I have made Ina Garten’s gravy for Thanksgiving dinner for several years now and it is not only delicious but also foolproof. My daughter Rachael insists that I make this gravy for every major holiday meal and has also sent the recipe to several of her friends who tasted it at our house. How’s that for an endorsement?

The total preparation and cook time is only about thirty minutes and the yield is around three cups of gravy. The key to the gravy is to slowly cook the onions in the butter under low heat for 12-15 minutes. This will make your kitchen smell wonderful and will produce a depth of flavor that makes this very easy gravy recipe a standout. One word of caution: if you use chicken bouillon, then reduce the amount of salt that is called for. Otherwise, your gravy will turn out saltier than you might like.

Also, a little of this gravy goes a long way because it’s so rich, so you can consider it “waistline-friendly.” However, it goes really well with turkey, dressing, potatoes, and pretty much anything else that might be on the menu so perhaps not really that “friendly.” Maybe just accept that it’s Thanksgiving and you get to indulge a bit more than usual. Probably a better approach!

Another big plus of this gravy is that it can be made ahead and heated up just before the meal. That can make life a lot easier on a hectic Thanksgiving Day. No worries if you want to make it early in the morning even if your meal won’t be until the evening. Just refrigerate it until just before serving time and quickly heat it back up. It actually gets better as the flavors meld so consider that a cooking tip should you decide to add it to your holiday menu. If you do decide to try it, please let me know what you think. I’ll be making my own tomorrow and can’t wait for the delectable smell of onions sauteing in butter.

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends.

Ina’s Thanksgiving Gravy

Ingredients

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 onions)

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Defatted turkey drippings plus chicken stock to make 2 cups, heated

1 tablespoon cream, optional

1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy, optional (I haven’t included this in my gravy, but I’m sure it adds lots of flavor.)

1 tablespoon white wine, optional

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, cook the butter and onions over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Don’t rush this step; it makes all the difference when the onions are well-cooked.
2. Sprinkle the flour into the pan, whisk in, then add the salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock mixture (and Cognac, if desired) and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes until thickened. Add the wine and cream, if desired. Season, to taste, and serve.