Orange County (nc That Is) Turkey Giblet Gravy

Total Time: 10 hrs 55 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 10 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 lbs turkey giblets (heart, gizzards, liver, neck)
• 1 smoked ham hock
• 1 quart water
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 onions, medium unpeeled
• 8 cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 celery ribs, rinsed but whole
• 1 carrot, split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (not self-rising)
• 2 cups pan drippings from turkey (at least 1/2 cup turkey grease or butter)
• 1 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper

Recipe

• 1 stud the unpeeled onions with cloves.
• 2 rinse giblets & put in crockpot with ham hock, onions, carrot, celery, nutmeg, salt & water.
• 3 cook overnight (10hours) on low.
• 4 once cool, pick the tender but stringy meat from the neckbones & ham hock. finely chop the livers, heart & gizzards. save the cooking broth! discard vegies, they are done.
• 5 combine the neck meat, ham hock meat & chopped gizzards. refrigerate.
• 6 in a separate container refrigerate broth until ready to complete the gravy.
• 7 don't worry if broth has jellied in the fridge, simply scoop out 1/2 cup increments to make gravy.
• 8 once turkey is done & pulled from oven, pull 1/2 cup turkey grease from pan (i use a fat separator to get turkey grease & pan juices) & put in large skillet.
• 9 on medium heat, add 1/2 cup of flour & stir constantly until a nice peanut buttery brown roux develops. don't walk away & burn it because this will make a bitter gravy.
• 10 add broth - initally 2 cups, preferably separated drippings from roasting pan, then 1/2 cup of broth at a time & simmer over medium heat until thickend to desired consistency.
• 11 add giblets & heat through.
• 12 season to taste with coarse ground black pepper & additional salt if desired. place in warmed gravy boat & serve steaming hot alongside turkey, taters & stuffing. enjoy! happy thanksgiving!