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It\u2019s well known within food publishing that Thanksgiving photo shoots and recipe testing start early (and we mean early), and happen numerous times before the actual holiday even rolls around. This has made our Test Kitchen team experts in the field of all things Thanksgiving\u2014particularly our Senior Food Stylist Anna Billingskog. She estimates that she\u2019s cooked some form of a Thanksgiving dinner upwards of a dozen times in her five-plus years as a food stylist for Food52. This holiday season, she\u2019s sharing her favorite recipes<\/a> from all those meals.<\/em><\/p>\n Things aren\u2019t always gravy<\/em> when it comes to making gravy, you know? The mixture can separate, the lumps just won\u2019t go away, or it simply isn\u2019t flavorful enough. Lucky for us, Anna picked a few of her favorites that not only shine on camera, but will satisfy at the Thanksgiving table as well.<\/p>\n \u201cThis gravy is my hallmark of gravies. It’s a little sweet from the cider, while being very savory and herbaceous from the sage,\u201d says Anna. Not only is it a quintessential gravy in flavor, it\u2019s also exactly what your guests will want to see on the table this year. \u201cIt\u2019s been my go to on set, with [its] gorgeous golden color. Poured over all, she\u2019s a star.\u201d<\/p>\n After all the potato mashing and pie crust rolling, more<\/em> cooking is pretty much the last thing on everyone\u2019s list. If you\u2019re forgoing the turkey this year, whether for time-saving needs or space-saving purposes (or you just prefer ham\u2026I won\u2019t tell anyone), this gravy can get you all the way there with flavor and heft without any of the turkey pan drippings.<\/p>\n \u201cThis has been a great back-pocket recipe on days when we are shooting several new gravy boats for the shop (because who wants to lug a turkey on the subway to work if they don’t need to?\u201d says Anna. \u201cIt’s as close to having gravy on tap as you can get.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMushrooms, the generous and delicious workhorse of the vegetarian kitchen, are front and center in this crowd-pleasing gravy. When you\u2019re hosting a mix of dietary needs on your guest list this gravy is a no-brainer,\u201d says Anna on this vegetarian, but still flavorful recipe. \u201cIt comes together quickly, holds well, and\u2014when poured generously over both animal and vegetable dishes\u2014harmonizes with all the hallmark flavors of Thanksgiving.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019re making this vegan (or just dairy-free, like I will!), swap out the butter and cream for olive oil and more stock.<\/p>\n When it comes to making her own Thanksgiving plate, Anna isn\u2019t a big gravy fan. But, who can blame her, after making endless Thanksgivings? So, I\u2019ll let her explain this one.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you not really a gravy person? (Hot take, I\u2019m not.) This gravy lives somewhere between French onion soup and gravy,\u201d Anna says. This recipe works for all dishes and all seasons too: \u201cKeep this guy in your back pocket for year-round hosting\u2014poured over a roast beef or lamb would be gorgeous. When we shot this one [for the site] a few years back, as part of our Thanksgiving menu, it turned me into a gravy convert.\u201d<\/p>\n Sometimes, when you\u2019re planning ahead, you just need to know the recipe you\u2019re using just works<\/em>. This recipe, with its ability to stay together without falling apart when made a day or so in advance, can be the hero of your Thanksgiving spread. According to Anna, \u201cwe have made this recipe countless times in the test kitchen where prepping ahead of a shoot day is your best friend. While she may not steal the show, she\u2019s the gravy you know and love.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nFor the classic cook<\/h2>\n
For the cook who loves a shortcut<\/h2>\n
For the cook with dietary needs<\/h2>\n
For the cook who doesn\u2019t really like gravy (but could learn to love it)<\/h2>\n
For the cook who\u2019s been planning Thanksgiving for months<\/h2>\n
More entertaining inspiration from Food52<\/h4>\n
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\nDo you have a gravy go-to? Let us know below!<\/em>
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