Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

(8 cups)

4  turkey wings (about 3 lbs.)
2  medium onions, peeled and quartered
1  cup water
8  cups chicken broth
¾  cup chopped carrot
½  tsp. dried thyme
¾  cup flour
2  Tbsp. stick butter or margarine
½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

1.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Arrange wings in a single layer in a large roasting pan.  Scatter onions over top and roast for 1 ¼ hours until wings are browned.

3.  Place roasted wings and onions in a 5 or 6 quart pot.  Add water to roasting pan and stir to scrape up any brown bits on bottom.  Add to pot.  Add 6 cups of broth (refrigerate remaining 2 cups), carrot and thyme.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 1 ½ hours.

4.  Remove wings.  Discard or save meat for another use.

5.  Strain broth into a 3 quart saucepan, pressing veggies to extract as much liquid as possible.  Discard veggies and skim fat off broth.  If time permits, refrigerate broth overnight to make fat-skimming easier.

6.  Whisk flour into remaining  2 cups broth until blended and smooth.

7.  Bring broth in pot to a gently boil.  Whisk in broth-flour mixture and boil 3 to 5 minutes to thicken gravy and remove floury taste.  Stir in butter and pepper.  Serve, or pour into containers; refrigerate up to one week or freeze up to six months.

Note:  On Thanksgiving you can add some dripping to the gravy for extra taste!