How to Make Gluten-Free Gravy
Levi Brown
During last weekend's Thanksgiving Live show (a live TV event where Food Network chefs cooked an entire Thanksgiving meal on live TV, all while answering viewers' questions about Turkey Day) many people asked via Facebook and Twitter about how to make gluten-free gravy. Gravy is traditionally thickened with flour, so if you can't eat flour, are you stuck with watery gravy? The answer is no, and we've rounded up the best answers from the show and from the Food Network Kitchens.
Food Network Stars' Ideas for Thickening Gravy Without Gluten
Aaron Sanchez: "Use masa harina instead of flour."
Alex Guarnaschelli: "Roast turkey with vegetables in the bottom of the pan, then puree them and add them to the gravy to thicken it."
Alton Brown: "If you're making a rice dressing or stuffing, you could puree some of the rice from that and add it to your gravy."
The chefs in Food Network Kitchens recommend using corn starch or potato starch instead of the flour; but use half of the amount the recipe calls for. So for this gravy recipe from Food Network Magazine, mix 1/4 cup of corn or potato starch with 1/4 cup of water. Whisk the starch-water mixture in with the hot broth continuously until thickened, taking care not to boil if you're using potato starch.
And another great, quick tip for thickening gravy from the Food Network Kitchens: whisk in a spoonful of mashed potatoes until your gravy reaches the desired consistency. This one works whether you're gluten free or not!