Your Thanksgiving Gravy Could Use A Splash Of Bourbon

Turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes — Thanksgiving's essential dishes are at their best when served with a side of gravy. Whether you order a can of Campbell's turkey gravy on Amazon or make Andrew Zimmern's flavorful gravy using the bird's extras, the warm, flavorful sauce always warrants a place at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Yet, if you're tired of the same old gravy year in and year out, it may be time to break out a bottle of bourbon. The spirit adds a little something extra and can dramatically upgrade your tried-and-true gravy recipe.

Many gravy recipes call for just a little bit of bourbon, as the spirit bolsters the flavor without overpowering your gravy entirely. With a deep, oaky, and slightly sweet flavor, bourbon brings complexity to a gravy and tends to complement the gravy's pre-existing flavors, often in the form or rosemary and thyme. 

As is often the case when cooking with spirits, however, the exact ratios depend on your preferences. In general, you don't need a ton of bourbon — or an expensive bottle — to achieve the desired effect. That means, you'll still have plenty of bourbon to sip, whether you take yours neat or on the rocks.

A little bourbon is more than enough to flavor your Thanksgiving gravy, as the liquid is best stirred in alongside butter, heavy cream, and turkey stock. It's by no means the base of your gravy and, therefore, won't be featured prominently enough to achieve an alcoholic effect, especially as you heat the liquor. Rather, bourbon offers a subtle boost to a simple gravy that pairs well with the flavors you're already using. 

Most gravy recipes suggest starting with anything between a few teaspoons to a few tablespoons. Other recipes, however, up that measurement to a ¼ cup, bringing the flavor to the forefront of your spirit. It's up to you to experiment with bourbon amounts, which you can incorporate into a homemade or store-bought gravy. When in doubt, go for a splash; you can always add more.

Likewise, because you're cooking with bourbon, you don't need a fancy bottle. So go ahead and save that Pappy Van Winkle for another time. You can even try a non-alcoholic bourbon, like Spiritless Kentucky 74. If you don't have any iteration of the spirit handy, port or sherry work similarly well as substitutes. Once you make your bourbon gravy, it may very well earn an annual spot on your Thanksgiving shopping list, written somewhere between the yams and the cranberry sauce. After the holiday passes, make sure to hold onto whatever's left in that bourbon bottle; you may need more gravy come Christmastime.