Turkey Gravy From Pan Drippings


 

Chris Allingham

Administrator
Staff member
I've been experimenting with turkeys on the WSM, since they're so cheap after Thanksgiving. I've been cooking brined, natural turkeys at 325-350*F with an empty, foil-lined water pan and 3 medium-sized apple wood chunks.

I tried the method suggested by Jim Minion in a BB thread here of suspending the foil above the bottom of the pan so the drippings don't burn. Sure enough, this rendered about 1-1/2 cups of drippings. By the time I added the accumulated juices inside the carcass, as well as the juices that collected in the bottom of the pan while the turkey rested for 30 minutes, I had almost 1-3/4 cups.

Set aside 1/4 cup of fat, skimmed off the rest, and added 3/4 cup water to the remaining drippings to get 2 cups of liquid. Heated the fat, stirred in 1/4 cup flour and cooked for several minutes, then added the liquid and a few bits of dark meat and simmered. The drippings were already flavored by the rub--no need to add salt, pepper, or other seasonings. The gravy wasn't too salty or too smoky.

Your mileage may vary depending on the kind of rub and type/amount of smoke wood used. But I just wanted to let everyone know that I was pleasantly surprised by how well the gravy turned out. Really delicious!

Regards,
Chris
 
Jack and I are doing turkey dinner for 275 in the next week and half, I believe we need to go here. Thanks for the technique.
Jim
 

 

Back
Top