We’ve included the liver in our giblet gravy, which gives it a richer flavor. If you simply cannot abide with even a hint of the taste of liver, you can leave it out. Giblet gravy is usually served “chunky”, if you want, you can puree it for a smoother gravy. One traditional option is the addition of chopped hard boiled eggs to the gravy. If you want to try that, chop up 3 hard boiled eggs finely, and add them to the gravy in step 5.
Ingredients :
Giblets (neck, gizzard, heart, liver) from a turkey (or chicken)
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
5 cups water
Drippings from the turkey or chicken
2-3 tablespoons flour (or 2-3 Tbsp of corn starch, dissolved first into 1/4 cup of water)
Salt to taste
1-2 teaspoons of mustard (yellow or Dijon)
Step 1 : Fry Giblets on Butter
Heat the butter in a 2-quart saucepan on medium-high heat. When hot, add the giblets to the pan. Brown them on all sides.
Step 2 : Cook Giblets Well
Add the onion, celery and carrot and saute until the onions turn translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the bay leaf, thyme and water. Bring to a simmer. Lower the heat, partially cover so that some steam escapes, and cook on a low simmer for several hours, while the turkey (or chicken) is cooking.
Step 3 : Finely Mince Giblet Meat
Once the bird is close to being done, strain the giblets and stock through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Set aside the stock. Remove the giblets from the sieve. Finely mince the giblet meat. If you want, you can pull some of the meat off of the neck and mince that as well.
Step 4 : Cook With Flour
Once the bird is done, move it to a cutting board to let it rest. Pour off the excess fat (all but a tablespoon or two) from the roasting pan. Set the roasting pan over two burners of the stovetop set over medium heat. Add the flour (or corn starch slurry) and whisk it into the drippings. Stir in the minced giblets. Let cook for a few minutes, stirring while cooking.
Step 5 : Final
Add the strained giblet stock to the pan drippings and giblets and mix well to combine. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until the gravy thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1-2 teaspoons of mustard (to taste). Check for salt and add more salt to taste if needed. Serve it as-is, or purée the gravy in a blender for a smoother texture.
