Get-ahead gravy

Perfect for your big-day turkey

Get-ahead gravy

Serves Makes 1 litre
Time Cooks In2 hours plus cooling & defrosting
DifficultyNot too tricky
Nutrition per serving Plus
  • Calories 114 6%
  • Fat 5g 7%
  • Saturates 1.5g 8%
  • Sugars 3.5g 4%
  • Salt 0.5g 8%
  • Protein 7.4g 15%
  • Carbs 10.3g 4%
  • Fibre 1.2g -
Of an adult's reference intake
recipe adapted from

Jamie's Easy Christmas Countdown

By Jamie Oliver
Tap For Method

Ingredients

  • 2 onions
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • 2 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
  • 2 fresh bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs of fresh sage
  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • 2 star anise
  • 10 chicken wings or 3 chicken drumsticks and 3 chicken legs
  • olive oil
  • 60 ml sherry or port , optional
  • 4 tablespoons plain flour
  • 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce
Tap For Method

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recipe adapted from

Jamie's Easy Christmas Countdown

By Jamie Oliver
Tap For Ingredients

Method

GET AHEAD
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
2. Peel the onions, wash the carrots, then roughly chop with the celery and bacon. Put the veg, bay leaves, sage, rosemary and star anise into a sturdy high-sided roasting tray, then scatter the chopped bacon on top.
3. Add the chicken to the tray – if you’re using the chicken wings, break them open first and bash with a rolling pin to help release extra flavour as they cook. Drizzle with oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, toss, then cook for 1 hour, or until tender.
4. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer to a low heat on the hob. Really grind and mash everything with a potato masher, scraping up all the goodness from the base of the tray (the longer you let it fry, the darker your gravy will be). If you want to add sherry or port, now’s the time to do so; just leave it to cook away for a few minutes.
5. Gradually stir in the flour, then pour in 2 litres of boiling kettle water. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.
6. When the gravy is the consistency of your liking, pour it through a coarse sieve into a large bowl, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon. Taste and season to perfection, cool to room temperature, then pour into containers or bags and pop into the fridge or freezer, ready to finish off on Christmas Day.
7. If you’ve gone for the chicken drumsticks and legs option, don’t discard the leftover mixture in your sieve – see the tip box for delicious ways to use it up.

2 DAYS BEFORE
8. If you’ve frozen your gravy, take it out to defrost in the fridge until needed.

ON THE DAY
9. When the turkey’s perfectly cooked, remove it to a platter to rest for up to 2 hours, covered with a double layer of tin foil and a clean tea towel. Skim away most of the fat from the tray, cool, and place into a jar in the fridge for tasty cooking another day.
10. Pour your defrosted Get-ahead gravy into the tray with the rest of the turkey juices. Bring to the boil over the hob and scrape up all those sticky bits from the base. Have a taste, then stir in the cranberry sauce to balance the flavours.
11. Once your gravy is piping hot, carefully strain through a coarse sieve into a pan, then leave it on the lowest heat until you’re ready to serve. Skim away any fat that rises to the top, and add any extra resting juices from the turkey before serving.

Tips

- If you’ve used the chicken drumsticks and legs, make the most of those lovely leftovers! Once you’ve sieved the ingredients, leave them to cool, then carefully pick through the chicken and discard all the bones and any whole spices and herbs – you need to be very careful here, so put on a Christmas podcast and take your time so you don’t miss any. Then you’re ready to turn them into a delicious meal – try my scruffy lasagne, pastry pockets, mash-topped bake or festive tortilla.
- Remember, chicken leftovers from the gravy must only be reheated once, and must be piping hot to serve.

recipe adapted from

Jamie's Easy Christmas Countdown

By Jamie Oliver