Save time this Thanksgiving and try my make ahead Paleo Turkey Gravy!
Please read the recipe notes before you start!
Preheat your oven to 400F or 200C
Mix the chicken wings, olive oil, carrots, onion, and celery in a large roasting pan and cook for 45 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and put it on the stovetop, then using a potato masher smash up the vegetables and chicken wings a bit to release more of the flavors.
Mix the tapioca starch with three tbsp cold water (taken from the 2 quarts water you'll add to the gravy) and mix well to combine.
Add the remaining water, mixed tapioca starch, white wine, and bay leaves, to the large roasting pan with the chicken wings then turn the stove onto a medium head and using a wooden spoon or spatula deglaze the pan and scrape up the bits from the bottom.
Simmer on a medium high heat, stirring frequently, for 30 minutes, the gravy should reduce down.
Pour the gravy through a large sieve, let cool, and refrigerate or freeze for later. This gravy is ready to serve as it is, or you can follow the directions below if you plan to serve it with your Thanksgiving Turkey.
On the day your turkey is cooked remove it from the oven, cover it with foil and set aside to let it rest.
Skim the fat off the top of the turkey juices.
Now add the make ahead gravy to the pan with the turkey juices and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it simmer for about five minutes on a medium heat.
Taste the gravy, season with salt and pepper, and then run it through a sieve again.
If you need to thicken it more, you can add another two to three tablespoons of tapioca starch to a little cold water as before.
Remove the gravy from the heat, add in a little of the tapioca starch mixture and stir really well, return to the heat to thicken it up.
TURKEY JUICES - If you use a frozen turkey uncovered in the oven it may not yield a whole lot of turkey juices that you can add to your gravy, so just be aware of that.
A fresh turkey is best, and the juices may evaporate more if the bird is uncovered for a long time in a very hot oven.
If it comes with giblets then you may want to simmer them in a pan for a couple hours to make a little broth if you think your turkey won't make much juice, or you can simply have the gravy as it is, but it technically won't be 'turkey' gravy.
FLAVORED TURKEY - if you stuff your turkey with citrus, garlic or any other yummy flavors then that will also be present in the juices and will affect the flavor of the finished gravy, it won't necessarily be bad but just be aware of that.
Adapted from Jamie Oliver
found on www.noshtastic.com