Dressing and gravy are traditional holiday foods and they are easy on the food budget. This article contains my favorite recipes for Turkey Gravy, Oyster Dressing and Mashed Potatoes. You may omit the oysters from the dressing if you don’t like oysters or if I am not invited. We say year after year the best thing on the table is the Oyster Dressing and homemade gravy.

Gravy is such an essential part of holiday dinners and I find more often than not people stress over it. Did you know you can make delicious gravy in advance? In fact I recommend making it a day ahead. Yes, you hear me, you can also make your gravy days in advance and warm it up for dinner! It is so much better that a packet of gravy mix or store bought gravy in a jar.

This homemade turkey gravy recipe does not use pan drippings. Instead, we utilize the turkey neck that comes inside the turkey cavity or extra turkey necks you buy separately (and optional backbone, if you Spatchcock your turkey) to create a rich and tasty gravy. You can save the drippings from your turkey after the big meal for future gravy or save as stock. Note:  if you refrigerate these drippings you can remove the chilled fat by skimming the top and you still have the flavor in the broth below.

The flavor from these bones are yummy! No one will notice the pan drippings are missing and so are the calories from fat! In fact, this step may eliminate indigestion from greasy gravy! Make the gravy ahead of time and just heat when needed! No more rushing to make gravy and the last minute as your turkey rests and your company crowds your kitchen.

Homemade Turkey Gravy (using Turkey Necks)

Turkey Neck Gravy

Uncooked turkey neck, turkey backbone or extra turkey necks

About 3 cups of water

1 Tbsp. Salt

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

¾ cup COLD water

½ teaspoon black pepper

1/4 -1/2 teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet

1. Place turkey neck and backbone, or turkey necks (and giblets: poultry heart, gizzard and liver if you like, personally I do not and I omit them) in deep pot or pressure cooker and cover with three cups of water and add salt. 

If in a regular pot:  Add lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until fork tender.  

If in a pressure cooker:  Secure the lid and weight and bring to full pressure then immediately reduce heat to medium-low for a gentle rock of the weight and cook for 25 minutes. Turn off heat and allow pressure to release.

2. Remove bones by removing the necks and/or backbones to a platter and using two forks save the poultry meat and discard the skin and bones.
3. Cut the poultry meat into tiny pieces with scissors and place turkey meat back in the broth.
4. You can refrigerate this broth for at least 2 hours or overnight so you can skim off the solid fat.
5. Then bring back to a boil.
6. Meanwhile measure ¾ cup cold water and 2 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the cold water and whisk until smooth. (Note: the COLD water is key as it eliminates lumps).
7. Slowly add to hot broth and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until thickened, anywhere between 10-20 minutes.
8. Add ½ teaspoon black pepper and start with ¼ teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet; stir. The Kitchen Bouquet will enhance color and flavor. Note it only takes an additional small amount to obtain the light brown color desired for Turkey Gravy, adjust as desired. Check flavor and add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Gravy is ready for consumption or may be refrigerated or frozen and reheated to serve later.
10. Serve hot with turkey, dressing or mashed potatoes. Gravy reheats easily in the microwave.

Note:  You may use chicken necks instead of turkey necks to make gravy.

Down East NC Oyster Dressing (You can make it without oysters, if I am not invited)

Oyster Dressing

Large onion, chopped

4 ribs of celery, chopped

Turkey neck

3 cups of water

1 t. salt

½ t. black pepper

8 oz. package of herb stuffing

5 slices of sandwich bread (or the equivalent of leftover hotdog buns or crackers) torn into small pieces

½ c butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 pint oysters, cut in two pieces if large (for plain dressing, omit oysters)

1. Add prepared onion, celery, turkey neck, water, salt and pepper to pressure cooker. Secure lid and bring to full pressure on high. Stay in the kitchen and listen for full pressure fast rocking of the pressure canner. Immediately reduce heat to medium low and cook for 25 minutes with a slow gentle rock (listen and adjust to keep a gentle rock). Properly release pressure and remove turkey neck/backbones and save the broth. Note: If you do not have a pressure cooker you can use a regular pot to make the gravy simple add all the ingredients and place the lid on the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until fork tender.
2. Remove and discard bones and skin then use kitchen scissors chop the meat into very small pieces and add meat back to hot broth.
3. Meanwhile while grease a 9 X 13 casserole dish and set aside.
4. Place herb stuffing and bread in a large bowl. Be sure to tear bread into small pieces.
5. Add butter on top of stuffing and bread. Pour the hot broth over butter, stuffing and torn bread and stir. You may need to add additional hot water and stir as this should be wet like a totally saturated sponge without standing liquid. Allow to stand 30 minutes to soften all stuffing and bread while you preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Add one egg stir (and fold in raw oysters if desired) . Pour into greased casserole dish and bake for 45 minutes. Serve very warm. It should be soft with a crisp brown crust. After the meal refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Note:  You can save chicken necks in place of turkey necks and freeze them to make this dressing year around…the dressing is the best thing on the menu every time!

Mashed Potatoes serves 6-8

Mashed Potatoes

This recipe of Mashed Potatoes results in texture speaks “real and homemade” to my family. Also by mashing the potatoes as opposed to creaming or whipping with an electric mixer or food processor I don’t overmix resulting in gummy potatoes. I am sure many of you have recipes for Mashed potatoes with cream cheese, sour cream, herbs and spice but, this basic recipe is delicious plain or with gravy.

6 large russet potatoes (about 3 1/2 pounds total), scrubbed

1 T. Salt for cooking

1 stick salted butter

1/2 cup milk or heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

1. Peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into 1 1/2 inch chunks.
2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the potatoes and simmer until they are very soft, fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the butter and milk over medium-low heat just until the butter is melted and the milk is warm.
4. Using a glass liquid measuring cup dip and remove about ½ c of hot starchy water from the potatoes and set aside.
5. Then using a colander drain thoroughly and return the potatoes to the same pot.
6. Mash the potatoes using a manual potato masher, adding the milk/butter mixture in about four parts, mashing as you go. Mash until the potatoes are creamy and well-blended but still have a bit of texture. You may need to add some of the starchy water you reserved to get the right consistency.
7. Taste the mashed potatoes and season to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Always add black pepper after cooking so the black pepper does not gray the mashed potatoes.
8. Serve hot.
9. Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Sources for this article NC Extension Food and Nutrition and NCSU Safe Plates educational program. For more information about the Foods and Nutrition please contact Louise L. Hinsley, Extension Agent, Family Consumer Science at the Beaufort County Center of N.C. Cooperative Extension, 155 Airport Road, Washington, NC  252-946-0111.