Gravy

I love gravy.  Pour it on my turkey, pour it on my mashed potatoes, I love it.  But it can also be my cooking nemesis.  Making excellent gravy is an art.  My grandmother on my father’s side was truly an artist when it came to gravy.  She could take any amount of drippings and make it magic.  This means that every time I make gravy, I am comparing mine to hers.  I finally got to a point in my life when I realized I will never be able to duplicate grandma’s gravy.  But what I can do is start to make the best gravy that I am capable of making, measuring against myself and not her.

This year I needed my gravy to be gluten-free because of guests at my ‘Thankful with Friends’.  And the results ended up being the best gravy I’ve ever made.  I’m including the recipe for both the gravy itself, as well as the turkey giblet broth that it calls for.

Turkey Giblet Broth — adapted from Fine Cooking

• Turkey neck and giblets (except liver)
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 lg onion, cut in half
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 sm carrot, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 lg sprigs of parsley
• 10-12 black peppercorns
• 4 cups water

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the turkey neck, gizzard, tail, and heart (don’t use the liver) along with the onion and 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir to coat with oil, cover, and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally; the meat will release lots of juice. Add 4 cups cold water and the carrot, celery, bay leaf, parsley, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover, and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Simmer until the broth is flavorful, 30 to 40 minutes. Strain the broth and use immediately or let cool.

Gluten-Free Rosemary Pan Gravy

• Pan Drippings from one roast turkey
• Turkey Giblet Broth (as seen above)
• 6-8 Tbs arrowroot
• 2-3 Tbs rosemary, finely chopped
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Cracked black pepper, to taste
• Chicken broth, if needed

Heat the giblet broth, if not already warm. Pour off all the juices and drippings from the roasting pan into a 1-quart heatproof measuring cup. Let the fat rise to the top and then spoon 1/4 cup of the fat back into the roasting pan. Skim off and discard as much of the remaining fat as possible from the juices. Add the giblet broth to the skimmed juices. If necessary, add chicken broth until you have a total of 4 cups of liquid.

Set the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat.  Add the liquid and sprinkle 4 tablespoons of the arrowroot into the pan. Stir with a flat whisk in a constant motion as you combine.  Make sure to scrap up any dripping bits that have stuck to the pan.  Continue to add arrowroot as the gravy thickens and you have the desired consistency.

Add the rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Continue whisking and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until heated and properly thickened.

Serve in a gravy boat, or other container.

Watch for more recipes coming up that are part of our

‘Thanksgiving Dinner’ Menu!