Brandy Gravy

Brandy is a spirit, not a wine, which means it goes in by the tablespoon rather than the glass. Cook it out properly and it leaves behind a warm, faintly grapey depth that suits Christmas dinner perfectly. Do not flame it unless you enjoy dramatics, boiling it does the same job.

Ingredients

Makes about 700ml, enough for eight plates

• 4 tbsp fat and juices from the turkey tin
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp (45g) plain flour
• 4 tbsp brandy an ordinary VS cognac or a decent supermarket brandy
• 900ml (1½ pints) hot turkey or chicken stock
• 1 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 tsp brandy held back to finish, optional
• salt and black pepper

Kit

• Roasting tin
• Whisk
• Sieve

Method

1. Rest the turkey and pour off all but four tablespoons of fat from the tin, keeping every bit of the caramelised juices. Set it over a medium heat.

2. Cook the onion in the fat for seven or eight minutes until soft and golden, scraping up the residue as you stir.

3. Add the flour and cook for two full minutes. With this much flour you need the time, or the gravy will taste pasty.

4. Take the tin off the heat before adding the brandy, since four tablespoons of spirit hitting a hot pan can catch light. Pour it in, return to the heat and let it bubble furiously for two to three minutes until the sharp alcohol smell has gone and the liquid has almost disappeared into the flour.

5. Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, whisking each one in fully before the next. Drop in the thyme.

6. Simmer for twelve to fifteen minutes, skimming any fat that rises, until the gravy has thickened and reduced slightly.

7. Stir in the cranberry sauce until it melts, then strain into a warm jug and season. If you want the brandy to be noticeable, stir in the final teaspoon off the heat just before serving.

Tips worth knowing

• Four tablespoons is plenty for eight people. Spirits are around 40 per cent alcohol, roughly three times the strength of wine, so treat them accordingly.
• Take the pan off the heat before the brandy goes in. It is the single most common way people set fire to a hob at Christmas.
• For a non-alcoholic version, replace the brandy with 4 tbsp of apple juice plus 1 tsp of cider vinegar and a small pinch of ground allspice. It will not be identical but it lands in the same warm, fruity place.
• Cheap brandy is fine here. The oak and age of an expensive bottle is lost the moment it hits a litre of stock.

Keeping and reheating

Four days in the fridge and three months frozen, which makes it a good one to make ahead in November using giblet stock. Reheat gently and add the finishing teaspoon of brandy fresh.

Questions people ask