I add mushrooms and garlic to my gravy, along with thyme.

I start with a roux that is between blond and dark, to which I add minced garlic, thyme, and black pepper, sauté for a while, and I add a bit of dry white wine.

Then I add the liquid that I used to reconstitute the porcini mushrooms and the chopped mushrooms. I do also add a bit of bouillon, but lately I've been using Knorr bouillon crystals. I also sometimes use Better Than Bouillon (especially mushroom flavor), but the dried crystals are easier to use, and I buy a huge jar of Knorr bouillon.

Often I use stock that I make with leftover turkey parts, such as wing tips, neck, and root vegetables, and then I use that stock for reconstituting the mushrooms. I make this stock while the bird is roasting.

I do not make mashed potatoes and generally serve rice instead. It never occurs to me to make mashed potatoes, but I may make baked or roasted potatoes.

Here's the recipe I use:

Make-Ahead Gravy Recipe - NYT Cooking (nytimes.com)

I make the roux between blond and dark, and I use Better than Bouillon chicken stock base (because that's what I always have on hand). Drippings added during re-heat just before serving.

I'm not a good gravy-maker. I just use flour and water shaken in a jar.

When I see chefs just sprinkle flour over top of the drippings and whisk, I get lumps. I tried it once.

Sometimes I add wine, but I can never get the good colour in the gravy that I want.

I briefly described what I do on the make ahead gravy thread.

Since I use a spice mixture containing lot of paprika to heavily coat the turkey, the drippings and juices are nice and dark and full of flavor.

I usually make a medium roux, but sometime use a beurre manie, half flour and half butter. Be sure to cook the gravy long enough to cook out the raw flour flavor either way.

I make stock, I have gone so far as to make stock from the carcass and can it so I can have it to make gravy, LOL. Neck and giblets go into a pan for stock when the turkey goes into the oven. Flour into the pan drippings in the roasting pan, stir until thickened. If I want more gravy I add more flour, the fresh stock and break out a jar of homemade turkey stock. No flavoring other than salt and pepper. I used to chop up bits of giblets, but several family members have asked me to stop, they want velvety smooth gravy. Whatever, the dog appreciates the treats.

More often, though, the home canned stock gets used for the second batch of gravy. My oldest daughter is celiac and can't have the flour, so I'll make a bit of gravy for her with stock and cornstarch. Also salt and pepper for seasoning. It's not ideal, but it passes for gravy and she's happy. She also hates mashed potatoes, but wants gravy on the turkey and her cornbread stuffing.

No wine, no one in my family likes it except Mother and she only drinks red wine. No vegetables either, just unadulterated turkey flavor with some salt and pepper. My girls always believed that potatoes were just a vehicle to hold gravy, but the granddaughters have my genes and love the potatoes.

Annie

I really prefer cornstarch for gravy - no lumps and no added taste, and it makes a more smooth, more clear gravy, which I think is prettier.

If I'm using a roux, I'll use Wondra flour, which doesn't lump, but if I'm thickening a stock based cheater "gravy", I use arrowroot starch. It behaves similarly to Carol's description of cornstarch without the translucence, but I like it better. I'm assuming my mother did it, and so it's more like hers, but I don't remember specifically.

I rarely make gravy the same way twice. For the turkey, like my mother, of course, I serve pan juices, of which I always have enough. That's large chunks of mirepoix, herbs, maybe some peppercorns in the bottom of the roaster, and a bottle of cheap white wine, with all the accumulation of turkey juices, lumps removed, and poured off so that most of the fat remains in the pan (but I have a separator if needed or if I'm just in a hurry). I do check it for seasoning, but don't usually have to amend it.

The only "gravy" I make to a specific recipe is the (homemade chicken) stock based cheater which I use for chicken pot pies. Last year, I made just a large double turkey breast in a paper roasting bag (with veg and herbs) and poured the drippings (not enough for pan juices) into my cheater chicken gravy, and that came out very well.

If I actually have the right kind of pan drippings, however, I like to make an almost dark roux, and build from there. I love that kind of gravy, but rarely get a chance to make it.

Brown flour in pan drippings, add stock made the day before from parts not being used, and any pan juices. Nowadays I usually use gluten free flour, which is less likely to make lumps. If there are lumps I have a stick blender :-) If I'm making gravy for roast beef I might add mushrooms.

Better than bullion always with a dark roux always!! I have 4 (?) jars of BTB in my fridge and it's the only broth that I use. My first holiday gravy I made with thyme (and maybe something else) and I threw it out. Did not taste right. But full disclosure I always cut back thyme in any recipe. Then the second time I sweated onions for I don't know how long and the third time (my husbands favorite) i didn't bother with the onions so now just use chicken and beef BTB. My FIL likes a thin Tday gravy so I make 2 with one thinner and with turkey BTB for him.

Made a day ahead so at least one more thing off the list while I'm running behind!