The Gravy Tutorial

Here it is, plain and simple. How to make Dad's gravy. With the color photos to remind me to be patient until things look a certain way... No need to rush the gravy!

Gravy starts with a roux. It really depends on how many people love gravy, but 2 sticks of butter - a good round number to start. Dad reminded us to melt the butter and cook it for a few minutes to burn off any water that is in the stick. I think when you are using butter that isn't the finest quality, you find this problem. Easily solved with an extra minute of melting and this little steps keeps you from ending up with butter and dumplings rather than roux. So butter, and lots of flour go into the pan. Mix it together and let it bubble and cook.

You will continue with a series of bubble and cook, then scrape and mix, bubble and cook, scrape and mix, until you get to the color you desire for your gravy. The more you toast the flour, the nuttier the roux tastes. Once you have the roux to where you like it, remove half of it. You might not need it all, and you can add more to your stock as you go.

Aunt Jeanne had cooked down the turkey bones from the day before so we had a solid lump of pure goodness all ready for the gravy. (We could have used the drippings from the turkey...but we saved that since the soup hadn't yet been made!) Dad added the stock to the pan with the leftover roux, and mixed in the spices. Nathan Stepped in and rescued me, moving the pan to the (now free) larger burner and getting it up to the simmer point to help it thicken. Now, you just wait again, simmer, stir, simmer, stir, until it starts to thicken. Adding more roux as needed if you like your gravy spoon to stand in the pan.

All this time we are squeezed into a 3x3 foot space cooking together. Nathan working on the gravy, Dad carving the turkey, and I mashed the potatoes of course! Our gravy is always important to the family - but this Thanksgiving it had extra love, all four of us took part in it's perfection, Nathan, Dad and me - all while Brian documented it!! Thanks Brian!