Christmas lunch just wouldn't be the same without lashings of thick, flavoursome gravy, served steaming hot in the poshest gravy bought you have (well it is Christmas).
We've got three great gravy recipes for you to try — and if you really want to push the boat out, instructions for cranberry sauce and bread sauce too!
Asda homemade gravy (Serves 8)
Ingredients:
Turkey giblets
1 bay leaf
1 carrot
1 onion
Sprigs of parsley and thyme
650ml stock
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
3 tbsp flour
Method:
1. The day before, remove the giblets from the turkey. Put them all (except the liver) in a pan with bay leaf, carrot, onion (halved) and a few sprigs of parsley and thyme.
2. Add 700ml water and partially cover with a lid. Simmer for 2 hours, skimming the surface occasionally. Strain, skim and refrigerate.
3. On Christmas Day, measure 650ml of your stock or dissolve a stock cube in 600ml hot water. Drain the fat from the roasting tin, leaving about 6 tbsp meat juices.
4. Transfer these to a pan, using a wooden spoon to make sure you include all the bits of meat stuck to the tin.
5. Stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Cook over a low heat for half a minute whisking with a wire whisk.
6. Add the stock and redcurrant jelly. Bring to the boil, whisking all the time, and simmer for 3 minutes.
Do you want to make this gravy? You can buy the ingredients at recipes.asda.com
READ MORE:
Tesco roasted garlic gravy (Makes 900ml/ 1½ pints)
Ingredients:
For the stock
1 garlic head, plus 3 extra garlic cloves
1tsp olive oil
2kg (4lb) turkey wings or legs
2 medium onions, quartered
4 celery sticks, halved
3 carrots, peeled and halved
4 bay leaves
For the gravy
900ml (1½pt) stock
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tsp chopped thyme
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6, 200ºC, fan 180ºC. Slice off the top of the garlic head and place each head on a piece of foil. Spoon over the olive oil and season. Scrunch up the foil around it, leaving it loose.
2. In a large roasting tin, arrange the turkey pieces, onion, celery, carrots and the garlic wrapped in foil.
3. Season well and roast for 1½ hours or until browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the turkey and the vegetables into a large saucepan or stockpot. Pour the dripping into a measuring jug and chill for later. Set aside the garlic to use later when whisking the gravy.
4. Pour enough water into the stockpot to cover everything by 4cm (2in). Add the bay leaves and a few whole peppercorns. Place a lid on to partially cover it. Bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer and leave for 1½ hours. Don’t be tempted to stir while cooking as this will make the stock cloudy.
5. Add 1 teaspoon salt and then pour through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the vegetables but keep the turkey leg meat for sandwiches. Measure out 900ml (1½ pints) of the stock for the gravy and freeze the rest for other uses.
6. Heat a heavy saucepan. Take the measuring jug with the original dripping from the fridge (the fat and juices will have separated), then add 3 tablespoons of the fat to the saucepan and heat. Discard the remaining fat from the measuring jug but keep the juices to one side.
7. Fry the shallots and thyme in the pan until softened. Add the flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes until very smooth. Keep the heat low so it doesn’t burn.
8. Squeeze in the roasted garlic and add the lemon juice. Pour in the juices and stock and continue whisking for 5-8 minutes until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Does this roasted garlic gravy sound like the perfect Christmas dinner accompaniment? You can buy the ingredients at realfood.tesco.com
Aldi sherry stock for roast turkey (Serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
300ml Caversham cream sherry
1 Quixo stock cube
300ml boiling water
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp Stonemill dried parsley
Black pepper
Quixo chicken gravy granules
Method:
1. Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water, add the sherry, parsley, garlic cloves (no need to peel) and season with some black pepper.
2. Pour this around your turkey then baste the bird every 20 minutes as you are roasting. Once the turkey is cooked, put on a platter, cover with some clean tea towels and allow the bird to rest – the juices will settle and it will be more succulent and easier to carve. You can leave it for up to an hour.
3. Use the cooking juices to make the best ever gravy – discard the garlic cloves and thicken with some Quixo Chicken Gravy Granules.
READ MORE:
READ MORE:
Other homemade sauces recipes
Asda cranberry sauce (Serves 30)
Ingredients:
500g fresh cranberries
1 orange, grated zest and juice of
125g caster sugar
Method:
1. Put the cranberries in a pan, along with the grated zest and juice from the orange, then bring to a gentle simmer.
2. Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves completely. Simmer for 4 minutes or until the cranberries burst.
3. Pour into a bowl and leave to cool before serving.
If you fancy making this lovely cranberry sauce, you can buy the ingredients at recipes.asda.com
Tesco all-in-one bread sauce (Serves 6)
Ingredients:
1 onion, finely chopped
2 slices white bread, crusts removed and torn into pieces
400ml (14fl oz) whole milk
50ml (¼ pt) double cream
4 cloves
1 bay leaf
Method:
1. Place all the ingredients into a medium pan. Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer for 15 minutes until the onion is soft. Remove the cloves and bay leaf, and season well.
2. Using a stick blender, whizz for a smooth sauce – or you can leave as it is if you prefer a more textured finish.
There's no need to buy a bread sauce with this recipe. You can buy the ingredients at realfood.tesco.com
