This is part of a series of blog posts about how to slim down your Thanksgiving side dishes and treats. For more information about healthier Thanksgiving cooking, read this article.
Gravy is, well, the gravy of the Thanksgiving meal. It blankets mashed potatoes with its silky deliciousness, and the unctuous condiment helps hide overcooked or dried-out turkey. Unfortunately, gravy is often little more than grease and fat.
Typical serving size=1/4 cup (about the size of an egg)
100 calories 4 g fat
It needn't be. Significantly cut calories by skimming the fat from your pan juices. Doing so can bring your gravy to 25 calories and less than a gram of fat per serving.
- Use a kitchen gadget called a fat separator (sounds like some sort of beauty torture device, doesn't it?) to slim down your gravy.
- You can also add some ice cubes to the pan juices, which will help the fat congeal faster. If you have plenty of time, put the juices in the refrigerator, then scoop off the coagulated fat when it has cooled.
- In a pinch for time? Carefully lay a paper towel on the top of the juices to blot the fat.
- The key to tasty gravy is using all the drippings from the roasting pan (with the fat skimmed off). This gives plenty of flavor without the added fat or calories. Forgo added butter, which really bumps up the calories and fat.
How to deglaze: After draining off most of the juices and removing the fat, place the roasting pan on the stove (don't do this if you're using a glass roasting pan! The pan will explode. Trust me. I learned that the hard way back in college!) over two burners. Turn heat to medium and add about a cup of broth, wine or even milk to pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a spoon to get up all those flavorful bits. You can also add dried or fresh herbs in this stage. Continue making gravy as you normally would.
- To thicken your gravy, you have two options. 1. Heat the pan juices until they have reduced in volume. This will create a thin, glazelike gravy. 2. Heat pan juices with a thickener to create creamier, thicker gravy.
- For lump-free gravy, place a bit of flour or cornstarch (about a tablespoon to start, but there is no exact measurement as pan juices will vary) in a jar with a lid. Add twice as much liquid as flour, then shake until well mixed. Add this mixture, called a slurry, to the remaining pan juices and heat until the desired consistency is reached. If you want thicker gravy, make another slurry. To thin your gravy, add a bit of broth, wine or water.
- You can also sift your flour or cornstarch into the pan juices or broth and whisk briskly to prevent lumps. Because sifting spreads the powder evenly throughout the pan, lumps won't form.
- Lumps arise because the starch (flour, cornstarch, etc.) is shocked by the hot liquid. The hot liquid creates little dumplings from the flour, resulting in lumps.
- Vegetarians shouldn't miss out on the gravy at Thanksgiving. Make a savory onion and mushroom gravy! (47 calories, 3.5 g* fat, 260 mg sodium, 0.6 g fiber, 3.4 g carbs per 1/4 cup serving) *This fat is unsaturated, and it comes from olive oil.
What's your gravy tip? How do you make it? Do you add milk, wine or broth? Do you like it lumpy?
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