Nothing beats gravy from scratch. It isn’t hard to make, but the stock takes time, so you want to make the stock a couple days in advance. I’m finding places like Whole Foods carry turkey parts, so you can get what you need and make stock!

Turkey Stock and Gravy

Turkey Stock

2 turkey drumsticks (1 if really big)

2 backs

Neck

1 onion, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1 celery

Bay leaf

Peppercorns

Place turkey parts, onion and carrot in the oven for 30 minutes at 425. Transfer to a pot of water and add celery. Cook 1 ½ hours, remove meat for pets. Put bones back and cook more another 3 hours. Remove solids and discard.

Cool stock quickly by placing pot in sink with ice and water. Reserve 4-6 cups for gravy. The rest can be put into containers and frozen for later use or as a base for soup.

Gravy

4-6 cups stock

Neck and gizzard (optional) boil an hour and chop into small pieces

1/3 cup cornstarch dissolved into ¼ water for 4-6 cups or guar gum or xanthum gum to make it lower carbs

Shitakes, chopped (optional) and sautéed

Remove turkey and place roasting pan on 2 burners and add some stock, stirring and scraping up goodies. Put everything back in a saucepan, reduce a bit and add dissolved cornstarch. Add a bit of butter, neck and gizzard pieces and shitakes.