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Why Brown Ale Turkey Produced No Drippings for Gravy

Asked Dec 05, 2019 by John G.

I made the Brown Ale Turkey and Gravy recipe for Thanksgiving. I followed every step as written and still ended up with virtually no drippings for a gravy. I had a 14 lb farm fresh turkey, the exact amount of basting liquid, the oven was at 350 with the rack in the lower middle position (2nd rack from the bottom), and covered loosely with foil. When I took the foil off after 1.5 hours, there were no drippings. What liquid that was there originally had basically become a black mess along the edges of the roasting pan. I had to add about 1.5-2 cups of stock just to be sure nothing would start smoking.

Any thoughts on why this happened? It's a stainless steel roasting pan, large enough for the bird but not huge. Could the pan be getting too hot? I should note this recipe is not the first time this has been an issue. I never get the drippings that are expected.

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COMMENTS

  • John G.

    December 6, 2019

    Thanks for your reply. I can confirm I did all of the above. I removed the liquid from the pan to measure to ensure I had 2/3 cup and then returned it to add in the butter and fish sauce. All of the solids were added back in and I placed the turkey on top. I keep an oven thermometer placed in the oven at all times and it did say 350. However, maybe it's time to replace the thermometer. It is one of those common metal coil thermometers. Do you recommend any particular type? Also where do you recommend placing it in the oven to get the correct temperature? I keep it on the lower (unused) rack toward the front for ease of use.

    • Lynn ClarkMilk Street Staff

      December 10, 2019

      Hi again - I don't think you need a specific brand of oven thermometer or one that costs much money. The one I have, I think, was around $10 and is a pretty simple dial-style design. What I will say is that I wouldn't leave it in the oven. Instead, I would put it in the oven in the middle of the center rack, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and then check it immediately after it is preheated. If it reads correctly, remove it and carry on! Do this every few months to ensure it's still maintaining the proper temperature. Best of luck! Lynn C.