Get the Most Delicious, Lump-Free Thanksgiving Gravy With This Hack — And It’ll Save You Time Too
Thanksgiving isn’t complete without the perfect gravy. It goes so well with the turkey, adding more moisture and flavor. But unless you did it just right, it could have some unpleasant lumps. Nobody likes that! This year, skip the worries and use this hack for the perfect gravy.
The hack comes from luxury hotel chef Todd Rogers, the director of culinary operations at The Pearl Hotel in Florida. He told the Huffington Post his secret to making a lumpy-free gravy this Thanksgiving. And I’m surprised I’d never thought of it before. Instead of mixing by hand, add everything into a blender to ensure a silky and smooth texture.
“When I roast my turkey, I put herbs and butter up under the skin, then add the mirepoix [cooked vegetable base] about an hour before the bird is done,” said Rogers. “Then, when I’m making my gravy, I deglaze my pan, with all the drippings and the stock and the mirepoix, and I put it in a KitchenAid or a blender.”
Rogers then adds the stock, giblets, and trimmings from the bird along with heavy cream. “That makes the gravy thicken itself — making a coulis [thin sauce], so you don’t necessarily have to make a roux [sauce thickener]. Some people want to make a roux and add the stock and then the giblets, but you can do it all in a blender and it cuts down on the process, making it quick and easy.”
More Thanksgiving Hacks
Rogers isn’t the only chef that gave great tips to make Thanksgiving easier. One chef from New York said he doesn’t peel his potatoes — and thinks you shouldn’t either! Instead, boil the potatoes with the skin and then immediately place them in an ice bath after they’re cooked through. “The skins will come right off,” said Craig Cochran, chef and owner of NuLeaf in New York City. “It’s a major timesaver.”
Another great hack has your turkey cooking way faster. Jennifer Toomey, executive chef and partner of Huckleberry Bakery and Café in Santa Monica, California, uses a process called “spatchcocking” instead of roasting a full turkey. This means you won’t have to wait around for the full bird to be done while some parts are ready to go. “Remove the back bone, flatten out the bird and roast it skin side up. It cooks in less than half the time, and you still get that juicy meat and crispy skin,” she said.
With these hacks, you’ll be eating your Thanksgiving feast in no time!
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