Giblet Pan Gravy
NOTE: The gravy
is best made over several hours. Complete step 1 while the turkey
is brining. Continue with step 2 once the bird is in the oven.
Start step 3 once the bird has been removed from the oven and is
resting on a carving board.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Reserved turkey giblets, neck, and tailpiece
1 onion, unpeeled and chopped
11/2 quarts turkey or chicken stock or 1 quart low-sodium canned chicken broth plus
2 cups water
2 thyme branches
8 parsley stems
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup dry white wine
Salt and ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat oil in soup kettle; add giblets, neck, and tail, then sauté until golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add onion; continue to sauté until softened, 3 to 4 minutes longer. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until turkey and onion release their juices, about 20 minutes. Add stock and herbs, bring to boil, then adjust heat to low. Simmer, skimming any scum that may rise to surface, until broth is rich and flavorful, about 30 minutes longer. Strain broth (you should have about 5 cups) and reserve neck, heart, and gizzard. When cool enough to handle, shred neck meat, remove gristle from gizzard, then dice reserved heart and gizzard. Refrigerate giblets and broth until ready to use.
2. While turkey is roasting, return reserved turkey broth to simmer. Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Vigorously whisk in flour. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until nutty brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Vigorously whisk all but 1 cup of hot broth into roux. Bring to boil, then continue to simmer until gravy is lightly thickened and very flavorful, about 30 minutes longer. Set aside until turkey is done.
3. When turkey has been transferred to carving board to rest, spoon out and discard as much fat as possible from roasting pan, leaving caramelized herbs and vegetables. Place roasting pan over two burners at medium-high heat. Return gravy to simmer. Add wine to roasting pan of caramelized vegetables, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon and boiling until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 cup broth, then strain pan juices into gravy, pressing as much juice as possible out of vegetables. Stir giblets into gravy; return to a boil. Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve with turkey.