Keeping gravy on the healthy side
Turkey’s a healthy choice, but what happens when you cover it with gravy? Traditional Thanksgiving gravy can be full of fat and calories, but there are ways to make it healthier.
Here are some tips from Andrew Glidden, associate professor in the hospitality department at Mohawk Valley Community College:
Making the gravy
1. Remove the cooked turkey from the roasting pan.
2. Dump the fat-containing liquid from the pan.
3. Heat the pan and pour in enough liquid (see options below) to loosen the caramelized drippings on the bottom of the pan.
4. You can add garlic, onions and/or shallots if you wish. (Or for better-tasting gravy, roast your turkey on top of a mixture that is half onions, one quarter celery and one quarter carrots.)
5. Scrape the drippings off the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon or heat-tempered plastic spatula.
Never use a stainless steel utensil in an aluminum pan because a chemical reaction will turn your gravy gray and mar its flavor.
6. Add low-sodium, fat-free turkey or chicken stock or broth.
7. Mix flour with enough cold liquid to turn it into a paste. Use ½ cup flour per quart of gravy.
8. Stir the flour mixture into the gravy to thicken.
De-glazing liquid options
White wine: Choose a wine that’s good enough to drink. Never use cooking wine, because it will make the gravy too salty.
Chicken or turkey stock or broth: Choose one that’s low sodium and fat free. Don’t use bullion cubes, which are too salty.
Apple cider vinegar: This also works, especially if you’re making apple stuffing.
Make your own turkey stock
Cook the turkey bones in water with the half onion, quarter celery, quarter carrot mixture, parsley stems, peppercorns and bay leaves for four to six hours.
Skim off the fat. Freeze this fat-free, salt-free stock, and use it to make the gravy for your Christmas turkey.
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