I use Wondra flour to thicken my gravy. Most grocery stores have it. It's in a blue container by the flour.

Sometimes I put it right in the drippings/stock and sometimes I whisk it with cold water (slurry) before pouring in. You can also make a roux if you want a richer gravy...whisk it well.

I am the gravy master of my family!

Sue

I use Wondra, too.
I usually bake some in the oven when I am baking something else so it gets slighty brown and toasty.....adds a depth of flavor to the gravy.
I usually make a slurry but Wondra is great for not clumping.

Cornstarch. No lumps ever, if you mix the cornstarch with cold water. Just stir them together. When that's all dissolved, stir it into the drippings and broth (first deglaze the pan with a little of the broth, then add the rest of the broth and heat it up; at that point I like it in a saucepan rather than in the roasting pan). Whisk over medium heat, just until it thickens.
Notice you can add the cold cornstarch slurry to hot broth with no problem.
Some people have an objection to cornstarch-thickened gravy, but I like it better, if it's made right. This is what my family always did.

If it's even slightly lumpy, I will strain it. And having plenty of very dark brown -but not burnt- drippings makes a dark brown gravy.

When using Wondra, do you use 1 Tablespoon to thicken 1 cup of liquid, the same ratio as with all-purpose flour? And, do you have to cook it about 5 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste?

I have been using cornstarch to thicken our gravies for several years. It gives a slightly translucent appearance to the gravy, and if it has been simmered long enough, there is no off-taste. However, some people say the cornstarch-thickened sauce can "break" if it is cooked too long.

The best tip I have for lump-free gravy is to keep it moving after you have added the thickener to the base. Although I some times have made it in the roasting pan, I prefer to collect the liquids there and get the goodies off the bottom of the pan, then combine the liquid with the thickener and cook in a saucepan that has a more manageable area for really non-stop stirring.

Alice,
I don't usually measure, I just sprinkle it and whisk and then add some more if until I reach the consistency I want.

It also depends on the consistency of the gravy before you add the flour.

For instance, I take all the drippings and good bits out of the pan, de-fat the drippings, pour into a blender, add some chicken stock and some (not all, you need to check the taste before adding more)of the roasted veggies that cooked in with the turkey (celery, onions, carrots, garlic cloves). Give it a whirl, add some Gravy Master to darken it (if needed), then adjust with more veggies or salt/pepper.

Pour into a saucepan and add Wondra a little at a time ( approx. 1T. at a time), whisk on a high simmer, add more flour until you gret the desired consistency.

I have also had great success using chickpea flour as a thickener, although some folks stomachs could be sensitive to chickpeas.

Sue

Christine:
I make it the same way. Always good, no lumps.

Add some water if needed , to the drippings and Broth.
I add a Tablespoon of a tomato source, eg. Spaghetti Sauce,
Ketchup, etc.
Add whatever Spices you like. I use Garlic powder and Onion Powder.
Give it a taste test.

Bring to a slow boil , then add the Cornstarch mixed with cold water, stirring until thickened.

Many have a problem with Cornstarch. I never did and it is always good and fast, or I wouldn't use it!!!
Lou

I think the trick is to have the drippings really hot, then add the flour and stir quickly. Add the broth so that the mixture doesn't cool down too quickly. I would rather have the flour/drippings mixture too thick and just add more broth than to get it too thin and try to thicken it. That's the only time I end up with lumps.

And always use a whisk when adding your slurry to your pan drippings!

That's all I can add to what's already been recommended.

Linda

I skim all the fat out of the pan and sprinkle Wondra and stir. For a large turkey I sprinkle quite a bit until the drippings are very thick. Then I add broth (I boil the giblets,neck in a pot with an onion/celery). I keep adding the broth, over med heat until it is thick enough. If there are lumps I pour it through a strainer. Some salt,pepper and its done.

If I have to use regular flour, I add it to cold water, stir and pour it into the roasting pan while stirring over med heat. Shouldn't lump. Simmer until thick enough and heated through. I never put flour into hot liquid, it will lump. Make sure you add the flour to a cooled roasting pan or cold water. Then stir and heat.

I think straining it is the key to being foolproof! My motherinlaw taught me that many years ago and even if I don't think I need to do it, its just what I do. Only takes an extra couple of seconds and its 100% foolproof.

Lumps????
They are tiny dumplings!!!
Seriosly....a whisk...and if you get lumps,strain them out!!

I third the advice from the two Lindas-- when in doubt, whisk!!

I made flour-thickened gravy for the first time on my second of three 2009 Thanksgivings, and I actually started with butter rather than drippings, because I didn't have any drippings, but I think the basic idea may be the same.

When starting with fat and flour, It takes a lot of fat to dissolve the flour properly (which is what prevents lumps) and you have to WHISK WHISK WHISK WHISK WHISK and not add liquid until the flour/butter is completely smooth. I actually wouldn't have wanted to add as much butter as it would have taken to dissolve enough flour to thicken the gravy to the consistency I would have wanted. (To feed the old woman who swallowed the bird to catch the spider to catch the fly). I think this works the same way if you're using turkey fat. I finished thickening with a corn starch slurry (you have to whisk the slurry as you pour, and then you won't get lumps there either).

I brown the flour in the drippings a little, and if there are any lumps, before serving it goes into a bowl and gets attacked with the stick blender :-)

If your gravy wasn't dark enough then all you need to do is put the roasting pan over a burner and let it simmer to reduce the liquid and brown the drippings a little more.

I make a roux, using regular flour not wondra and add hot chicken or turkey stock/broth.

Here is a Pictorial I put together on making gravy.

I made my gravy today and ended up straining it three times:
First time I poured all the drippings with included vegetables through a strainer. Then I decided there was too much "brown" still attached to the vegetables so I put them back in a pot added homemade broth and cooked for awhile.
Strained a second time. Third time, poured everything into fat separator that has a strainer on top. Kept the good juice, discarded most fat and returned gravy to a big pot. Added a cornstarch slurry made with broth and brought to a rolling boil.
The gravy is silky and dark brown.
I think I like flour as a thickener better though. I prefer a more opaque gravy. Need to remember that.

I generally make my gravy with a long-cooked roux rather than using flour, Wondra or cornstarch, and very rarely have any trouble. The only time I end up with lumps is if I don't make enough roux and need to thicken it a bit more at the last minute.

My recourse in that case is my stick blender. Whirrrr, whirrrr, lumps gone.

Rachelellen, What do you make your roux with if not flour?

Ann

I use roux, which is a mixture of flour and oil (butter, pan drippings, olive oil, etc.)

The lumps come from "bundles" of flour or other starch that gelatinizes on the outside. Once that happens, the bundle becomes almost impervious to moisture, and you have lumps.

By mixing the starch and oil together first you can do a couple of things...

1. You coat all of the starch particles with fat, which makes it pretty much impossible to clump together.

2. You can cook your roux to brown it to varying shades, from blond to peanut butter to brick. This can add a LOT of color and flavor to your gravy.

The only problem with a roux is that the darker you cook it, the less thickening power it has. To get the same thickening power you get with a blond roux you might need two to three times the amount of brick roux.

Thanks to EVERYONE for all the advice. I couldn't respond before because I was reading all your replies on my cellphone while out of town and I don't do well typing on the keypad.

I did successfully make a lump free and tasty gravy for my SIL that was rich and yummy. I used Wondra, made a roux with fat from the drippings, and then added the stock.

Thanks again to everyone for your advice.

I, too, wonder how to make a roux without flour. I've never used Wondra, but it intrigues me. I do like cornstarch for chicken or turkey gravies, flour roux for beef or pork gravy.