First of all decide how big a portion
of gravy is going to be served. and use a ladle to serve it.
1/4, 1/3, or 1/2 c. per person.

You will need 1 full gallon of gravy for every 48 people if you serve
1/3 c. of gravy per person, but people like lots of gravy, so plan on more.

Gravy Recipe #1 - Pan Gravy

1 c. fat or meat drippings, hot
1 c. flour (8 oz)
1 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 gallon of water and/or meat stock

Stir flour into meat drippings until smooth.  Add salt and pepper, and gradually,
stirring CONSTANTLY, the meat stock.  Cook until smooth and thick.
makes 25 servings.

Variations:
Brown: Use 10 oz. flour and brown in fat.
Cream:  Substitute milk for the water or stock
Giblet:  Use chicken or turkey drippings for the fat
and chicken or turkey broth for the liquid.  Add
1 qt. cooked giblets, chopped.
Onion:  Lightly brown 1 lb. thinly sliced onions in fat before
adding flour.
Tomato:  Increase fat and flour to 12 oz. each.  Substitute
2 qt.. canned tomatoes for 2 qt. of the water.

Gravy Recipe #2  - Brown Gravy
8 oz. butter or margarine
1 gal. plus 1 cup Beef Stock
1/2 tsp. pepper
Salt to taste, approx. 1 Tbsp. unless beef stock is already salty
12 oz. flour
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. onion powder

Melt better in stock pot.  Blend in flour and cook on med. heat stirring
frequently until brown 8 - 10 min.  Slowly stir in Beef stock and seasonings.
Blend well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Simmer on med. heat
STIRRING CONSTANTLY until thickened 6-8 min.
Serve over mashed potatoes, meats, etc.   Yields 1 gallon.

Gravy Recipe #3 - Creamy Turkey Gravy

8 qt. turkey or chicken broth*
2 Tbsp. onion powder
4 tsp. garlic powder
4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
2 c. cornstarch
2 c. cold water
2 c. half and half (coffee cream)
2 tsp. browning sauce

In a large kettle, bring broth and seasonings to a boil.  Combine cornstarch
and cold water, gradually add to boiling broth (use a whisk).  Cook and stir
2 minutes.  Add cream and browning sauce.
Enough gravy for 20 servings of open faced turkey sandwiches
2 slices of bread per serving.

*Turkey broth can be easily made by simmering turkey giblets, necks
or other parts in water for several hours.  If you are cooking a whole
turkey, the giblets and neck from the turkey should make at least 1 gallon of broth.

Gravy #4  - Roast Turkey Gravy
You can also make turkey gravy very simply but making the broth,
as directed above, then draining all the grease from the roasting pan;
next, add hot water or vegetable water to the turkey pan and scrape
all the brown bits into the water.  Add the water to the broth.
Mix together approx. 1 cup of flour and 2 c. of cold water.
Combine until smooth.  You might have to strain this.
Next, whisk in the flour mixture to the boiling broth.
Add more flour water mixture if needed.  Boil several minutes until
thickened, add salt, approx. 1 Tbsp. per gallon, or to taste.
Almost fat free gravy and delicious!

Gravy Recipe #5 - Meat Roast Gravy

2 1/2 c. fat, butter or drippings
3 c. flour
24 c. water or natural juices from roasts
Salt and pepper

Allow brown drippings to remain in pan.  Measure fat or drippings.
Add flour and stir until smooth.  Add water or natural juices or both mixed
and stir until thickened.  Boil gently 5 min.  Season with salt and pepper.
Gravy should be slightly salty.  Gravy should also be a rich brown
color, if not add some Kitchen Bouquet, a few drops at a time, it's
very concentrated.
Kitchen Bouquet is a gravy browning product, available in most food stores.