Make Ahead Turkey Gravy - Updated, Less Fussy, with Instant Pot Instructions

Directions

1. To make the stock - one quart for the gravy, with some left over
2. Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Put the turkey parts, skin-side down, the ham and the vegetables on a large sheet pan. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Roast for 25 minutes, opening the oven door a couple of times for a few seconds each to let steam out of the oven. Turn the turkey parts over and push the vegetables around to loosen them from the pan. Add about ½ cup of water, tip the pan to slosh the water into the corners, and roast for another 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, put 2 ½ quarts of cold water in a large stockpot over medium heat, or 1 ½ quarts into an electric pressure cooker or multi-cooker (such as an Instant Pot), on the sauté setting. Bring to a simmer.
5. When the second roasting period ends, put the turkey parts and vegetables into the stock pot or multi-cooker, as applicable.
6. Deglaze the sheet pan with the white wine, and the Cognac, if using, plus 2 or 3 tablespoons of water. Pour the pan drippings -- scrape the pan well! -- and whatever liquid remains into a small container. Cover and refrigerate until you make the gravy.
7. Pour 1/2 cup or so of hot water into the sheet pan, scrape up any remaining sticky bits, and pour that into the stock pot. Add the thyme (and/or other herbs) and a pinch of salt.
8. Bring just to a boil, then turn down immediately, and simmer for at least an hour. If using a pressure cooker, set on high and pressure cook for 45 minutes, or longer if you like. Allow it to release naturally, or manually release - whatever is most convenient.
9. Strain. (If after straining you have more than a quart of stock and want deeper flavor, reduce by boiling in the empty stock pot or on the sauté setting of the multi-cooker, until you have just a quart.) Cool and refrigerate until ready to begin making the gravy. This can be done up to five days before making the gravy itself.

1. Ingredients for the Gravy
2. TO MAKE THE GRAVY:
3. Remove and reserve or discard the fat from the cooled stock, substituting the cooled fat for about the same amount of butter, if you like. Heat up the stock to near boiling. (I store and then microwave the stock in a quart Mason jar.)
4. Melt the butter (with the cooled turkey fat, if using) in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. With the heat on low, gradually add the flour, whisking all the while.
5. When the paste is thick and golden, bring the heat up to medium and slowly pour in the warmed stock, ½ cup at a time, whisking vigorously to blend after each addition. Add the wine and the Cognac, if using. Cook, continuing to whisk, for about a minute. Remove and reserve any fat on the reserved pan drippings from the roasted turkey parts. Add the drippings with a teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce (or more, or less, to taste). Stir well while cooking over medium-low heat for about a minute. Check for salt and correct (but wait to do this at the very end if you plan to add pan drippings from your roasted turkey). Add freshly ground pepper to taste.
6. To add pan drippings from your roasted turkey -- this is optional -- pour them into a metal bowl, scraping up all the hard bits. Put it in the freezer or set it in a bowl of ice water, to separate as much fat as possible. Scrape the fat off before stirring the drippings into the gravy.
7. When heating to serve, check again for salt and pepper. I sometimes add a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of red or white wine vinegar right before serving, to brighten it up a bit.
8. N.B. If you brined your turkey, consider using just a few spoonfuls of drippings, adding one at a time and testing after doing so, before you check for salt. This allows you to use at least some of the roasted juices. Add salt sparingly. With the rich stock made from roasted wings and necks, the pan drippings really shouldn't be necessary.
9. Enjoy!! ;o)