If you like fried chicken with cream gravy, you'll love this sauce —sophisticated and rich, with a bit of sweet fruitiness from the Madeira. It's a wonderful alternative to traditional pan gravy. You'll have to choose between this gravy or the cider sage version for the holiday meal, as you'll need the neck and giblets as well as the pan drippings for this recipe.
Giblet stock can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered. Discard solidified fat, then reheat before adding to roux.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 6 to 8 servings (about 4 cups)
Ingredients
For brown giblet stock
For sauce
Preparation
Make stock:
Step 1
Heat oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté neck, giblets, and onion until well browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add remaining stock ingredients and simmer, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to about 4 cups, about 45 minutes. Pour stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Skim off and discard any fat.
Make sauce:
Step 2
Skim fat from pan drippings (while turkey stands) and reserve fat. Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add Madeira and deglaze pan by boiling over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced by about half, about 4 minutes, then add to giblet stock.
Step 3
Heat 3 tablespoons reserved turkey fat (if you have less, use butter to make up difference) in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, then add flour and cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add hot stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, whisking, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Add cream and simmer, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a sauceboat or serving bowl and season with salt and pepper.
