Real Recipe Friday

I don't know about you, but on big feast occasions, I like to get as much cooking done in advance as I can. And there's nothing more stressful than making the gravy in a kitchen filled to the brim with hungry people!

I ran across this recipe years ago for Make-Ahead Gravy and it was delish! Personally, I love making gravy and on both sides of the family I am the designated gravy maker on Thanksgiving Day. But it causes some people, who aren't so good at making gravy, to break out in hives! Lost sleep, elevated blood pressure, and sweaty palms are all signs you are obsessed with the thought that you will end up with lumpy, gloppy gravy. It's stressful! If this is what it's like for you, then Make-Ahead Gravy is just the miracle you're looking for!

Make-Ahead Gravy
3 lbs turkey wings (4)
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
1 cup water
8 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
3/4 cup chpped carrots
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup flour
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

• Arrange wings in a single layer in a large roasting pan.
• Scatter onions over the top.
• Roast 1 1/4 hours until wings are browned.
• Put wings and onions in a 5-6 qt pot.
• Add water to roasting pan and stir to scrape up an brown bits on the bottom.
• Add the brown bits/water to the pot.
• Add 6 cups broth (refridgerate remaining 2 cups), carrots and thyme.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove wings to cutting board.
• Save wing meat for another use if you wish, throw some of it into gravy later, or discard.
• Strain broth into a 3 qrt saucepan, pressing vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible.
• Discard vegetables.
• Skim fat off broth and discard.
• It time permits, refridgerate broth overnight to make fat skimming easier.
• Whisk flour into remaining 2 cups broth until well blended.
• Bring broth in pot to boil.
• Whisk in broth flavored mixture and boil 3-4 minutes to thicken gravy and cook flour.
• Stir in butter and pepper.
• Serve now, keep warm until serving, or freeze for later.

The great news about this recipe is that is makes SOOOOO much gravy, and in my opinion, you can never have too much gravy on Thanksgiving. Anyone else with me on that one? At this time of year, turkey wings should not be to hard to come by. I found mine in the poultry section of my local grocery store. You could also ask your butcher to cut you some wings as well. This might seem like a very complicated recipe, but if you make it now, you can take all the time in the world to make it and then just freeze it for the big day and reheat in a crockpot (that's what I did). It really is fabulous! Good luck, and I hope you like today's Thanksgiving recipe!

Hugs,
Amy