Make-Ahead Marsala Turkey Gravy

The Thanksgiving Day kitchen is a busy, hectic scene that can intimidate even the most experienced cooks. By doing your gravy ahead of time, you make that last-minute production a lot easier. That's not to say I want you to throw away all those lovely turkey pan juices sitting in your roasting pan. Time permitting, strain them into a saucepan, boil them down, and add them to this sauce.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 5 hr
• Total Time: 5 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 163 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 quarts cold water
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• ⅓ cup Marsala wine
• 3 tablespoons flour
• ¼ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 3 turkey necks

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place turkey necks in the Dutch oven and cook until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in onion, celery, and carrot; cook and stir until onion is soft and slightly brown, about 5 minutes.

Step 2

Pour Marsala wine over turkey necks; increase heat to high and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits off of the bottom of the pan. Simmer until wine is reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes.

Step 3

Stir in water, 1/4 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, garlic, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil then decrease heat to low; simmer, skimming any foam or fat that rises to the top. Cover the Dutch oven almost completely; simmer until meat is falling off the bones, 4 to 5 hours. Strain turkey stock carefully into a clean container and cool completely, about 2 hours.

Step 4

Place 1/4 ounce dry porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with warm water; soak until mushrooms are soft enough to dice, about 15 minutes. Drain, squeezing out excess water, and dice. Set aside.

Step 5

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Add diced porcini mushrooms; cook and stir until browned, about 5 minutes.

Step 6

Stir flour into mushrooms and butter; cook and stir until flour is no longer gritty, about 3 minutes.

Step 7

Whisk in turkey stock, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is 1/3 reduced and thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in cream, season with salt and pepper to taste.