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Gravy with Brined drippings?

post #1 of 7
10/26/06 at 8:18pm
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I brine my turkey for thanksgiving, which makes for an incredibly moist bird, but the drippings lead to a too salty gravy. Anyone else encounter this? How did you remedy it? Thanks.

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post #2 of 7
10/26/06 at 10:01pm
Don't use the drippings for your gravy.

Instead, you can buy some turkey parts (either raw or a smoked turkey leg) and make a bit of stock to be reduced into your gravy.

People who deep fry their turkeys have the same problem.
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post #3 of 7
10/26/06 at 10:18pm
Lol, at first I thought you were making the gravy out of the actualy BRINE, and I was like...salmonella gravy, anyone?

Yeah, I would say to either just make a chicken or turkey stock the day or two before, or you could always roast another, smaller, unbrined bird and use THAT carcass and drippings for a sauce. The meat would still be good for sandwiches, etc.

Good luck.
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post #4 of 7
10/26/06 at 10:24pm
No No No, my family loves this kind of gravy ! Seriously. this is exaclty how I make it. I can definately see where you are coming from though. The thing we do is make two different kinds of bird. But we love it ! Salmonella bird LOL .
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post #5 of 7
10/27/06 at 3:23am
Well, first suggestion would be to not add ANY other salt to the mix, but I'm pretty sure you've already done that heh. :crazy:

After that... the only thing I could think of to help reduce salt content would be to just not reduce it too much and find alternative means of thickening it up (roux, cornstarch, etc...) and see if that helps.
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post #6 of 7
10/27/06 at 7:53am
I think you need at least some quantity of salt for the chemistry of brining to occur- that and some type of sugar (fruit sugar from juice, brown or white sugar, etc.). I seem to remember this from Alton Brown's episode on brining and how it works.

I brined my turkey last year with great success. I reserved the gizzard, neck and a few other tidbits prior to brining, made a little broth (with the addition of an onion and some celery) and got a gravy my family liked. Due to their dietary restrictions I have to avoid using much salt, pepper or any garlic at all. :eek: Still, the gravy was good because I reduced the broth quite a bit and got the flavor.
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post #7 of 7
10/27/06 at 8:18am
I take any excess fat within the body cavity that can be easily pulled out and put in a small oven proof skillet with the heart, gizzard, neck and wing tips of the bird, maybe with a little olive oil and butter. I start the browning on the stove top and finish in the oven at about 350. I put everything from the skillet into a sauce pan, every little morsel, deglazing the pan also. Add a whole carrot, an onion, a celery rib, bay leaf, parsley, pepper and garlic cloves and simmer very low for a long time, till gizzard and carrot is very fork tender.

I strain the meat items out, chop what I want for the gravy, discard the rest. Strain the broth and hold until ready to make gravy.
I make the gravy from this and from unsalted chicken broth. I also glean small bits of crusty drippings from the turkey pan corners and add to the gravy before adding any salt.

I do the majority of this early, as I drop the bird in the brine, then refrigerate until the turkey is on the home stretch. You'll be surprised at the quantity and flavor you can coax out of the giblets and wing tips this way.
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