Fructose-Free Thanksgiving: Gravy

Making gravy isn’t really that hard, it’s just takes practice and knowing what to do. The first time I made gravy I really messed it up. I just dumped the thickening slurry in the gravy and ended up with one huge lump. It was not good. Now I’ve learned it’s all about technique. Slowly drizzle the slurry in while constantly whisking. This year I learned another trick: don’t drizzle in just one spot, move it around the pan and follow with your whisk. Voila! Smooth gravy.

This recipe for gravy is naturally wheat-free, gluten-free, low in fructose, and low-FODMAP to boot. I love using the whole turkey so nothing is wasted. I recently started making my own bone broth, realizing how healthy, nourishing and easy it is. So I naturally wanted to make stock from the giblets. Nothing wasted! Not even the neck. You may not want to eat the neck, but it makes great stock. The giblet stock is then used, along with the pan drippings, to make the gravy. To make it easier, you can make the stock a day in advance.

You will probably have some stock left over and you can use it in your stuffing (see my recipe for Herbed Rice Stuffing) or freeze it for later use in soups or future cooking projects. My husband’s not sure if he liked the giblets cut up in the gravy. Some of them are really strong tasting and I would agree, so I probably won’t add those next time. It was worth the try though!

Print Recipe

Turkey Giblet Gravy
Low-FODMAP, Gluten-Free, Low-Fructose

Ingredients

Turkey Giblet Stock
neck, giblets and liver from turkey
6 cups water
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 bunch scallions, greens parts only, cut into 1″ slices
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole peppercorns

Giblet Gravy
pan drippings from roasted turkey
turkey stock
cooked giblets and liver from stock, diced
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine the neck and giblets (excluding the liver), 6 cups water, celery, carrot, scallions, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and continue to cook at a simmer, skimming the froth occasionally for 1 hour. Add liver and continue to cook at a bare simmer for an additional 30 minutes.
2. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl. Reserve the liver and giblets for the gravy. There will be about 3 cups of stock.
3. When turkey is done roasting, pour pan drippings through a fine mesh sieve into a large glass measuring cup; let stand 10 minutes. Skim fat off top (or use one of these handy-dandy fat separators). Add enough turkey stock to the drippings to equal 3 cups total.
4. In a large skillet, bring drippings mixture to a boil; stir in cornstarch mixture slowly while constantly whisking. Stir in diced liver and giblets. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper.