Bourbon Gravy

Included here is a simple recipe for turkey stock, yielding about 4 cups. To produce a more flavorful stock, heat a little vegetable or olive oil in the saucepan and brown the giblets and neck before adding the herbs, vegetables and water. The gravy recipe requires only 2 cups of stock, but you can refrigerate the rest to use for other Thanksgiving recipes, such as the savory dressing.

source	Williams Sonoma
categories	gravy
yield	2 cups
prep time
total time

INGREDIENTS

[For the stock]

Giblets (except liver) and neck from a fresh turkey

1 bay leaf

2 fresh thyme sprigs

2 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

5 cup cold water

[For the gravy]

Pan drippings from roasted turkey

1 Vidalia onion, diced

2 Tbs. bourbon

2 cup turkey or chicken stock

1 ½ Tbs. cornstarch

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 Tbs. chopped fresh sage

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To make the stock, in a saucepan, combine the giblets and neck, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, onion, carrot, celery and water. Set the pan over high heat, bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, skimming the surface to remove any foam, until the stock is flavorful, about 2 hours.

2. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof bowl. Let the stock cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

3. To make the gravy, set the roasting pan with the turkey drippings over medium heat. Stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the browned bits have been loosened and the liquid has nearly evaporated, after 3 to 5 minutes, pour off and discard all but 2 Tbs. of the fat. Add the onion and sautee, stirring constantly, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the bourbon and cook, stirring, until nearly evaporated, about 1 minute. Add the stock and cornstarch and whisk until smooth.

4. Bring the gravy to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the sage and cook for 1 minute more. Keep warm until ready to serve. Transfer the gravy to a sauceboat and pass at the table.