Here's the way I make my Turkey Gravy. I start by making a stock out of the giblets and the wing tips, but if you don't want to do that from scratch, you could start with an already made stock. If you can't find Armagnac, you can use a good brandy (or even flat Dr. Pepper). [If you're worried about little kids and alcohol in the gravy, there will not be enough to hurt anyone. My Mom always cooked with wine, sherry and brandy... The persons you need to be worried about are recovering alcoholics, because even the suggestion of alcohol can throw them off the wagon.]
Turkey Stock and Gravy
Giblets (except the liver) and wing tips
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
2/3 cups dry white wine or vermouth
2 cups chicken stock or water
sea salt
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons potato starch mixed with ¼ cup cold chicken stock
2 tablespoons Armagnac
1. Chop neck into 2-inch pieces, quarter the gizzard, halve the heart.
Rinse and dry with paper towels.
2. Heat oil in a heavy 2 ½ - 3-quart saucepan. Stir in giblets and brown rapidly on all sides. Don’t let the oil burn. Remove giblets and stir the vegetables into the pan; cover and cook 5 to 8 minutes, until tender. Then uncover, raise heat and brown lightly, for several minutes. Remove half the vegetables and put into the turkey cavity. Return the giblets to the pan. Add vermouth, stock and water to cover ingredients by 1 inch. Add salt and herbs, and simmer partially covered for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Strain, degrease, return to pan. Beat in starch mixture, simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Chill.
3. Finishing Spoon excess fat out of roasting pan. Pour in turkey stock and stir over moderately high heat for several minutes, scraping bottom of the pan to get all the coagulated juices incorporated into the sauce. Strain into a saucepan, pressing all the juices out of the vegetables. Degrease the gravy again, and correct seasonings. To reheat just before serving, add 2 tablespoons Armagnac and ignite. When the flames have all gone out, pour into a warm bowl or gravy boat.