To Make Really Good Gravy, You First Need to Understand Roux

Talking to Erick Williams about roux is like going to church. After the owner and executive chef of Virtue Restaurant in Chicago is done talking about his approach to — and, more importantly, philosophy on — the power of cooking equal parts flour and fat for the foundation of so many sauces, gravies, and stews, we are all true believers.

It starts with Williams’ position on turkey gravy: He goes dark with the roux, patiently stirring flour and butter together until it takes on a coffee-brown color and an intense, nutty flavor. It’s a process that stems from childhood memories of his mother’s rich smothered chicken, which she made by incorporating browned bits from the frying pan with fat and flour to thicken the gravy.

Later, when he was taught how to make gumbo, Williams recognized his mother’s technique in the intentionally slow and careful development of the deeply flavored, classic Louisiana roux. The process still evokes warm memories, he says, and he carries over both the method and the mood into his own roux-built turkey gravy.

Williams believes in the power of the rich gravy to bestow more than great flavors at the Thanksgiving table year after year. “It isn’t just that the gravy is rich,” he says. “The laughter is rich, the company is rich, and there is a value in the food.” Now that’s good gravy. 

Frequently asked questions

Can turkey gravy be made ahead of time? 

Roux can be taken to a range of stages of cooking, from white to blond to deep brown, and Williams relies on that versatility to make a day like Thanksgiving go smoothly. If you’re feeling ambitious, Williams suggests making a double batch of roux at breakfast time, stirring it just until peanut buttery in color, and then splitting the batch in half. Stir milk and stock into half of the roux to make Sausage Gravy for biscuits to tide folks over until dinner. Later, the remaining roux can be returned to the stove and cooked further, to the color of milk chocolate, before stirring in drippings and stock for turkey gravy.

The gravy can be prepared ahead and stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for up to 2 days or in a freezer for up to 1 month.

Note from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

You can find a fat separator at local houseware stores or online at Oxo.