# 1st smoked turkey, question on gravy & drippings



## luckyblueeye (Nov 21, 2016)

I have read numerous posts on this site regarding brining and injecting etc, but I didn't come across any about making gravy with drippings. Is it possible to do this? Weber website says to place a foil tray under the bird and collect the drippings, then make gravy as usual. Another post said to be sure to add 1/2 g of water in the tray or the drippings dry out and are unusable. I plan on brining my Butterball, add adding flavored butter under the skin....will this release enough fluid to make gravy? I have roasted a turkey more than 15 times, but this is my 1st time using my smokey. Any posts would be greatly appreciated.


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## SmokinAl (Nov 22, 2016)

I would put celery, carrots, onion, garlic, & a can of chicken broth in the pan under the turkey.

This will be the base for your gravy.

Al


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## luckyblueeye (Nov 22, 2016)

Awesome! I will do exactly that, thank you!


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## tropics (Nov 22, 2016)

SmokinAl said:


> I would put celery, carrots, onion, garlic, & a can of chicken broth in the pan under the turkey.
> 
> This will be the base for your gravy.
> 
> Al


I second that and put the bird on a rack,sitting on the carrots

Richie


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 23, 2016)

*Smokey Turkey Gravy*

1- Lg Onion,

4-5 Carrots,

3-4 Ribs Celery

3-4 Peeled Cloves of Garlic

Toss them in a pan under the Turkey, and let the whole deal Smoke for one hour,

THEN add 4-6 Cups Chicken Broth,

1/2tsp Dry Thyme (4-5 sprigs Fresh)

1/2tsp Dry Sage (2 sprigs Fresh)

1-2 ea Bayleaf

Finish the Smoking process to the IT you want.

While the Turkey is resting, dump the pan juices, veggies and all into a 2-3Qt Sauce pot and bring the Jus to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. Strain out the veggies and let the Jus rest a minute or so for the Fat to rise. Skim off the bulk of the fat then using strips of paper towel laid on top of the Jus then quickly removed, take off the last little bit of fat.Bring the Jus back to a simmer. Mix 2T Flour and 4T Chicken Broth for each Cup of defatted Jus. Whisk together to make a Slurry with no lumps, add a little additional Broth if needed. Whisk the Slurry into the simmering Jus, bring back to a simmer and cook 5-10 minutes to cook out the flour taste and fully thicken the Gravy. Adjust the seasoning with Salt and Pepper and serve.

The purpose of Smoking the Vegetable for 1 hour before adding the Broth and Herbs is...The Smoked vegetables Roast in the Dry heat concentrating their Flavors and Sweetness giving the finished Jus a Richer, Deeper, Full Flavor.

Serve the sliced Turkey with plenty of Gravy and Enjoy...JJ


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## mrad (Nov 23, 2016)

Chef JimmyJ said:


> *Smokey Turkey Gravy*
> 
> 1- Lg Onion,
> 
> ...


Jimmy

Will this work when smoking the turkey at 325 or will the liquid all boil out?


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 23, 2016)

mrad said:


> Jimmy
> 
> Will this work when smoking the turkey at 325 or will the liquid all boil out?


You may need to adjust. Add only water as Broth has salt and evaporation will concentrate it. You can make final salt adjustment at the end...JJ


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## mrad (Nov 23, 2016)

so start out with water instead of chicken broth or add water as broth evaporates?  If I start with water, do I add broth at the end?


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## marctrees (Nov 23, 2016)

So, apparently the bird did not come with a gravy bag inside.

We had one of those few days ago, (BUT WITH a gravy bag), no liquid added, only turkey grease, water was totally  cooked off in smoker.

No prob.

BEST ----   BEST ---- would be what said above, ( Jimmy Chef J ) but still if  you don't wqant that effort, not that work, ---- totally awesome gravy from the grease ( may be pretty lacking liquid) and Chicken broth can , ALLLL grease drippings, few tablespoons of flour whipped in.

We always  TRY to buy buy "low sodium" canned  broth , not ALWAYS available.

Simmer Stirring for 10 minutes minimum.

\

Will be wonderful either way.        

TOTALLY.      

Have done variations a hundred times

.Also, we always boil our internal neck, giblets for a few hours, then debone, use that as base for the gravy, w, or wo, a bag.

In our case, NO straining.         Marc


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## roddie (Nov 23, 2016)

So this be my first, I have 2 12 lb turkeys, doing them on my Green Mountain Pellets Grill. I just started brining my turkey, going to do for 18 hours. Then I noticed that it had 8% Butterball moisture solution.
Should I  not brine it? I saw on this forum that it's not needed?
And at 300° how long would it take me I see 3.5 to 4 hours?
Thanks


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## marctrees (Nov 23, 2016)

IF you put chicken broth or Stock in the drip pan when you were cooking the turkey, and the water evaporated, use PLAIN water to reconstitute for gravy use, for  liquid content.

Remember, even if added extra flavor from adding more stock may be OK, you DO NOT want to add extra salt by doing that.

THATS why you "Revive" it with plain water.  

ALL that left, went away from the heat,  was the water, 90% + flavors stayed, and ALL salt.

Chef JJ and others,  Please  chime in.         Marc


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## mrad (Nov 23, 2016)

Marctrees said:


> So, apparently the bird did not come with a gravy bag inside.
> 
> We had one of those few days ago, (BUT WITH a gravy bag), no liquid added, only turkey grease, water was totally  cooked off in smoker.
> 
> ...


Turkey did have gravy bag. Should I use that instead? Never made gravy before so thats why i have so many questions.  if I use gravy bag, do I add it to drippings while cooking turkey, or after when I boil drippings?


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## marctrees (Nov 23, 2016)

You don't use the bag "instead", but rather "With" all or most turkey grease, and any juices.

Keep the bag in fridge, cold, till  you remove from turkey before cooking.

When turkey done, while resting, pour grease w any juice into saucepan , add gravy bag, cook simmer as per instructions.

All or almost all of your water probably evaped in the smoker, unlike cooking in a "bag" or tight foil in an oven.

Thats one reason why we cook all the giblets and neck, for a few hours plus  on low tight  covered, replenishing water as it leaves, , then debone, mash and cut up fine, and use whole pot o stuff and  add the bag, and of course, turkey grease/ drippings.

Also bit of flour slurry if alot of quantity of water included.

It's quite forgiving, no bigee how you do it.

The vegies talked about above would be GREAT, we just dont bother with it.

Our stuffing is LOADED w fresh cilantro, apple, green onion,heavy butter fried mushrooms,half a head o butter pre cooked celery, barely slightly browned onions, handful of fine chopped toasted walnuts.

Paula Deen butter and  fat haters will hate,( only if they KNOW about it, not when they eat it !),.....  whatever.

Let them eat Tofu gravy.

I have one life to live.

And again we do not strain our gravy.

We serve "Rustic food" ala Jamie Olivers Kitchen.

Chefs - Chime in.      Marc


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 24, 2016)

Marctrees said:


> IF you put chicken broth or Stock in the drip pan when you were cooking the turkey, and the water evaporated, use PLAIN water to reconstitute for gravy use, for  liquid content.
> 
> Remember, even if added extra flavor from adding more stock may be OK, you DO NOT want to add extra salt by doing that.
> 
> ...


Perfect answer Marc!. Canned Broth has salt and as water evaporates, the salt concentrates so just Replace the Water with more. Flours and Water Slurry is the easiest to thicken and you can adjust seasoning at the end...JJ


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