How I Fool Everyone With Store-Bought Sauce
Welcome to the Scammer’s Guide to Thanksgiving . While there is plenty of advice out there for people making desserts and artisan breads, The Con Man’s Guide is geared toward the individual who could use a helping hand, even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (as if that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to create a stunning traditional feast – with far less of the traditional work involved.
Between the time-consuming idea of making your own turkey broth and the fear of criticism about lumps, gravy can be an unexpected source of stress on Thanksgiving. But everyone wants a flavorful, silky turkey gravy and mash, so what can you do? Well, I’m happy to say that the sauce doesn’t have to be made from scratch for it to taste great. This is how I fool everyone with my “scratchy” gravy from a jar.
Buy store-bought gravy that you really like.
It sounds obvious, but it’s important to first buy a ready-made sauce that you usually like the taste of. Even though we are going to improve it, the basic taste will always be there to some extent.
Canned and powdered gravies have been around for a while, but lately I’ve seen a few trusted brands get into the ready-made gravy game, such as Imagine Foods, which offers a wide variety of organic products, and Better Than Gravy, maker of my favorite soup. base, Better than broth. But you don’t have to be bougie; you can certainly buy a can of Campbell’s or a can of Heinz turkey gravy if that’s your thing.
How to Flavor Store-Bought Sauce
Add herbs. The whole concept of making turkey gravy is to add flavor, but there are other powerful sources of flavor we can turn to. Place the sauce in a saucepan and heat it on the stove. Try adding fresh, finely chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme or sage to the sauce. This will immediately make your sauce stand out from the store bought category.
Boost your umami. If your sauce tastes a little dull or watery, it might benefit from some umami. Try a little soy sauce or a pinch of MSG. I use both and usually dark soy sauce, but just a few drops. Dark soy sauce is less salty and will turn the color a rich brown, but too much of it will make it look more like beef gravy.
If you can, add some drops. Although this will be last minute, I like to add some turkey drippings to the sauce too. These juices will collect in the bottom of the roasting pan after the turkey comes out of the oven. Pour it into a measuring cup and if there is a serious layer of fat floating on top, skim it off. Pour some or all of the liquid into the sauce and whisk.
Add dry seasonings. Avoid dry seasonings and spices such as garlic powder, onion powder or a little cayenne pepper. Be careful with powder, simply dusting will add complexity. If you make the sauce too heavy, it will be too rich.
Adjust consistency
I’ve noticed that most prepared gravies come out of the jar quite thick. OK, very thick. This doesn’t mean they are all like this, but you should be willing to adjust the consistency. If your sauce seems too thick, make sure you heat it up first before you start fiddling with it. Heat will often liquefy congealed starches or fats in the mixture.
If the gravy still looks too thick (even after adding the liquid ingredients listed above), add some store-bought turkey or chicken stock and whisk until you reach your desired thickness.
If the gravy seems too thin (unlikely, but just in case), add the cornstarch slurry a little at a time (follow the tip in the article and use cold broth instead of water for the slurry). Stir and bring the sauce to a boil after each addition before adding more solution.
Add some pieces of meat
Again, this will be a little last minute since you’ll have to wait for the turkey to come out of the oven, but the trick is in the details. When you carve a turkey, you will be left with shreds and extra pieces of meat that come off from larger cuts and slices. Gather them on the blade of a carving knife and insert them directly into the gravy boat. Be sure to cut large pieces into smaller pieces so that the meat is distributed nicely throughout the sauce.
Try the homemade sauce and enjoy. Add a little salt or ground pepper and you’re good to go. Pour the sauce into a container to keep it hot and smooth, and stash the original sauce boat, jar or box deep in the trash.