Last But Not Least...The Gravy

Hey!  I'm back just like I said I would be J

If you missed the other parts to the series, here are the links:
The Dessert
Pumpkin and Pecan Pie
The Turkey

Today we're talking gravy...not just any ole' gravy, but Maw Maw's Gravy.

Here's how I did it.

MAW MAW'S TURKEY GRAVY:

You'll need turkey wings.

 And the innards from your turkey.

 Some celery.

 And an onion.

(And I decided later to add in fresh garlic and bay leaves.  Totally optional.)

 Start by giving your turkey wings a good rinse.

 Then put your wings and innards in a stock pot and cover them with water.

 Then add in your celery and your onion.

 And give some fresh garlic cloves a smash then throw them in whole.

 Add in a heaping pinch of cayenne pepper.

 And lots of black pepper.

You'll notice I'm not telling you to add in any salt.  

I made the mistake of adding in too much, so I think it would be best to not add any at all.  You can always add salt at the end, but you can't take it out.

 Add in some fresh (or dried if that's what you have) bay leaves.

 Then put a lid on it and bring it up to a boil.

 Once the liquids come up to a boil, remove the lid and turn the heat down to a simmer.  

Let stock simmer on the stove for 2 1/2 hours.

After it is finished cooking, strain it and set aside.

That's it for the stock, now moving onto the turkey drippings...

 I put my leftover drippings from the bottom of my roaster into a fat separator, then I poured the liquid and a little bit of fat back in.

Add about 4 tablespoons of flour to the drippings.

 And whisk...

 ...until there are no lumps left in your gravy.

Then add in some chopped green onions for added flavor!

Next, while whisking, add the strained stock to the flour/dripping mixture.

Let the gravy cook until it thickens.  

If your gravy isn't thick enough:  Mix together one tablespoon of flour and 1/4 cup of water until smooth.  Then, while whisking, pour the flour/water mixture into your roasting pan.  Allow the gravy to cook until it reaches your desired thickness.

If your gravy is too thin:  Add in some more stock.  If you don't have any left, you can add in LOW LOW sodium chicken stock or water.

Be sure to check the seasonings while you are cooking your gravy and season accordingly.  Like I've said before - be really careful not to add too much salt!  As the gravy thickens, the flavors intensify, which can result in it being too salty.  Heir on the side of caution.

This is the finished product.  

It was SO flavorful and SO freaking good!!

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Here are some pictures from the party.  Thanks to everyone who brought food and could make it!  We had a blast and have decided to make it a new tradition.  No one wants to wait another year, so we are going to do it again this Christmas J

 From left to right:  Amy (who just found out she and her husband are welcoming A BOY into their home in April!!), Megan, me, Mallory, and Emily.

 We nominated Jourdan to carve the turkey.  Look at that spread!

 Phillip and Jourdan.

 I'm pretty sure Mallory liked her whipped-cream-topped-coffee better than any of the food J

Thanks for reading!  Y'all have safe travels and a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!

Phillip and I are off to Louisiana tomorrow for the week...I can't wait!