Cranberry Whiskey Gravy Recipe |Homemade Turkey Gravy | Mantitlement (2024)

FAQs

Is turkey gravy better with flour or cornstarch? ›

Turkey Gravy Ingredients

Butter: Salted or unsalted butter can be used, but I would not use a butter substitute. Flour: Thickens the gravy by combining with the butter to make a roux. Some turkey gravy recipes call for cornstarch, but I prefer to use flour.

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

Incorporate Drippings From the Roasting Pan

While heating your store-bought gravy on the stove, add drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan to make it more flavorful. The extra fat and flavorful little brown bits give it that store-bought gravy depth and complexity.

You can use either stock or broth for keeping dressing moist or as a basis for gravy, but a strong flavor will give you better results.

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.

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.

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.

Add a scoop of store-bought demi-glace (we like D'Artagnan's duck-and-veal demi-glace) for meaty richness, or a splash of soy sauce for an umami infusion. If the gravy lacks oomph, adjust seasoning as necessary with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

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!

How do you make Trisha Yearwood gravy? ›

Directions. Add the butter and flour to a skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring, until melted together and well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly stream in the stock while whisking and continue to cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in a little shredded turkey.

Cornstarch Versus Flour for Gravy

Cornstarch does have more thickening power than wheat flour (because it's pure starch, while flour has some protein in it). So usually you need a little less cornstarch than flour for the equivalent thickening power.

If your gravy tastes great but it lacks a little depth, add an umami flavor boost. Umami flavors are deeply savory and feel round on the palate. Spruce up the gravy with a splash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce (if the gravy isn't already too salty, that is).

If your gravy is looking watery, you can add a slurry (a mixture of cornstarch/flour and water) or a roux (a mixture of flour and butter) to thicken it up. Other pantry ingredients like Wondra (an instant flour), arrowroot, tapioca, and potato starch can also be used to thicken gravy to a deliciously silky consistency.

Water, broth, or milk: Any of the three will work here. I actually like gravy made with water best, but experiment and see what works for you. Broth will give you a really flavor-packed gravy and gravy made with milk will be richer (but a little sweet for my taste).

A traditional roux uses roughly an equal amount of flour and fat, but gravies often call for a bit more flour than that, to ensure the gravy is thick enough. (The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.)