Gravy

Gravy's just having a really hard day.

Hard cider is really wonderful to cook with: It adds a bit of sweetness, acidity, and a hint of apple. And the leftovers are great in an autumnal cocktail. Check out step-by-step photos here.

You can soak toasted mustard seeds for this recipe, but you'll get a similar pop of texture simply by using whole grain mustard.

Why is the most important thing on the plate so easy to screw up? Just follow our lead and you'll (finally) get it right.

Wondra is much more finely ground than all-purpose flour and is one step on the way to super-silky sauce. AP will work too, of course, but Wondra is wonderful.

Forget too thick, too thin, too lumpy, too greasy, too salty, or just bad gravy. Nobody needs that—especially not you.

The turkey’s resting, which means one thing: It’s gravy time

While the turkey roasts, it releases tons of concentrated flavor into the pan—this is where the gravy takes on another dimension. As the bird rests, set the pan on your stovetop, roll up your sleeves, and get to work. Watch this video for more.

We’ve put all of our Thanksgiving “Common Mistakes” guides in one place; follow them for each step of the dinner to turn out a truly delicious feast.

Yes, gravy should be lump-free (always whisk, don’t stir), but it’s the flavor of the roux that makes or breaks what gets passed at the table. Toasting flour in butter is what develops its deep, nutty taste. You’ll know it’s done when it’s the color of graham crackers and smells like popcorn.

Serve spooned over roast chicken, steak, or pan-fried pork chops. And, of course, pancakes.

Good gravy begins with good stock. At least one day (and up to four days) before the feast, make your own rich turkey stock. For a recipe, see our Do-Ahead Turkey Stock (click for recipe); in a pinch, you can use store-bought low-salt chicken broth, but the results with homemade are incomparable.

The foundation of this étouffée-like dish is a brown roux that lends a deep, nutty flavor. The gravy pairs well with the Grits Dressing, biscuits, and turkey.

This sausage gravy recipe comes from chef John Currence of Big Bad Breakfast in Oxford, MS. Because when it comes to gravy, trust a Southerner.

Pan juices, the flavorful liquid and crispy bits left in the roasting pan, form the base of this gravy.

Giblets (the heart, liver, gizzard, and neck) really deepen a gravy's flavor.

This super-savory mushroom gravy recipe can be made a day ahead.

Nothing says "special Holiday meal" like a labor intensive meat. This rib roast almost wouldn't qualify for "labor intensive" status, except it has an overly complicated gravy and it is so expensive that you must labor intensively in order to purchase it.

This is a delicious, easy recipe that can make a veteran roaster out of the greenest beginner. I loved the way the turkey came out—so much so that I'll be using the recipe for my own family's Thanksgiving (if they can stand to eat turkey again so soon, but that's another subject).

I just cooked my first turkey. Sure, I've been a sous (or, really, a sous-sous) turkey chef in the past, but I had never had the sole responsibility of preparing the bird. My family has had everything from Butterballs to Heritage Turkeys, but I decided to acknowledge the worldwide financial downturn and just get the least expensive one.