This Turkey Gravy is one of the easiest, yet yummiest recipe around! It can be made from your turkey drippings or from chicken broth, which makes it a great gravy for not only Thanksgiving dinner, but any time of year!
Turkey gravy is like the chocolate sauce on top of an ice cream sundae! It makes everything taste better! Pour this golden, thick gravy on top of your turkey or oven-roasted chicken. Make a gravy volcano with your homemade mashed potatoes! Or drizzle over top your roasted veggies!
Homemade Gravy
Growing up sometimes my mom would use a quick gravy packet for dinner, but when it came to holidays, especially Thanksgiving, only homemade gravy would do!
She would use the drippings from our turkey to make the most delicious gravy. It was golden in color and thick and we put it on top of everything – the turkey, the potatoes, the veggies!
I thought something this good must be hard to make, but it’s not! I’ll show you it is one of the easiest sauces to make.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
First, you need to decide if you want to use your turkey drippings, make a turkey giblet stock or use chicken stock.
I like to use the drippings from our Turkey; you know all the juices that drip from the turkey as it cooks!
Once the turkey is pulled out from the oven, pour the drippings into a glass mason jar (use a strainer as you pour to catch any pieces of fat or meat) Allow for the drippings to cool and then skim the layer of fat off the top! If you don’t have enough drippings for your recipe you can add chicken stock.
You can also use the giblets found inside your turkey to make turkey giblet stock. Take do so, take all the giblets (neck, heart, liver, and gizzards) and cover them with water in a stockpot. Then bring them to a boil and let them simmer from one hour.
If you don’t want to use the drippings at all, you can also make this recipe with just chicken stock.
Next, in a small saucepan, over medium heat, melt your butter and add your flour, whisking until it is a nice golden color.
Then add your dripping and/or chicken stock or turkey stock. Stirring until your gravy is smooth and thick. Add your salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Then turn it down and let it simmer until your gravy is at your desired consistency! (note that gravy will thicken as it cools)
Additions, Substitutions + Storing
- Consider adding some herbs like thyme, sage, chopped parsley, or chives for extra flavor. Or try adding roasted garlic!
- To avoid the flour taste, make sure you cook your gravy for around 20 minutes. If you need to thicken your gravy, cook your extra flour with butter ( like you did at the beginning) and then add it to the sauce. You don’t want to add raw flour to thicken because it will make your gravy taste funny.
- To make your gravy gluten-free, use cornstarch instead of flour, but skip the roux-making part. Instead, take one cup of your gravy base and whisk in 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Then add that mixture to your gravy base and cook over medium-low heat until thickened.
What to Do with Leftovers
- Salisbury steak – by simmering hamburger patties and sautéed onions in the extra gravy
- Biscuits and Gravy – pour warmed up gravy over your biscuits and eggs
- Turkey Chowder – this soup is great to make with all your Thanksgiving leftovers
- Chicken and Waffles – use the extra gravy to keep this dish from getting too dry
Or you can FREEZE your leftovers in freezer-safe baggies for up to four months, to use for a future meal!
Nothing beats homemade Turkey Gravy, and it really is so easy to make! I hope you love it, as much as I do!
For more great holiday sides, check out:
- Slow Cooker Stuffing
- Creamy Green Bean Casserole
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
- Potato Pull-Apart Rolls
Turkey Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 4 c. chicken broth and/or turkey drippings - fat removed from drippings
- 1 tsp. kosher sea salt - more to taste
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Instructions
- Set a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter. Once butter has melted, add the flour and whisk until it turns light golden brown in color.
- Slowly pour in the broth, whisking continuously until the gravy becomes smooth and thick.
- Add salt and pepper, bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until it reaches desired consistency (just note that it will thicken as it cools).
- Serve immediately.
We’re a gravy-loving family, so this recipe is golden!! Love it!
Yummy – great gravy recipe!
Got to have this with our turkey! I love how simple it is to make, but so tasty!
The flavor was PERFECT! Serving this on Thanksgiving day!