Ingredients:

  • Giblets (Neck, heart, gizzard, from a 12-16 lb turkey/chicken)
  • 1 medium Onion, roughly chopped (150 g)
  • 1 medium Carrot, roughly chopped (100 g)
  • 1 stalk Celery, roughly chopped (50 g)
  • 4 cups Water or unsalted chicken stock (950 ml)
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
  • 2 large Bay Leaves
  • 1 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns
  • 4 tablespoons Fat/Drippings (55 g, skimmed from the roast pan, or unsalted butter)
  • 1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour (30 g, plain flour)
  • 1/2 cup Pan Drippings/Juices (120 ml, concentrated from the roasting pan)
  • 5 cups Reserved Giblet Stock (830 ml)
  • The cooked liver, finely chopped (optional)
  • Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Prepare Giblets and Aromatics: Rinse the giblets (excluding the liver). Place the neck, heart, gizzard, onion, carrot, celery, thyme, and bay leaves into the saucepan.
  2. Simmer for Stock: Cover the contents with 4 cups of water or stock. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off any grey foam that rises to the surface during the first 15 minutes.
  3. Slow Simmer: Cover partially and simmer gently for 1.5 hours, ensuring the stock reduces slightly and becomes deeply flavoured.
  4. Strain and Reserve: Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl, discarding the vegetables and herbs. Reserve the cooked giblets (neck, heart, gizzard).
  5. Prep the Meat: Once the reserved giblets are cool enough to handle, separate the meat from the neck bones. Finely chop the neck meat, heart, and gizzard. Set aside.
  6. Skim the Fat: While the roast bird is resting, pour all the pan drippings into a fat separator. Reserve 4 tablespoons (55g) of the clear fat for the roux, and 1/2 cup (120ml) of the dark brown pan juices.
  7. Make the Roux: In the same saucepan (or a clean one), melt the reserved 4 tablespoons of fat/butter over medium heat. When shimmering, whisk in the flour until smooth. Cook the roux for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it reaches a pale, nutty brown colour (Blond Roux).
  8. Deglaze and Flavour: Slowly whisk the reserved pan juices into the roux. Whisk constantly to incorporate the flavour and scrape up any brown bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan.
  9. Thicken the Gravy: Gradually whisk in the cool giblet stock, 1 cup at a time. Bringing the cool liquid gradually to the hot roux prevents lumps.
  10. Simmer and Reduce: Bring the gravy to a simmer. Let it gently bubble for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it coats the back of a spoon thickly (Nappé).
  11. Finish and Season: Stir in the finely chopped giblet meat (and the chopped liver, if using). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If too thick, add a splash more hot water or stock; if too thin, simmer for a few more minutes. Serve piping hot.