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Caramelized Onion & Red Chile Gravy

Caramelized Onion & Red Chile Gravy Ceramic Bowl

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This make-ahead red chile gravy, made with homemade turkey stock, is the ultimate stress-free Thanksgiving side. Made with New Mexico red chile and caramelized onion, it’s perfect for topping mashed potatoes in your Southwest Thanksgiving dinner.

Ingredients

Units

for the turkey stock:

  • 2 turkey wings
  • 2 turkey legs
  • turkey neck if it’s inside your turkey
  • 1 red onion, quartered
  • 2 large carrots, quartered
  • 1 head of garlic, cut in half
  • Small handful of fresh herbs (any combo of sage, rosemary, parsley and/or thyme)
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • Crack of sea salt and pepper
  • 8 c. of chicken or turkey broth

for the gravy:

  • 8 T. butter
  • 1 large red or yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 c. all-purpose flour or arrowroot powder
  • 12 t. red chile powder, depending on heat and preference
  • prepared turkey stock (around 6 c.)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 F. Dry turkey legs and the wing and neck (if you found one inside your bird) with a paper towel and place them in a deep dutch oven-style pan.

Caramelized Onion & Red Chile Gravy Ingredients in a dutch oven

Add the onion, carrots, garlic, herbs, olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Toss everything together and roast in the oven for 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the leg reads 165 F.

 

Carefully move dutch oven to the stovetop over medium heat. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Using a wooden spoon, scrape any and all caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan. Let this simmer for 30 minutes. Using tongs, remove the turkey leg and wings for snacking and strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer.

 

To make the gravy, keep the dutch oven on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Melt the butter and add the onion. Let the onion cook in the butter until it’s caramelized, around 20 minutes.

 

How to Make a Perfect Roux

 

Whisk in the flour (or arrowroot) and chile powder. Take a minute or two to whisk this mixture (also called a roux) over the heat. While continuing to whisk, pour in the prepared turkey stock. I stay close to the stove at this point and continue to whisk frequently as the gravy comes to a simmer and thickens.

Caramelized Onion & Red Chile Gravy Whisking the Roux

Let the gravy simmer for around five minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Let cool to room temperature before transferring to a container in the fridge. When ready to serve, warm gravy in a saucepan over medium heat.