Fast Gravy Recipes From Old Salem Colony, Massachusetts
Triva: Did you know that in the former USSR, especially larger cities like Moscow, turkey was a staple food item served all year long and chicken was saved for special occasions?
In the 2010s, America can serve turkey every day by means of frozen dinners, deli slices, on-the-self hermettically sealed meals and fresh or frozen birds. I love turkey.
Flavorful Ingredients, Fast Preparation
Turkey gravy can be made any time of year without having to roast an entire bird. In fact, at the end of this article is a recipe for that contains no meat at all and is delicious with both game and domesticated meats. This flavorful gravy does not even need to be cooked beyond melting some butter!
For a good turkey flavor in a delicious gravy, you can purchase or make your own turkey broth. If you want some actually turkey meat in your gravy, sliced turkey is available at many delicatessens and fresh and frozen ground turkey is sold in groceries. If you frequent a deli department in a mega market that carries ground turkey, purchase about ¼ or ½ pound of the ground meat, depending on how much gravy you'd like to prepare.
Two Fast Gravies
Fast Turkey Gravy
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ Cup ground turkey meat
- ¼ Cup chopped white onion
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic – fresh or jarred
- 1 pinch of sage
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil or butter
- 6 Tablespoons all purpose flour, or whole wheat flour
- 1 Cup broth, cream, or milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and then add the oil or butter.
- When oil is hot, sauté onions until just soft.
- Add ground turkey, stir and brown it with the onions.
- Add a pinch of sage and the minced garlic and stir.
- If too dry, add a little more oil. Add flour, constantly stirring until it is the desired level of brownness.
- Add broth, milk, or cream and stir.
- Season with salt and pepper, heat through and serve.
Deli Turkey Gravy
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ Pound deli turkey, diced (no prepackaged lunch meat slices – they are over processed)
- 2-3 slices bacon or turkey bacon, diced
- 1/3 Cup chopped white onion
- 1 chopped scallion or green onion – all of the white portion and ½ of the green portion.
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic – fresh or jarred
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
- 6 Tablespoons all purpose flour, or whole wheat flour
- 1 12 oz. Can turkey or chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and then add 1 Tablespoon oil.
- When oil is hot, cook bacon until done, add and sauté all onions until just soft.
- Add diced turkey, stir and brown it with the onions and bacon.
- Add sage and the minced garlic and stir.
- Add 2 Tablespoons oil. Add flour, constantly stirring until it reached the desired level of brown shade.
- Add broth, stir, season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook and stir until thickened and serve.
Pioneer Village at Salem, Reconstructed in 1930
Click thumbnail to view full-sizeCooking From Americana
Salem Colony Gravy In 1629
This is a tart gravy that can by used with lamb, pork, duck, goose, and turkey. No cooking is required other than to melt the butter.
The caper, butter, and breadcrumb gravy was developed in Salem, Massachusetts during its early pioneer days beginning 1629. It was developed when the Puritans, still lived in their first wigwams made of available tree limbs and brush. After making these quick shelters, they built thatched roofed clapboard houses from a log-sawing pit they made, a salt works, and in a few years a metal works. They added fish-drying racks and built a brick kiln in order to produce sturdier housing materials.
Backed by England with good tools and many literal tons of resources, the colonists fared better than Plymouth Colony. The Salem colonists were good at growing corn and medicinal plants immediately, and hunted game and wild native plants as they established agriculture. They also succeeded in trading with the Native Americans and did not experience conflicts with them. The Salem colonists were much more organized and better educated with more skills and resources than Plymouth Colony and their settlement progressed accordingly. By 1668, they had built the massive House of the Seven Gables of literary renown.
In 1930, Pioneer Village was created as a working village and memorial park to the first years of Salem.
Caper, Butter and Bread Crumb Gravy – 1630 Salem
INGREDIENTS
- ½ Cup melted Butter
- 3 Tablespoons capers, minced
- 1 Tablespoon caper juice
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ Cup either a) dry bread crumbs or b) soft bread crumbs made by chopping in a food processor
INSTRUCTIONS
- Melt butter and combine with the remaining ingredients in a gravy boat or other serving dish, stir, and serve.
Preserving Pioneer Village - 2005
It is interesting how a better educated and more well equipped group of people fared better in colonizing the New World than their counterparts in the same area. However, Salem did suffer from witch hunt fever, based partly on the colonists' skills in using medicinal plants - particularly the women.
Both Salem and Plymouth can teach us about mistakes that we can avoid in the 21st century. Both can also teach us about good food. Read about the delicious real foods served at the first Thanksgiving in Plymouth at the fascinating There Was No Pie On Thanksgiving.
For Sauces and Soups
Make Your Own Turkey Broth
INGREDIENTS
- A meaty turkey carcass, with leftover neck
- 1 gallon of water (I use spring water)
- 3/4 Cup chopped onions
- 3/4 Cup chopped carrots
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 ribs celery, chopped, including leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 bunch parsley, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
How to Make A Vegetarian Gravy
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all ingredients into a large soup pot and bring to the boil.
- Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, covered, for one hour, checking for water level and adding water as needed.
- Strain broth and discard vegetables to the compost pile. Wrap bones in newspaper and a paper bag and discard to garbage away from pets and children.
- Pour broth into jars and cap them tightly. Store in refrigerator and use within 30 days. You can also freeze broth in freezer containers and hold for 3 months.
Unsuccessful Gravy Backfires
Gravy Links
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