Turkey Gravy
intro
Rich, silky, deeply flavorful turkey gravy made from roasted pan drippings, the essential accompaniment for holiday turkey and classic side dishes.
Ingredients
Steps
Strain pan drippings
After removing your fully roasted turkey from the oven, pour all accumulated pan juices and browned bits from the roasting pan through a small sieve into a glass fat separator to remove large solids. Let rest 3 minutes to allow fat to rise to the top, then reserve 2 tablespoons (30ml) of the clear golden fat and 1/2 cup (120ml) of the dark, defatted cooking juice; discard any remaining charred bits or excess fat.
Cook the golden roux
Set the empty roasting pan across two stovetop burners over medium heat. Add the reserved 2 tablespoons turkey fat and 3 tablespoons (42g) unsalted butter, stirring until butter fully melts. Whisk in 1/4 cup (32g) all-purpose flour to form a smooth, thick paste, then cook, whisking constantly, for 3 minutes until the roux turns pale golden and releases a nutty, toasty aroma.
Deglaze the pan
Keep stovetop heat at medium, then slowly pour in 1/2 cup (120ml) of the reserved defatted turkey juice while whisking vigorously. Scrape all the browned, caramelized fond bits from the bottom of the pan to incorporate them into the thickening base, then cook for 1 minute until the mixture bubbles evenly with no lumps.
Simmer to thicken
Gradually whisk in 2 cups (480ml) low-sodium turkey broth, adding 1/4 cup at a time and whisking smooth between additions to prevent lumps, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon (0.5g) chopped fresh sage. Bring the gravy to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 8 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the gravy coats the back of a metal spoon thickly.
Season and strain
Stir in 1 teaspoon (5g) kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon (1g) freshly ground black pepper, then taste and add extra salt or pepper if needed to suit your preference. Pour the hot gravy slowly through a fine-mesh sieve set over a heatproof gravy boat over 1 minute to remove any remaining lumps or herb solids for a perfectly smooth texture.
Rest and serve
Let the strained gravy rest for 2 minutes at room temperature to thicken slightly and settle, then give it one quick stir to ensure a consistent silky texture. Serve warm alongside roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, or roasted vegetables for a classic holiday meal.
Tips
2.For a deeper, more complex flavor, stir in 1 tablespoon (15ml) of dry white wine or dry sherry when deglazing the pan, before adding the turkey broth.
3.Make this gravy up to 3 days in advance; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and reheat gently over low heat while whisking, adding a splash of turkey broth if it thickens too much.
OMG this gravy is a GAME CHANGER for our Sunday family dinners! I used to buy the jarred stuff because I thought homemade was too fussy, but 20 minutes? Are you kidding? It was so rich and smooth, no lumps at all. My kids asked for seconds of gravy on their mashed potatoes before they even touched their turkey. 10/10 will make every Thanksgiving from now on!
Really solid gravy recipe! Super easy to follow, only reason I’m knocking a star is I added a little too much salt when I seasoned, totally my bad though. Went perfect with our smoked turkey breast for our neighborhood potluck. Everyone was asking who made the gravy lmao.
SO good! I meal prepped a bunch of roasted turkey breast for the week and made this gravy to go with it, and it made even my boring weekday work lunches feel fancy. No weird additives or preservatives, way better than anything I can grab at the grocery store. Zero lumps if you whisk constantly like the recipe says, promise!
I’ve been making turkey gravy for 40 years and I’m mad I didn’t think of the little trick of whisking the flour into the drippings slowly before adding the broth! No more lumpy gravy for me. Served this at our early Friendsgiving last weekend and every last drop was gone. People were drizzling it on rolls, green beans, you name it.
Uh, I followed the recipe exactly but mine came out way too thin? Did I do something wrong? I used low sodium chicken broth instead of turkey broth because that’s all I had, maybe that was it? It tasted fine, just super runny, wouldn’t stick to anything.
Made this for my partner’s birthday dinner since he’s obsessed with turkey and mashed potatoes, and he said it’s the best gravy he’s ever had. He even ate the leftover gravy straight from the container cold yesterday lmao. Super easy, didn’t require any fancy ingredients I had to run to the store for. Will be on repeat all fall and winter!
Brought this to our office potluck earlier in the week and people were literally scraping the gravy boat clean. I added a pinch of dried thyme and a crack of black pepper like the recipe suggested and it was chef’s kiss. I’m usually the guy who just brings store bought chips to events so I felt pretty proud of myself tbh.
As a tired high school teacher, I don’t have time for complicated recipes on weeknights. This came together so fast while my turkey meatloaf was resting, and it made the whole meal feel like a cozy hug after a long day of grading papers. My teen even said it’s “better than school cafeteria gravy” which is the highest compliment possible from him lol.
Really tasty gravy! I only wish the recipe had notes for making it ahead of time and reheating, because I wanted to prep it the day before Thanksgiving to cut down on day-of chaos. It worked great when I reheated it low and slow on the stove with a splash of extra broth, just would’ve loved that tip included upfront.
Just got married last month and hosted my first ever family Thanksgiving dinner this weekend, I was so stressed about messing up the gravy because my dad is super picky about it. This recipe was foolproof! No lumps, perfect depth of flavor, my dad even asked for the recipe to make at his house next year. I felt like such a pro.
I made this to go with our leftover turkey sandwiches after Thanksgiving and it elevated them so much! I used to just dip my sandwich in mayo, but a little drizzle of this warm gravy on the turkey and cranberry sauce? Next level. Even my roommate who hates gravy asked for a bite and ended up pouring half the batch on her sandwich too.