Madeira Gravy

Madeira Gravy
Rikki Snyder for The New York Times
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(316)
Notes
Read community notes

Maderia, a fortified wine, brings wonderful flavor to this Thanksgiving pan gravy, quickly whisked together after the bird emerges from the oven. As with any gravy, the flavor of the stock is essential here, so it's absolutely worth the time to make your own.

Featured in: The Turkey Has Left The Building

Learn: How to Make Gravy

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Ingredients

Yield:About 3 cups
  • Turkey drippings from drip pan (optional)
  • 2 to 2½cups turkey or chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • ¼cup Madeira wine
  • 3tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2shallots, minced
  • 3tablespoons flour
  • ¼cup heavy cream
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

155 calories; 11 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 328 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour the turkey drippings from the pan through a strainer into a fat separator. Pour turkey juices (minus fat) into a large heatproof measuring cup, and add enough turkey or chicken stock to make 2½ cups. Place pan over high heat, and deglaze it with Madeira. Strain pan mixture into measuring cup.

  2. Step 2

    Melt butter in a saucepan. Add shallots, and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent, 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add flour, and cook until a dark golden brown, 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon.

  3. Step 3

    Remove saucepan from heat, and whisk in stock-Madeira mixture and heavy cream. Return to heat, and gradually bring sauce to a boil, whisking steadily. Briskly simmer thickened sauce until slightly reduced, whisking often, about 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ratings

4 out of 5
316 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

The key is great stock with the bits from the roasted bird added. The gravy can be made ahead, and all that gets added the day of roasting is the roasted bits and drippings.

I made this for Thanksgiving this year. This was my first time making this gravy. It seemed a little bland. I may try it again but put less cream in so that the turkey flavor stands out more.

I love this gravy and I omit the cream too. I use a bit more madeira than the recipe calls for. I also use sort of a "double" turkey stock. I make my turkey stock using homemade mushroom stock instead of water. We eat a LOT of mushrooms so I save the feet in a ziplock in the freezer to make mushroom stock. Mushrooms and madeira are made for each other. When not using it for Thanksgiving gravy the mushroom stock is a great vegan stock for other applications.

So amazing, though I left out the heavy cream. The first 2 steps were very important and made a deep flavored beautifully dark colored gravy. I will use this will beef tenderloin next.

I agree with Peter. I also thought the heavy cream made it taste too heavy/creamy/dairy and I only used a splash of it. I would probably try this without dairy next time.

I agree that this gravy is really good. However, since I just roasted split turkey breasts, there were no drippings to use for the first part of the recipe. So I started on step 2. Sauteed shallots, then added Madeira and followed the rest of the recipe. I had never made gravy before because my family never cared for it. But they liked this gravy. I guess it’s the Madeira that gives it that special flavor. Next time I will sauté sliced mushrooms along with the shallots.

This gravy was absolutely outstanding, like words cannot describe. I had scant drippings from roasting a half turkey breast, so this somewhat universal gravy saved the day. Used dry Marsala because that’s what I had on hand, I did add the splash of cream, and thickened with rice flour and cornstarch to accommodate the gluten-intolerant in the house. Really, really splendid :)

I made this with chicken stock I had in the fridge, as I wanted some gravy for some pork loin and mashed potatoes that I was eating as leftovers. I added some minced cooked thigh meat and minced cooked chicken skin that was on hand, and a few sprigs of fresh thyme, and substituted sherry, as it was without madeira. While obviously this isn't following the what the recipe called for, the result was tasty. Then I typed this note, but am unsure why.

This is great and will use again. Accidentally overly browned the shallots and butter, but this added some flavor and color. Used Marsala vs Madeira, as that is what I had, and used a little balsamic vinegar also. All good. Didn't use the cream..... really just forgot, and I liked the final product.

I just got this recipe after the big day, so haven't made it yet. But I agree; pan drippings are essential, as is (according to my daughter, who did make it) deglazing the pan with the Madeira; it's where the flavor is!

Great! Used homemade stock. Omitted cream. It was rich enough without it.

That was delicious with our smoked turkey!

This was easy to make. It tasted rich and delicious. My husband loved it. I didn’t have Madeira wine, so I used a Hanna Pinot Noir. We didn’t have many drippings because we just had a little turkey breast this year, but it was still decadent.

I always make a concentrated stock from the carcass and freeze it for the next turkey gravy. I will have to try the Madeira next turkey.

A splash of fish sauce or soy sauce is the perfect foil for blandness. Whether for soups, stews gravies, etc. You're welcome!

I love this gravy and I omit the cream too. I use a bit more madeira than the recipe calls for. I also use sort of a "double" turkey stock. I make my turkey stock using homemade mushroom stock instead of water. We eat a LOT of mushrooms so I save the feet in a ziplock in the freezer to make mushroom stock. Mushrooms and madeira are made for each other. When not using it for Thanksgiving gravy the mushroom stock is a great vegan stock for other applications.

I haven't made this, so I hate to review. But, my best ever gravy was a pan gravy I made 39 years ago. It was delicious and it was a pan gravy using the drippings and milk, not cream. It was rich enough with the milk, but had such a nice consistency. I'm going to try this recipe but use milk. I like David's suggestion to use meal bits of turkey and plan to do that.

I can pass on the cream, but Madeira is a perfect match for turkey.

So amazing, though I left out the heavy cream. The first 2 steps were very important and made a deep flavored beautifully dark colored gravy. I will use this will beef tenderloin next.

I made this for Thanksgiving this year. This was my first time making this gravy. It seemed a little bland. I may try it again but put less cream in so that the turkey flavor stands out more.

I agree with Peter. I also thought the heavy cream made it taste too heavy/creamy/dairy and I only used a splash of it. I would probably try this without dairy next time.

The key is great stock with the bits from the roasted bird added. The gravy can be made ahead, and all that gets added the day of roasting is the roasted bits and drippings.

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Credits

Adapted from "BBQ USA" by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2003)

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