how to make gravy without the pan drippings (orange brandy gravy)

How to make gravy without the pan drippings (orange brandy gravy). Some of us won’t have access to the pan drippings to make traditional gravy from scratch this holiday season. Maybe you’re smoking or grilling a piece of meat or perhaps someone else is in charge of the meat/bird & they can’t make a decent gravy to save themselves. Either way, this gravy will go with any & all meat being serving – turkey, pork, chicken, ham, lamb, elk, venison, pheasant, beef & such. Making gravy without the pan drippings is easy & can be made ahead of time & stored in the fridge for three days or in the freezer for three months – very handy.

A gravy is essentially a sauce that uses the pan drippings to make it gravy. In this recipe I’m substituting the pan drippings for butter but I’m still calling it a gravy because the method is still the same: make a roux with fat & flour then add liquid. Let’s not split hairs.

If you’re feeling adventurous, flame the brandy but do be careful. Let’s not burn the eyebrows off during the festive season. The gravy simmers for long enough to remove the alcoholic taste if you prefer not to ignite it. I usually only ignite a spirit in a sauce if it’s not going to cook for very long. This gravy simmers away for 15 minutes. Long enough.

As much as gravy relies on pan drippings for flavor, a good stock, or broth, is even more important. Homemade stock or broth is easy to make. Here’s a recipe for chicken broth but use turkey legs or wings in place of chicken if you can find them & want to make turkey gravy. I generally used chicken broth in most gravies because most times that’s what I have in the freezer. Once the gravy is thick enough for your liking – make sure it’s thick enough because no one likes watery gravy & it’s easy to add a splash of water or orange juice on the day to thin it if it’s too thick. Then just to be certain of a smooth gravy, strain it through a fine, metal sieve. Pour it into either a gravy boat for immediate serving, jars or Tupperware for storing. And voila, you have gravy. Taste it along the way for seasoning & if you think it needs a little more salt, add it right at the end. Cheers for now, Lovoni xo

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orange brandy gravy

This gravy will go with any meat your serving – turkey, pork, chicken, lamb, pheasant, beef & such. Making gravy without the pan juices is easy & can be made ahead of time & stored in the fridge for three days or in the freezer for three month. If you’re feeling adventurous, flame the brandy but do be careful. The gravy simmers for long enough to remove the alcohol taste from the gravy if you prefer not to ignite it. I usually only ignite a spirit in a sauce if it’s not going to cook for very long. I use a large frying pan/skillet because the gravy reduces & thickens faster this way.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Australian

Keyword: how to make gravy

Servings: 8

Author: Lovoni Walker

Equipment

• frying pan
• whisk
• large fine sieve

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick/125g)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (plain)
• 1 cup brandy
• 5 cups turkey or chicken stock/broth
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2/3 cup cranberry jelly (canned or homemade – both work well)
• pinch of salt & freshly ground pepper

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat.
• Add the flour & stir over for 1 minute to cook flour.
• Add the brandy, stirring constantly until thickened.
• Add the remaining ingredients, whisking to remove any lumps. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until thickened. Strain to remove any lumps. Makes about 4 cups. Serves 8.