Ah, turkey gravy – the crowning glory of any Thanksgiving or Christmas feast. But for those with gluten sensitivities, finding a delicious and safe gravy option can be a challenge. Fear not, fellow gluten-free friends, for there are several ways to enjoy this classic dish without compromising your dietary needs.
Easy Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy Recipe
This recipe from Queen of My Kitchen is a lifesaver for those who want a homemade gravy that’s both gluten-free and easy to make. It uses simple ingredients like turkey drippings, cornstarch, and gluten-free broth to create a rich and flavorful sauce that’s perfect for topping your mashed potatoes, stuffing, and of course, your turkey.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free cornstarch
- 1/4 cup cold gluten-free broth
- 2 cups hot gluten-free turkey drippings
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold broth until smooth.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the hot turkey drippings, salt, and pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens.
- Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve.
Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy Mixes
If you’re short on time or prefer a more convenient option there are several gluten-free turkey gravy mixes available on the market. A popular choice is the Turkey Gravy Mix Gluten Free & Dairy-Free from Amazon. This mix is made with simple ingredients like turkey broth, rice flour, and spices and it’s easy to prepare. Simply whisk the mix with hot water and simmer until thickened.
Tips for Making Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy
- Use gluten-free broth: This is essential for ensuring your gravy is truly gluten-free. Many brands of broth contain gluten, so be sure to check the label carefully.
- Thicken with cornstarch: Cornstarch is a reliable gluten-free thickener for gravy. Other options include arrowroot powder or tapioca starch.
- Don’t overcook: Overcooking can make your gravy thin and watery. Simmer it gently until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Season to taste: Add salt, pepper, and other seasonings to your liking. A pinch of nutmeg or sage can add a festive touch.
Enjoying Your Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy
With a little planning and creativity, you can easily enjoy delicious gluten-free turkey gravy this holiday season. Whether you make it from scratch or use a convenient mix, this classic dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. So grab your favorite gluten-free bread, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, and get ready to dig in!
Additional Resources:
Finally, an unintimidating recipe for turkey gravy and it’s gluten-free too!
GRAVY IS ESSENTIAL There are lots of dishes you can do without on Thanksgiving. I can live without the mushy green bean casserole made from a can of soup and the sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows, but most people agree that gravy is an essential Thanksgiving dish (apart from turkey, of course). Even when cooked to perfection (see my tip for perfectly cooked turkey meat at the end of this post), roast turkey lacks flavor and needs gravy to bring out the best in it. Therefore, as the cook, you are under pressure because a poor gravy will ruin the entire Thanksgiving meal, even if your turkey and all the sides are excellent. The likelihood of making a mistake in gravy recipes is higher when they are excessively complex; however, this recipe for Easy Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy is virtually foolproof. Any quantity of turkey drippings can be used to make it; even the drippings from a small chicken or turkey breast will make delicious gravy. Even without turkey drippings, this gravy can be made, and the amount of richness can be adjusted with heavy cream, half-and-half, or milk.
CORNSTARCH VS. When my eldest daughter started avoiding gluten-containing foods, I prepared two kinds of gravy for Thanksgiving: traditional gravy, which was made with flour, and gluten-free gravy, which was made with cornstarch. To my amazement, there was very little difference between the traditional and gluten-free gravies—either one was just as smooth, delicious, and silky. Since then, the only gravy recipe I’ve ever used for Thanksgiving dinner parties is Easy Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy. In spite of the fact that cornstarch is gluten-free, there are a few benefits to using it as a thickener instead of flour when making turkey gravy.
• Firstly, because cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour, you need far less of it to thicken gravy. • Secondly, the taste of cornstarch is less assertive than that of flour, allowing the rich, robust flavor of the turkey to come through.
Be aware that even though cornstarch is made completely of the gluten-free grain corn, if it is processed on shared equipment, it may become cross-contaminated with wheat. If you’re allergic or sensitive to small amounts of gluten, be sure to use only certified gluten-free cornstarch.
TO SKIM OR NOT TO SKIM If you roast a large turkey (or chicken) and use the pan dripping to make Easy Gluten-Free Turkey Gravy, you’ll probably want to skim off some of the fat as larger birds will render more fat. If, however, you use drippings from a roasted turkey breast or small chicken, there’ll be much less fat rendered and you may not need to skim off any at all. In fact, it’s o.k. to incorporate a small amount of fat into the gravy as it’ll give it nice flavor. When you do need to skim off some fat, don’t worry – it’s easy. Before thickening, simply let the gravy mixture sit for a few minutes until most of the fat rises to the top. Then simply spoon the fat off the top. Many people like to use a tool like this – known as a grease separator – but I never go this route because I don’t own one and it would be one more thing to wash!
PERFECTLY COOKED TURKEY Delicious gravy calls for perfectly cooked turkey, but to get properly cooked dark meat without drying out the breast meat can be tricky because the breast and dark meat cook at different rates, leaving little margin for error. The only way to combat this is to use an instant read thermometer. I own a thermapen, which is an expensive meat thermometer used by a lot of professional chefs, but there are less expensive options that work just as well, like this one.
TEST THE TURKEY FOR DONENESS IN DIFFERENT SPOTS Once you suspect your turkey is done, test it with the instant read thermometer in at least 3 different spots. The temperature should be anywhere from 150 degrees F to 165 degrees F or higher depending on the part of the bird. Click HERE to see exactly how it’s done. I share this video every year right before Thanksgiving because it is simply the best demonstration of how to test a turkey for doneness using an instant read thermometer.
Remember to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @QueenofMyKitchen if you make this simple gluten-free turkey gravy. I’d love to see your creation!.
