HOW TO MAKE GRAVY WITHOUT DRIPPINGS (2023)

FAQs

What is a good substitute for gravy? ›

1 – Browning Sauce

What is this? Browning Sauce is a convenient alternative that can give your gravy the same rich flavor without all the fuss. Mix equal parts of Browning Sauce and water, and then add it to your pan drippings. You'll get the same delicious flavor without all the work.

Cornstarch Versus Flour for Gravy

Cornstarch does have more thickening power than wheat flour (because it's pure starch, while flour has some protein in it). So usually you need a little less cornstarch than flour for the equivalent thickening power.

To make a good turkey gravy without drippings, you'll need to make a roux, or a combination of flour and fat that acts as a thickener for the gravy. Add a flavorful broth and some aromatics, and you've got yourself a Thanksgiving gravy that rivals gravy made from drippings.

White Wine, Apple Juice, or Water: When you need just a little bit of chicken broth to deglaze a pan for a gravy or pan sauce, broth substitutes are easy: White wine works (and is also a flavor enhancer).

Answer: Most sauces and gravies are thickened with some kind of starch. The most common are flour and cornstarch, though potato starch, arrowroot and tapioca flour also work well.

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

Your gravy might taste doughy or chalky if you didn't cook the flour enough when making your roux. You'll want to cook the flour for at least five minutes, until it smells nutty and begins to turn light brown. But if you don't notice until it's too late and you've already added your broth, bring the gravy to a simmer.

Place roast, skin side up, on a flat roasting rack in a 2-inch deep roasting pan. Do not add water to pan. Roast uncovered according to Cooking Schedule or until meat thermometer in center of breast roast reaches 170° F and in center of turkey roast reaches 175° F.

What liquid goes in bottom of turkey pan? ›

Add about a half-inch of liquid (water or stock) to the roasting pan. This will keep the oven moist, and the turkey juicy. This aromatic liquid can be used to baste the turkey while it cooks (there is a debate whether basting does anything, but it's part of the tradition).

Add water to the roasting pan to keep the turkey from drying out. Grandma always added water or chicken broth to the bottom of the roasting pan, at the start of the cooking. This keeps the bird from drying out.

How to Thicken Sauce With Flour. So long as you're not gluten-free, flour is an excellent option that you'll likely always have on hand. Not only can you use it to thicken sauces, but it makes an excellent thickener for gravies and soups as well.

Using dairy is an effective way to thicken and bind, without much hassle.

(The classic ratio for gravy is three-two-one: 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.) You can add other flavors to the mixture, swap out the stock for another liquid, or use cornstarch rather than flour.

Fortunately, we're here to let you in on a game-changing secret: Water makes a more than acceptable replacement for chicken stock in most soups, stews, sauces, and braises. And in many cases, water actually produces a better-tasting result.

Chicken Broth Substitute: Salted Butter + Water

If you don't have broth on hand and want a little more flavor than just plain water, try subbing in 1 cup of water plus 1 tablespoon of butter for every cup of chicken broth in your recipe.

1. Water. Don't be shy to straight-up swap water for chicken broth. Yep, water is a perfectly acceptable 1:1 substitute for chicken broth and it happens to be our favorite out of the bunch since it doesn't require another grocery store run.

Water, broth, or milk: Any of the three will work here. I actually like gravy made with water best, but experiment and see what works for you. Broth will give you a really flavor-packed gravy and gravy made with milk will be richer (but a little sweet for my taste).

Boil until the sauce thickens and reduces, about 5 minutes. Add salt to taste. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter until you've achieved a homogenous silky gravy.

Why do you put butter in gravy? ›

Some cooks add butter to thicken or add body, while others may even whisk in a little beurre blanc (a classic French sauce made with wine, vinegar, shallots, and butter), but all this butter tends to make gravy very rich, so if you choose to add butter, use a light hand.

Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one cup of cold water, whisking the mixture together until the cornstarch granules dissolve. Stir this mixture into your gravy on low heat. You can use arrowroot powder, tapioca flour, or potato starch as a thickener if you don't have cornstarch.

Butter does not provide any thickening to a sauce, since it is made of just fat and water. But a chunk of butter, salted or unsalted, swirled into a sauce at the end, can temporarily emulsify a sauce, while adding richness and sheen, all of which are good things.

How much cornstarch is needed to thicken gravy? The ratio is an easy one to remember: Use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per 1 cup of liquid for a perfect gluten-free gravy thickener every time.

Cornstarch or arrowroot

Cornstarch and arrowroot are gluten-free alternatives to thickening with flour. They'll also keep your sauce clear and cloud-free. You'll need about 1 tablespoon for every cup of liquid in the recipe.

Add a little sugar

Sugar doesn't thicken in quite the same way as starch or fat, but it does make your sauce stickier, and getting your sauce to stick to the food is the entire point. Adding sugar to water creates a solution that is thicker than water, and further heating (boiling or simmering) makes it even thicker.

Potato starch is the most potent of the bunch, with long starch molecules that quickly tangle with each other and thicken a liquid.

Yes, you can use self-rising flour [1]for gravy. Self-rising flour combines all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. The baking powder helps thicken the gravy, while the salt adds flavor. Self-rising flour is used in many recipes as an alternative to all-purpose flour, making it a great choice for gravy.

Is it better to cook a turkey at 325 or 350? ›

Turkey weighing 12-14 lbs should be cooked at 350 degrees in the oven. It will cook your meat faster and make for crispy skin. It will also make the meat taste meatier. For smaller birds, cooking them at 325 degrees cooking temperature in the oven is best.

To achieve that balance, the ideal is to let the bird spend time both covered and uncovered: We recommend covering your bird for most of the cooking time to prevent it from drying out, then removing the cover for the last 30 minutes or so to allow the skin to crisp.

Don't butter your bird

Placing butter under the skin won't make the meat juicier, though it might help the skin brown faster. However, butter is about 17 percent water, and it will make your bird splotchy, says López-Alt. Instead, rub the skin with vegetable oil before you roast.

Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

400°F (204°C) is the perfect temperature for cooking a whole bird. You'll get crispy skin without compromising tenderness.

The United States Department of Agriculture advises to cook a whole turkey breast side up during the entire cooking time. Turning over a large, hot bird can be dangerous and it's very easy to tear the skin, making the finished product less attractive.

When it comes to seasoning, salt and pepper are the right place to start. But you can expand upon these basics by using fall herbs like rosemary, thyme and sage, which are natural accompaniments for turkey. You can branch out further with your favorite seasoning blends.

Since turkey is a lean protein, it is easier to overcook or dry out due to the lower fat content. No one wants to eat dry turkey. While you can still achieve a delicious bird without the use of butter, I highly recommend adding it! It will help add moisture and flavor to the meat during the roasting process.

Salt and pepper can do wonders for a turkey, but first things first: Pat the turkey dry with paper towels—this helps crisp up the skin. Then, go to town and season the bird everywhere you can with salt and pepper—on top, underneath, between the body and the wings and legs, and under the skin.

All-purpose flour: You can thicken sauces with all-purpose wheat flour. For every tablespoon of cornstarch, use three tablespoons of flour. Combine raw flour with cold water in a small bowl to form a paste, then add it into the sauce as it's simmering. Cooking the flour in the sauce will remove the flour taste.

How do you thicken gravy without gravy? ›

Potato Starch

This gluten-free gravy thickener requires 1 tablespoon of starch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. Whisk or stir into 1 cup of hot liquid, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens.

If the gravy tastes floury when you're almost finished, turn up the heat to maintain a rapid simmer for several minutes; then thin it again with more stock or water if necessary. A fat separator should eliminate this problem.

If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don't add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

So long as you're not gluten-free, flour is an excellent option that you'll likely always have on hand. Not only can you use it to thicken sauces, but it makes an excellent thickener for gravies and soups as well. When added to liquid, the starches in the flour expand, helping to thicken whatever you add it to.

Thickening with a Beurre Manie

To make a beurre manie, combine equal parts butter and flour and use the back of a fork to work them into a smooth paste, then gradually whisk the paste, about 1 teaspoon as a time, into the already deglazed gravy base simmering on the stove. Continue whisking until the gravy is thick.

One of the most popular forms is onion gravy, which is eaten with sausages, Yorkshire pudding and roast meat. Throughout the United States, gravy is commonly eaten with Thanksgiving foods such as turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. One Southern United States variation is sausage gravy eaten with American biscuits.

Water, broth, or milk: Any of the three will work here. I actually like gravy made with water best, but experiment and see what works for you. Broth will give you a really flavor-packed gravy and gravy made with milk will be richer (but a little sweet for my taste).

Is beef stock or broth better for gravy? ›

Should I use stock or broth for gravy? If you're making a chicken dish, use broth for your gravy. However, if you're making beef or turkey dishes, use stock. At the end of the day, you can use both for gravy, but it depends on the dish you are making.