Turkey Stock and Gravy

Turkey Stock:

• Turkey bones
• 1 onion, peeled and rough chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and rough chopped
• 3 celery stalks, rough chopped
• 1 bunch of parsley, stems only
• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper corns
• 1 bay leaf

• Put all ingredients in a pot and cover by one inch with cold water. Bring to a boil then down to a simmer. Simmer for 3 hours or more if you have the time. You can also do this in a crock pot or electric slow cooker and set it to high and leave for 8-10 hours.
• Strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cheese cloth to remove all bones, meat, vegetables and spices. You want as clean a liquid as possible. Let cool then skim off any remaining fat that solidifies on top of the liquid. You can keep this in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

To make the gravy:

• ½ white onion, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 4 large sage leaves, minced
• 2 Tbls butter
• 2 Tbls flour
• 2 cups turkey stock
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Melt the 2 Tbsp. butter in the bottom of a sauce pan. Sauté the onion, garlic and sage in the butter until fragrant, but not browned.
2. Add the remaining butter and melt, then add the flour and stir together to make a paste, this is a roux. Cook the roux for 3-4 minutes stirring constantly. It should start to smell nutty and less like flour.
3. Add the turkey stock and stir well to remove any lumps created by the roux. I use a whisk here. With the heat set to medium continue to cook the gravy until it starts to thicken, stirring often.
4. If your gravy thickens too fast of too much, add more turkey stock to thin.
5. If you do not like the consistency of the gravy with the onion and sage in it, use a wand emersion blender to smooth the gravy or strain it before serving. These two processes will also remove any unwanted “lumps”.