The term gravy refers to a sauce that is made from the natural drippings of meats during cooking. While it is possible be make gravy from the drippings of vegetables, meat-based gravy is the most common.

When most Americans hear the word “gravy,” images of long Thanksgiving dinner tables crammed with holiday dishes and lined with family members come to mind. Turkey is a traditional element to Thanksgiving feasts, and it is almost always accompanied by gravy made from its drippings. But gravy is also commonly served with dishes at other times of the year and in other countries. It usually accompanies roasted meats and potatoes.

There are a number of ways to make gravy. If you are looking for a very simple method, you might want to consider purchasing ready-made gravy. This type of gravy is available in canned form, or in condensed cubes or granules that can be reconstituted by adding liquid. If, however, you plan to make gravy using real pan drippings from a roast turkey, the recipe below will yield a delicious sauce.

For this recipe, you will need the following items:

• 5 cups (1.2 liters) of turkey stock, including the drippings from the pan
• 1.3 cups (0.3 liters) of condensed cream of chicken soup
   Note: 1.3 cups or 0.3 liters is very close to the amount of condensed cream of chicken soup in one can.
  
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/3 cup of flour
• Salt to taste

Once your turkey has produced the requisite drippings to begin your gravy, bring it to a boil in a large saucepan along with the additional turkey stock. Once you have the liquid at a rolling boil, stir in the soup followed by the poultry seasoning, pepper, garlic powder, and salt. Note: some chefs find that a few dashes of onion powder add nice flavor to gravy. You may have to experiment a few times before getting your gravy recipe exactly as you want it. If you like onion flavor, consider adding a bit of powder to the gravy at this stage.

After you have added the condensed soup and spices, reduce the heat under your saucepan to a low simmer. While the liquid is simmering, warm up the milk either in your microwave or on your stove top. Once it has been warmed, whisk in the flour until no lumps remain in the mixture. Then bring the gravy back to a boil before slowly adding the mixture of milk and flour. Now all of your ingredients have been added to the gravy. Allow the gravy to boil for just about one minute, or until it has thickened. Be sure not to scorch the gravy at this stage. Then transfer the gravy to your serving crock and serve it hot along with your turkey. Bon Appetit!