Chris Cooks

Dijon Country Gravy Made With Turkey Drippings

November 7, 2013

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I’m gonna try to make this post as quick to read as it is to actually make the gravy recipe below. If you’re not a fan of dijon, you can take it out but I really encourage you to keep it in. It’s not an “in your face” mustard flavor, and dijon goes so well with turkey, cranberry, and all other Thanksgiving flavors. Check it.

Here’s what you need:

• about 1/3 cup of drippings from your Thanksgiving turkey, fat and all
• 1 heaping tablespoon AP flour
btw, you probably noticed less gluten free stuff from me lately. because Jules has been so sick with the baby, her doctor told her to just eat whatever she can and not worry about the gluten. let’s get back to the recipe, shall we?
• about 2 cups unsalted chicken stock
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup dijon mustard
• salt and pepper to taste

For the gravy, it’s important that you have all your stuff ready once you start making it. You don’t want to walk away, because it can clump up pretty quick.

Put a saucepan on medium heat and add your pan drippings. Once the drippings start to sizzle a little, add your flour and whisk to form a roux. A roux (pronounced “roo”) is used to flavor and thicken stuff. Whisk the roux well and let it cook until it starts to smell a bit like burnt popcorn. Usually you go by color, but because you’re adding the flour directly to pan drippings, the roux will start off darker than usual. So just whisk it for maybe a minute or so, and don’t let it get too dark.

Now, add about 1/4 cup of the chicken stock and whisk it all together. It should become a thick paste. Add another 1/4 cup of the stock and whisk it all together again until smooth, and bring it up to a simmer. Then add 1/4 cup of half and half, whisk until smooth and bring to a simmer. Then the rest of the half and half, whisk until smooth and bring to a simmer again. Then back to the stock – add 1/4 cup and whisk until smooth, bring to a simmer, and keep doing that until it reaches it reaches a thickness you’re happy with. Add your dijon, whisk it all together, taste, add salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm (obviously).

What I love about gravy made from pan drippings is you can see all the pieces of flavor in there, and there’s so much depth. The dijon brings a new flavor that people aren’t used to, but all will love. Seriously, Greta and her cousins pounded that stuff, and your guests will too.

This has been a big week so far, but I have one more recipe for you tomorrow. It’s actually one of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving, but is so often overlooked. See ya then.

Links to all the posts in this series:
• Savory Cornbread Stuffing
• Scratch-Made Asparagus Casserole (my version of green bean casserole)
• Country-Style Herbed Mashed Potatoes
• Dijon Country Gravy Made with Turkey Drippings
• Homemade Cranberry Sauce Worth Serving
• Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple and Bacon Vinaigrette
• How to Roast the Perfect Turkey
• Buttery and Crusty Herb-Topped Dinner Rolls
• Light and Airy Pumpkin-Ricotta Cheesecake
• How to Make an Entire Thanksgiving Meal In One Oven

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What do you think?

  1. Colleen says:

    I have food intolerances and my daughter is vegetarian. Is there a way to make this without the turkey drippings? And suggestions for a substitute?

    • Chris says:

      Toss some carrots, celery, and onions in some olive oil and Italian seasoning, then fry up in a pan on medium/medium-high heat. Remove the veggies and use vegetable stock as your liquid base to deglaze the pan and go from there!

  2. Tricia says:

    This is the second time I’ve made this gravy, and it is so good! Thanks for a great recipe!

  3. MLB says:

    Hey Chris, this looks delicious! If I did need to make it gluten free, would you recommend using packaged gluten free “all purpose” flour, or something else for the roux? Thanks!

    • This gravy is super easy to make gluten free. Instead of adding the flour, I would add the rest if the ingredients, minus 1/4 cup of stock. While that’s all coming up to boil, mix the 1/4 cup stock with 1-1.5 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch. When the mix is boiling, add the cornstarch mix and whisk together, bringing back to a boil. Once it boils, it will be to full thickness. If it’s not thick enough, make more stock/cornstarch mix and add it, bringing to a boil and repeating until it’s the right consistently. Hope this helps!

    • MLB says:

      Perfect, that sounds easy enough! Thanks!

  4. If Julia can drink milk, I suggest taking a ginger pill with a glass of milk before trying to eat….I’ve had three kids and horrible morning sickness for the first 7 months, and with my last child I heard of this and it saved my life!

    BTW this gravy looks amazing! Def going to make it a part of our menu this year :)

  5. Mylena says:

    I am definitively making this next time there’s turkey on the menu… Or pork roast… Pork and dijon is another perfect match!

  6. I always make homemade gravy and this sounds amazing!!!

  7. This sounds so good! If only my husband liked mustard in the least bit…

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