Gravy is pretty easy to make but it is also pretty easy to mess up. For instance if you don't whisk quickly enough it can form a skin or it could easily burn or perhaps it's too salsty. Here are some remedies for messed up gravy and if all else fails a recipe for a gravy you can whip up quickly using canned or boxed chicken or turkey stock. So don't worry you won't have to go through the holiday with no gravy.
Greasy Gravy - Sometimes the juices can have too much fat in them and your gravy will come
out kind of greasy looking, don't worry. Just simply place a piece of what bread on the top of the gravy. Leave it there for about 45 seconds to allow it to soak up the grease.Lumpy Gravy - Get out your blender or food processors and puree until smooth. If a skin as formed strain it off.
Too Thin - You will be using either flour or cornstarch to make your gravy any ways, if it is too think simply add a little more, still too thin add a little more. You don't want to add to much so do it pinch at a time or perhaps a half of a teaspoon at a time. Notice I said teaspoon not tablespoon. Personally I prefer cornstarch.
Too Thick - If you have over done it with the flour or conrstarch add a little milk, a little water, or a tablespoon of butter. A little means a little if you need to add more you can can but add about 1/16 of a cup first then whisk check the consistency and add a little more if needed.
Not Browning - It should brown up nicely if you use corn starch but if for
some reason you are not getting that nice color add a teaspoon of soy sauce.Too Salty - Chop up a potato in to 4 pieces and put it in the gravy, cook on a very low heat stirring a lot for 10 minutes.
If you have tried to fix the gravy and it is just sill awful. Keep your cool you can whip up a replacement gravy in to time.
Emergency Chicken Stock Gravy
2 Cups of chicken stock (or turkey stock if you can find some)
2 teaspons of chicken bouillion or 2 cubes
A pinch of pepper
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of brownig sauce or soy sauce
In a sauce pan over medium heat add 1 1/2 cups of the chicken chicken stock, the boullion, and the pepper. Stir until the boullion has dissovled.
In a bowl pour the rest of the chicken stock and add the flour. Whisk the mixture thoroughly and briskly until the mixture starts to become smooth, then while whisking add in a little at a time to the sauce pan until it is all in the the pan. Continue whsking everything together until it is all smooth. At some point it will begin to bubble, continue whisking briskly until it reaches the desired thickness, then remove from heat and stir in the browning sauce or the soy sauce.