This sauce is a simple accompaniment to roast chicken, turkey, or pork loin. Unlike the roux-based gravy above, this can be left unthickened, although the addition of kneaded butter will give it a gravy-like body without the hassle of making a roux. The amounts given here are for a small chicken. For a Quick Turkey Gravy deglaze the roasting pan with ½ cup white wine, sherry, stock, or water, use 4 cups chicken or turkey stock, and thicken the mixture with 4 tablespoons softened butter and ¼ cup flour mixed together into a paste.

After transferring the meat to a platter, pour into the roasting pan:

Place the roasting pan on 2 burners over medium-high heat. Bring the juices to a simmer and, using a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Pour the mixture into a heatproof glass container and let the fat rise to the top, then skim off the fat and discard. (You can also use a gravy separator.) Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan. Add the juices that have accumulated around the meat along with:

Bring to a simmer. If desired, to thicken the sauce into a gravy, mix to a smooth paste:

Whisk the paste bit by bit into the simmering sauce and cook until thickened. Season with: