How to make Do-Ahead, Freezable, Gluten Free Gravy
gluten and dairy free gravy
Prepare this gluten and dairy free gravy a week or two before your holiday and enjoy your guests without the last minute scramble of making gravy. Store it into the freezer and thaw it out a day before your holiday party. Serving this rich and flavorful gravy is a snap when you keep it warm in a small crock pot. This recipe makes about 6 cups of gluten and dairy free, freezable gravy.
Ingredients:
Fresh poultry: 6 turkey wings, 3 turkey legs or a family pack size of chicken legs or wings. Turkey gives a richer flavor and is easier to de-bone.
2 medium onions cut in wedges
1 cup water
2 quarts gluten free chicken broth, divided
3-4 large carrots
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery salt or three stalks of celery
6 tablespoons tapioca or sweet rice flour
turkey wings
roasted turkey wings
stock for making gravy.
tapioca flour and chicken broth
gluten free gravy
fat rises to the top
gluten free gravy
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the poultry and the onions in a roasting pan. Add 1 cup water. Roast for one to one and a half hours until browned.
Transfer browned poultry parts and onion into a large stock pot. Pour a cup of water into the roaster and scrape to loosen the flavorful brownings. Pour into the stock pot.
Add one and one-half quarts of chicken broth and reserve the rest in the fridge for thickening later. Add the spices and carrots, but not the flour. Simmer the stock uncovered on low for 90 minutes.
Remove the meat, skin and bones from the pot, saving the meat for another meal.
Pour the stock through a fine mesh strainer into a 3 quart pot. Discard or freeze the cooked vegetables for another use.
Heat the stock to a gentle boil. Mix the tapioca starch or rice flour with the reserved broth in a gravy shaker or whisk together in a small bowl.
Note: Gluten free tapioca starch or sweet rice flour can be found in co-ops, Asian food stores or in the "natural" section of many grocery stores. These two thickeners will not separate when frozen and can be reheated.
Gradually add the gluten free thickener to the stock, stirring constantly. Add more or less thickener until desired consistency is reached. Remove from heat.
Place thickened gravy in the fridge overnight. This causes the fat to rise to the surface. Skim off the fat and discard before heating or freezing the gravy. Place your gravy in a zipper bag and freeze for up to six weeks.
The gravy will have a molted surface when you thaw it out as the spices have settled. The gravy is low fat and when heated reconstitutes to the original consistency. Enjoy!
