GaGa's Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 stick of Butter

• 1/2 C Flour

• 1 Can Beef Broth

• 1 Can Vegetable Broth

• 1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup or Cream of Mushroom Soup

• Juice from Turkey/Meat

• Kitchen Bouquet Gravy Flavoring- a little at a time- it goes a long way.

Instructions

1. Melt 1 stick margarine in a large pot.

2. Add a generous 1/2 C flour and mix well over medium heat. It should be very thick.

3. Add one can of broth and stir well, getting out all the lumps. Rinse soup can with water and add to Gravy. SLOWLY add your liquids, warming and stirring until it starts to thicken again, then add more.

4. Juice from Turkey/Meat added at end. *See notes

Notes

I like to start the gravy early, leave it on very low and then finish when I have the meat juices. You could even make it the day before and then warm it up and add the juices from the meat later.

To eliminate some of the fat, put your turkey liquid in the refrigerator or freezer long enough for some of the fat to raise to the top so you can ladle it off and then just use as much of the juices for the gravy as you want. You probably won't use all of the juices because it can get too much fat.

Don't add any salt or pepper until after you have added the juices from the turkey. They inject the turkey with liquid and can be quite salty.

If your turkey comes with a gravy pouch just add that to the gravy along with the liquids. I don't like using the giblets or neck to make gravy broth because they are very high in cholesterol and they are gross! Throw them out with the bag.

If the gravy gets too thin at the end you can either let it cook longer or mix 1/2 C flour or cornstarch and water in a glass stirring well with a fork to get all the lumps out, add more water to make it easy to pour so it will mix into the gravy and not just cook immediately like a dumpling, and then add that to thicken. Be sure to bring back to a boil and cook a little longer so the flour cooks.

Notes on Turkey

I always cook my turkey or roast in a reynolds cooking bag. The meat cooks faster, is more moist and it does not make such a mess. Follow the directions on the bag. Don't worry about the "tender timer" on the turkey if it has one. The time on the cooking bag directions are always perfect. In addition to the prescribed flour, I add celery, carrots, an onion or apple slices, fresh herbs like parsley or whatever, to the bottom of the bag for more flavor for the meat and the gravy. I also take one stick of softened margarine and rub it on the top of the turkey, on top of the thighs and leave chunks on the top after I get the turkey in the bag.

I have found that a turkey is a turkey. Brand does not matter. Costco turkeys are usually more expensive than the grocery store. The bigger the turkey the more meat you will have because of the amount of bone. A 14 pound bird has a lot of bone. After 18 pounds you will get much more white meat.