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    Home » Recipes » Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

    Turkey Gravy

    Published: October 10, 2023 | Last Updated: January 4, 2024 | Lisa 1 Comment
    This post may contain affiliate links.

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    A Thanksgiving table filled with a carved turkey on a platter, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and gravy.

    Last Updated January 4th, 2024 at 11:09 pm by Lisa

    Make a perfect turkey gravy in just 10 minutes with this step-by-step guide and four simple ingredients.

    The rich pan drippings from your Thanksgiving turkey add an incredible depth of flavor and is a simple process. Learn my Chef's secret for velvety smooth results and no lumpy gravy...

    Pin

    Table of Contents

    • Turkey Gravy Recipe
    • Turkey Gravy Ingredients
    • The Best Turkey Gravy Instructions
      • 1. Start With Good Turkey Pan Drippings
      • 2. Make Flour-Butter Thickener (Beurre Manié)
      • 3. Now It's Time To Cook Your Perfect Gravy
      • 4. And Now Thicken The Gravy
      • 5. Whisk And Simmer For 5 Minutes
      • 6. Let's Finish Thickening
      • 7. Serving Hot Gravy
    • More Thanksgiving Side Dishes
    • More Thanksgiving Dinner Turkey Recipes
    Pin

    Turkey Gravy Recipe

    Of all the Thanksgiving recipes, making a delicious gravy can make people a little bit uneasy in the kitchen. Today, we will cover how to make the best homemade turkey gravy! And the easiest way to ensure there are no lumps.

    Get my cooking techniques for a silky smooth rich gravy that I learned in professional cooking school. The cooking technique came from my French Chef instructor, and it works every single time flawlessly.

    There is a full video in the recipe card below. So go see how I make it with all the stages of cooking a delicious turkey gravy! And you can scale this recipe up and down for your holiday feast right in the recipe as well. Let's make gravy...

    Turkey Gravy Ingredients

    • soft butter 
    • all purpose flour
    • turkey pan drippings (try my Roast Turkey recipe!)
    • Chicken Stock (Bone Broth) chicken broth, turkey broth, or turkey stock

    Make My Homemade Chicken Stock! The flavor of the gravy is deeply enhanced by both the turkey juices and the addition of good chicken stock. Making turkey gravy from stock is the way to go. I have made my own stocks for decades, a skill passed from my Grandmother on down through to my Mom and I carry on the tradition. I use storebought if I don't have any in my freezer.

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    Have you ever wondered how to make your own stocks at home? Learn how to make Chicken Stock, also known as bone broth. This is a step-by-step guide with cooking tips plus how to freeze it with 15 delicious new recipe ideas. Save money and have some ready to elevate dinner, soups, sauces, and stews.

    Chicken Stock (Bone Broth) Plus Freezer Tips and 15+ Recipe Uses!
    Make Chicken Stock aka Bone Broth at home to create other tasty recipes with chicken stock, plus cooking tips and 15+ delicious recipe ideas!
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    3 small Mason jars filled with chicken stock and black heart shaped labels.Pin
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    The Best Turkey Gravy Instructions

    1. Start With Good Turkey Pan Drippings

    Save those golden drippings from your juicy roast turkey, and whisk together a fantastic brown gravy for your Thanksgiving table. However you season your bird, will enhance the gravy flavor. Fresh herbs like parsley, fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary or a Turkey Dry Brine Rub spice mix, salt, and black pepper all add extra flavor to the gravy!

    1. As the turkey starts to cook, the best way to get enough pan drippings is to pour a 32 ounce box of chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. It adds moisture while the bird roasts and creates several cups of drippings you need for good gravy. Use a turkey baster with those pan juices to keep your meat moist, and to help it get golden brown.
    2. As the pan juices evaporate, add another 32 ounce box of chicken stock to keep liquid in the pan high enough to keep the brown bits at the bottom of the roasting pan from burning and to create pan drippings.
    3. Optional Steps: Once you remove the turkey drippings from the pan, you can drain off the layer of fat using a fat separator. A fat separator is basically a large measuring cup with a special spout that helps the fat rise to the top so it can be poured off. I don't typically do this step, but you can if you wish. I think the fat adds delicious flavor! Another option is to strain the drippings with a fine-mesh sieve. I typically don't do this unless there are a lot of pieces of herbs like rosemary or larger turkey bits in the gravy. These are both a matter of personal preference!

    2. Make Flour-Butter Thickener (Beurre Manié)

    On a small plate or in a small bowl, press ¼ cup softened butter with ¼ cup flour with a fork until well incorporated into a paste.

    The French chefs call this mixture a Beurre Manié, and it is great to thicken soups, stews, and sauces like gravy!

    PRO TIP: For the best gravy, some people like a thick gravy, and others like a thin gravy. The consistency is up to you! To thicken gravy, cook it longer and don't add any extra chicken stock. For thinner gravy simply add more chicken stock and don't add as much flour-butter thickener.

    Pin

    3. Now It's Time To Cook Your Perfect Gravy

    Pour one cup of turkey drippings into the pan, then one cup of chicken stock, equal portions are what you want. You can use all pan dripping if you prefer, add stock to increase the gravy amount as you desire.

    Pin
    Pin

    4. And Now Thicken The Gravy

    Now whisk 1-2 tablespoons of the flour-butter (Beurre Manié) mixture into the pan over medium heat. Stir with a whisk or wooden spoon constantly until well incorporated. Simmer, don't boil on a medium low heat.

    Pin

    5. Whisk And Simmer For 5 Minutes

    It will begin to thicken at about 5 minutes, the gravy will get silky and glossy. The key is to not walk away, keep adding more chicken stock and butter/flour mixture. And keep stirring on a low heat with a whisk for 5 more minutes. If it boils turn your heat down to medium-low heat. You want a nice gentle simmer.

    Pin
    Pin

    PRO TIP: For the best results, taste your gravy as you go. Resist the urge to add additional salt, there is usually enough salt and seasonings on the roasting turkey, in the stock, and butter.

    6. Let's Finish Thickening

    It takes about 10 minutes total time to finish cooking gravy, and it will thicken even more when you take it off the heat!

    Pin

    7. Serving Hot Gravy

    Serve hot in a gravy boat with sliced turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and other Thanksgiving or holiday side dishes.

    Leftover turkey gravy should be stored in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator. Be sure to not keep leftover gravy at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and get it chilled for fridge storage safely. Eat within 3-4 days.

    Pin
    Pin
    How do you thicken gravy?

    Beurre Manié is French for “kneaded butter”. It is made by mixing equal parts of softened butter and flour. This paste is used to thicken sauces, soups, and stews.

    How is a roux and beurre manié different?

    Both use the same ratio of 1 part flour to 1 part butter. And each one is used to thicken sauces like gravy, soups, and stews. The main difference is roux is cooked first in a pan, using melted butter and flour, whisking over lower heat which turns it a darker color. A beurre manié is made by mashing uncooked soft butter with flour into a paste on a plate or in a bowl with a fork and then adding the mixture to the recipe during the cooking process.

    Pin
    A Thanksgiving table complete with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy and other side dishes.Pin
    Pin

    More Thanksgiving Side Dishes

    Make one of these delicious Thanksgiving Appetizers! There are over 36 recipes to choose from in this collection of the best holiday party food ideas.

    For more sides, you can't beat classics like Southern Sweet Potato Casserole or Coconut-Pecan Sweet Potatoes.

    Make perfectly Roasted Vegetables with these cooking tips and techniques. Plus get roasting times and ideas to use seasonal veggies.

    Make these Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes with 5 Ways to Reheat them for your holiday party, one of America's favorite holiday side dishes!

    Sausage Stuffing Dressing is a classic holiday side dish loaded with so much flavor! Choose to make it with a spicier or a mild sweet Italian sausage. It also has boxed cornbread, crunchy celery, soft French bread, sweet dried cherries, and tart dried cranberries. They are all mixed into one heavenly dressing recipe.

    This tropical Pineapple Orange Cranberry Sauce is a great addition to take or serve at your holiday feast.

    Party Dinner Rolls topped with cheese and herbs. So pretty, and people go crazy for them.

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    More Thanksgiving Dinner Turkey Recipes

    This complete guide and step-by-step recipe for Spatchcock Turkey. It gives every bit of the surface a chance to turn and even golden brown all over. Large meat cuts like legs and the breast all cooks at different times. Light meat or white meat, cooks faster than thigh meat or dark meat. This cooking method is an effective technique. It roasts the entire bird at the same time and doesn't over cook any one part.

    Cooking a Turkey Breast is easy using a boneless breast is so easy. And you will love the flavorful gravy made from the pan drippings! This is a great recipe to serve a small number of people. And you will have easy turkey leftovers the next day!

    Wondering what to do with Thanksgiving leftovers? Make Thanksgiving Empanadas Hand Pies. Bake a Leftover Casserole that is just like a Shephard's Pie and the best recipe for leftovers.

    A Roast Turkey with Dry Brine adds bold flavor to your whole Thanksgiving bird! This is so easy to put together with a good spice blend right from your kitchen pantry. Skip those store-bought mixes and mix up the best seasoning at home!

    • A collage of spatchcock turkey sliced on a platter, with one in a roasting pan, and on a table with side dishes.
      Spatchcock Turkey
    • Roast Turkey (Dry Brine Recipe)
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    CRAVING MORE?

    Did you love this recipe? We would love to hear from you! If you make this recipe and love it, give it a 5-star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ with a comment. THANK YOU!! Follow Delicious Table with my free newsletter and share this recipe with your friends on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

    A dark golden roast turkey with a white gravy boat pouring turkey gravy on top.Pin
    Print Pin Recipe

    Turkey Gravy Recipe

    Make a perfect turkey gravy in just 10 minutes with this step-by-step guide and four simple ingredients. The rich pan drippings from your Thanksgiving turkey add an incredible depth of flavor and is a simple process. Learn my Chef's secret for velvety smooth results and no lumpy gravy!
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes minutes
    Servings 12
    Calories 58kcal
    Author Lisa Hatfield

    Equipment

    Turkey Baster
    Wire Whisk
    OXO Fat Separator

    Ingredients

    • ¼ cup soft butter room temperature
    • ¼ cup all purpose flour
    • 1 cup turkey pan drippings
    • 1 cup chicken stock (bone broth) chicken broth, turkey broth, or turkey stock
    Get Recipe Ingredients
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Turkey Pan Drippings

    • As the turkey starts to cook, the best way to get enough pan drippings is to pour a 32 ounce box of chicken stock into the bottom of the roasting pan. It adds moisture while the bird roasts and creates several cups of drippings you need for good gravy. Use a turkey baster with those pan juices to keep your meat moist, and to help it get golden brown.
    • As the pan juices evaporate, add another 32 ounce box of chicken stock to keep liquid in the pan high enough to keep the brown bits at the bottom of the roasting pan from burning and to create pan drippings.
    • Optional: Once you remove the turkey drippings from the pan, you can drain off the layer of fat using a fat separator. A fat separator is basically a large measuring cup with a special spout that helps the fat rise to the top so it can be poured off. I don't typically do this step, but you can if you wish. I think the fat adds delicious flavor!
      Another option is to strain the drippings with a fine-mesh strainer. I typically don't do this unless there are a lot of pieces of herbs like rosemary or larger turkey bits in the gravy. This is a matter of personal preference.

    Make The Gravy Flour-Butter Thickener (Beurre Manié)

    • On a small plate or in a small bowl, press ¼ cup butter with ¼ cup flour with a fork until well incorporated into a paste. The French chefs call this mixture a Beurre Manié, and it is great to thicken soups, stews, and sauces like gravy!

    Cook The Gravy

    • Pour one cup of turkey drippings into the pan, then one cup of chicken stock, equal portions are what you want. You can use all pan dripping if you prefer.
    • Now whisk 1-2 tablespoons of the flour-butter (Beurre Manié) mixture into the pan over medium heat. Stir with a whisk or wooden spoon constantly until well incorporated. Simmer, don't boil on a medium low heat.
    • It will begin to thicken at about 5 minutes, the gravy will get silky and glossy. The key is to not walk away, keep adding more chicken stock and butter/flour mixture. And keep stirring on a low heat with a whisk for 5 more minutes. If it boils turn your heat down to medium-low heat. You want a nice gentle simmer.
    • It takes about 10 minutes to finish cooking, and it will thicken even more when you take it off the heat.
    • Serve hot in a gravy boat with sliced turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and other Thanksgiving or holiday side dishes.
    • Leftover turkey gravy should be stored in an airtight container chilled in the refrigerator. Be sure to not keep leftover gravy at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and get it chilled for fridge storage safely. Eat within 3-4 days.

    Notes

    Good Turkey Pan Drippings

    Save those golden drippings from your juicy roast turkey, and whisk together a fantastic brown gravy for your Thanksgiving table. However you season your bird, will enhance the gravy flavor. Fresh herbs like parsley, fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary or a Turkey Dry Brine Rub spice mix, salt, and black pepper all add extra flavor to the gravy!

    Homemade Chicken Stock

    Make My Homemade Chicken Stock! The flavor of the gravy is deeply enhanced by both the turkey juices and the addition of good chicken stock. Making turkey gravy from stock is the way to go. Learn how to make Chicken Stock, also known as bone broth. This is a step-by-step guide with cooking tips plus how to freeze it with 15 delicious new recipe ideas. Save money and have some ready to elevate dinner, soups, sauces, and stews.

    How To Make Thick or Thin Gravy 

    For the best gravy, some people like a thick gravy, and others like a thin gravy. The consistency is up to you! To thicken gravy, cook it longer and don't add any extra chicken stock. For thinner gravy simply add more chicken stock and don't add as much flour-butter thickener.
    PRO TIP: For the best results, taste your gravy as you go. Resist the urge to add additional salt, there is usually enough salt and seasonings on the roasting turkey, in the stock, and butter.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 58kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 119IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let's see it on Instagram! Follow us @Delicious.Table and tag us on your recipe photo with #delicioustable
    Need ingredients or equipment to make this recipe? Shop Now Every cooking product recommended I own, use, and love how they perform in my kitchen. Happy Cooking! Lisa
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Delicious Table earns advertising fees from qualified purchases linking to Amazon.com

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jamie Rykers says

      October 15, 2023 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      Finally an easy way to make gravy smooth. Thanks so much Lisa we loved it!

      Reply

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