Here is a great and easy recipe for a gravy to top your Christmas turkey. Gravy can be difficult, but not this one, because there is no roux involved. Remember all that stuff you removed from the inside of the turkey? We will use it. Now, you will have to start this around the same time as you start your turkey.

Turkey Gravy

all the stuff inside the turkey–neck-and other stuff

1 celery stalk–chopped

1 onions–chopped

1 or 2 carrots–chopped

salt, pepper, garlic powder

water

flour

butter

egg–hard boiled and chopped

First, take a stick of butter and place on the counter so it can soften. Then place the turkey parts, veggies, some salt and pepper into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook for a couple of hours. You are looking for these pieces to become more tender. When you start running low on water–just add more and keep cooking. You need at least 2 hours.

After cooking, strain it keeping the liquid and placing it back in pot. Remove the turkey parts. Chop the veggies and add to the pot. The veggies will be very soft, just dice them up. Chop the turkey parts and add to pot. The neck you will need to pull the meat off the bones. Do this with your fingers to make sure you have no bones in the pot. Bring to a simmer. Take 2 tablespoons of the room temperature butter and place into a small bowl or a saucer. Place 1 – 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour in and mash with a fork. This will make a paste. Place this into the simmering gravy and stir well. At first, it will look lumpy, don’t worry, it will take a few minutes for it to combine. After it has cooked for a few minutes, taste and see if you need to add salt, pepper, or garlic powder. Remember, we added this while boiling the parts and veggies, so it will have some seasoning. Also, it needs to boil for a few minutes to thicken. If, after a few minutes, you think it needs to be even thicker, just add more butter and flour paste–just a smaller amount. The juices that are left over in the turkey pan can be added also. I would add a few tablespoons before I taste it for seasoning as this juice also has flavor and you don’t want it over seasoned.

Remember that hardboiled egg? Peel it and slice, dice, or mash with a fork and add to the gravy. Only add this right before serving and stir well. Why a hardboiled egg? Good question. I have no clue. This is the way we have always done it. Some say it’s a southern thing, while others swear it adds additional flavor. Who knows!!! But this gravy is great over your turkey, dressing (or stuffing–depending on where you are) and my favorite–baked sweet potatoes. What? Yes! My daddy always baked sweet potatoes–just like the potatoes you have with your steak–and we added butter and the gravy. Fabulous! Enjoy!