Turkey gravy is a rich and flavorful sauce made from the pan drippings of a roasted turkey, enhanced with stock and seasonings to create a smooth, savory accompaniment to your Thanksgiving or holiday meal. It’s the perfect addition to mashed potatoes, stuffing, and even roasted vegetables, bringing all the delicious flavors of the turkey to the table.
To make this Thanksgiving must-have, start by collecting the pan drippings from your roasted turkey. After removing the turkey from the roasting pan, pour off excess fat, leaving just a few tablespoons in the pan. Next, create a roux by whisking in flour to the fat over medium heat until it forms a smooth paste. This will help thicken the gravy.
Slowly add turkey stock or broth, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. You can also add a splash of white wine or a little bit of the turkey drippings from the pan for extra depth of flavor. Season the gravy with salt, pepper, and any herbs that were used to season the turkey, such as thyme, rosemary, or sage. Let the gravy simmer for a few minutes until it thickens to your desired consistency.
If the gravy becomes too thick, add more turkey stock or water to reach the right consistency. For a smoother texture, strain the gravy before serving to remove any leftover bits of turkey or herbs. A small amount of cream or butter can be added at the end to make the gravy extra rich and silky.
This gravy is a classic finishing touch for your holiday feast, making every bite of turkey, potatoes, and stuffing even more delicious. It’s easy to make and brings the full, savory flavor of the turkey to the plate. A rich and flavorful gravy made from turkey drippings, perfect for enhancing your holiday meal.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup turkey drippings strained from roasted turkey
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for thickening
- 2 cups turkey or chicken stock unsalted preferred
- to taste salt if needed
- to taste black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, combine turkey drippings and flour.
- Stir continuously and cook for about 1-2 minutes to form a roux, until golden brown.
- Gradually whisk in the turkey or chicken stock, stirring to prevent lumps.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until thickened.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Serve hot over turkey and enjoy your meal.
Nutrition
This gravy is fantastic! I made it for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. Perfect consistency.
I’m a bit skeptical about using turkey drippings, do I really need that? Can I just use water instead?
Using turkey drippings really adds flavor! Water will just make it bland.
Meh. It was okay but too salty for my taste. I guess I overdid the seasoning. Next time I’ll be more cautious.
I think you just need to watch your salt! Gravy can be tricky but it’s so good when done right. Keep at it!
Too salty? I just dump salt in everything! 😂 But I get it, seasoning is hard.
Gravy game strong! This is a keeper recipe. 😊
I totally agree! This gravy is the best I’ve ever made. Thanks for sharing!
Is this really worth all the effort? Gravy is just a sauce, right? 🤔
Gravy is just flour and fat mixed with water anyway. Didn’t impress me much, lol.
I followed it exactly, but mine turned out thick like paste. Maybe my stock was too cold? I should’ve warmed it first I guess.
Why do we use turkey drippings? Isn’t chicken stock enough? 🤔
Turkey drippings add a rich flavor that chicken stock just can’t match! It’s all about that depth! 😋
Gravy is gravy, am I right? 😂
I used chicken stock since I didn’t have turkey drippings. Came out great, but I’d recommend tasting for salt—my stock was already seasoned.
Gravy heaven. It complemented my turkey perfectly! So thankful for this recipe!
Yummy! I used chicken drippings instead of turkey and it worked fine. Who cares, right?
Using chicken drippings is a smart move! Adapt, don’t break! 😊
I just don’t get why you put so much effort into gravy. A can of store-bought is just fine!
Way too thick for me at first—next time I’ll use a bit less flour or whisk in more stock slowly. Tastes good, just adjust.
Totally agree—mine got paste-y before I adjusted too. I now add the stock slowly like you said and it smooths right out. Glad it still tasted good!
I think your fix is right, but I also wonder if cooking the roux longer is making it thicker. I’d try less flour OR only 1 minute on the roux next time. Either way, solid gravy tip!
Made this with my drippings and it came out silky and rich. The 10–15 minute simmer really helped the texture thicken. Great gravy base!
I love gravy! This one was a little too salty for my taste, but still good. Thanks!
Couldn’t get it to thicken after 15 minutes. I ended up simmering longer and it finally came together. Maybe my stock was too thin? Still, good once fixed.
Perfect! Five stars. My family went back for more. This is the gravy I always try to ‘wing’ and never nails—until now.
I was nervous about the roux step but stirring continuously worked. Mine was a little darker than golden brown, but flavor was still great.
I followed it exactly but mine got kinda thick kinda fast, like pudding. Maybe I whisked too slow or my drippings were more fatty? Still edible, just not how I wanted.
That sounds like your roux may have gone a touch heavy—if the flour-to-fat ratio is higher (more fatty drippings or you didn’t strain well), it can thicken fast and end up pudding-y. Next time try whisking a lot more during the stock step and add the stock a little slower. Also, once it simmers, keep it moving with a whisk so it doesn’t over-thicken.
Can I use butter instead of drippings? Trying to make something without meat. Please help!