Thanksgiving Gravy

When you are hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, it is so important that everything turns out perfect. One of the main concerns is that your gravy is not lumpy or too thin. Here's a way to avoid that dinner disaster.

If you are cooking a whole turkey in the oven:

Remove the neck and giblets from inside the turkey.
Boil them (except the liver) in salted water
Add 1/4 teaspoon of poultry seasoning (or to taste)
Cook until done, approximately 30 minutes.

Remove the cooked turkey and let cool, (save the broth)
Remove the meat from the neck bones
Cut the giblets into small pieces.

Set the broth and giblets aside until the turkey is done. You can do this the day before and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Once the turkey is done and you've put it on the turkey platter your grandmother gave you, add the broth from the giblets to the turkey drippings in the pan.
On top of the stove, heat the mixture back to a slow boil.
Turn down the broth, (you'll be tasting the gravy as you go along, so you don't want to burn your tongue before you eat!)
Put 1 tablespoon of corn starch in a small glass or bowl
Add 1 tablespoon of the broth
Using a fork, mix.
If it is too thick, add more broth to the glass or bowl.
Mix until its creamy and smooth (No Lumps! If you have any lumps, break them up by smashing them with the fork and add a little more broth.)
Pour this mixture into the pan of broth and stir.
If the gravy is too thin, keep repeating the process until you get the consistency that you like.
(If you are repeating the process, use less cornstarch in the glass or bowl. It's better to repeat the process a few times, rather than having too much cornstarch in the gravy.
Once you have the gravy to the right consistency, add the cut up giblets and neck meat, and heat.
Add poultry seasoning to taste.

Fill the gravy boat.
Set on the table.

You'll have a wonderful homemade gravy that will go well with the mashed potatoes and stuffing.

If you don't have enough gravy left over for hot turkey sandwiches, once you've removed the meat from the carcass, boil the carcass in a pan of water seasoned with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add a couple of chicken bouillon cubes for more flavor. (If you are watching your salt intake, remember that the cubes have a lot of salt in them so add table salt after you dissolved the cubes.)
Then get out the cornstarch. Using the process above, make your gravy.
You can always add shredded turkey to the gravy to pour over sandwiches.

Or for a quick dinner, add mixed vegetables and turkey chunks to the gravy and serve over biscuits.

Or just freeze the left over turkey and gravy for future use.

If you are frying your turkey, and don't have turkey drippings, use chicken broth.

Happy Thanksgiving, and bon apetite!