Contrary to popular belief, you don't need a whole turkey to make gravy. However, you must slow-roast turkey to get good gravy.
I have to admit I have witnessed some pretty seasoned cooks have complete breakdowns at Thanksgiving when it comes time to gravy making. There is just too much going on at that moment; the bird is out of the oven, they are trying to deglaze the pan, the side dishes are almost ready or are getting cold, there are too many people around...let's face it, gravy anxiety is real.
However, all of this pandemonium can be eliminated with a little planning. The secret is turkey wings from the grocery store. Every store has them and they are so cheap. When you roast the wings with celery, onions and garlic, you have the makings of a perfect turkey stock which you will make into the perfect gravy. This can be done months ahead and frozen, taking out the stock when you need it.
On Thanksgiving you can make the gravy while the bird is in the oven as opposed to when it's out, which many of you know is a very stressful activity.
This is also perfect for those of us who love to deep fry their turkeys and pan drippings are not available.
So relieve your stress this year and make gravy ahead of time.
Give it a try...
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and in a large sauté or roasting pan (I use my large Dutch oven), roast turkey wings, celery, onion and garlic for 2 hours. Remove from the oven.
Add water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer on low for one hour, uncovered. Stock will reduce.
Strain the stock into a bowl with at least a 4 cup capacity. Place liquid into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight and remove the fat accumulated on top.
In a large sauté pan, melt unsalted butter and whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly over medium heat for two minutes. This will cook out the flour taste. Whisk in defatted turkey stock and cook until thickened. (The gravy should coat the back of a spoon.) Add milk, cider vinegar and salt to taste. If by some chance you cannot get your gravy as thick as you like it, don't panic. It's always possible you measured something wrong. In an emergency, you can always dissolve 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in one teaspoon of cold water and SLOWLY add it to the gravy while whisking. It will be fine. Just remember, gravy often thickens up a bit when it's off the heat and you want a nice pourable liquid for all those lovely side dishes.
Pour the gravy into a warmed gravy boat and Thanksgiving dinner is ready!
Now doesn't that look good?
Make Ahead Turkey (Thanksgiving) Gravy
Makes 2-1/4 cups
2 turkey wings
4 ribs of celery, roughly chopped (use leaves too)
1 onion, cut into chunks
4 cloves garlic, smashed
6 cups water
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups turkey stock, strained and defatted
1/2 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt to taste (I used 1/2 teaspoon)
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and in a large sauté or roasting pan (I use my large Dutch oven), roast turkey wings, celery, onion and garlic for 2 hours. Remove from the oven.
Add water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer on low for one hour, uncovered. Stock will reduce.
Strain the stock into a bowl with at least a 4 cup capacity. Place liquid into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight and remove the fat accumulated on top.
In a large sauté pan, melt unsalted butter and whisk in flour. Cook, whisking constantly over medium heat for two minutes. This will cook out the flour taste. Whisk in defatted turkey stock and cook until thickened. (The gravy should coat the back of a spoon.) Add milk, cider vinegar and salt to taste. If by some chance you cannot get your gravy as thick as you like it, don't panic. It's always possible you measured something wrong. In an emergency, you can always dissolve 1 teaspoon of cornstarch in one teaspoon of cold water and SLOWLY add it to the gravy while whisking. It will be fine. Just remember, gravy often thickens up a bit when it's off the heat and you want a nice pourable liquid for all those lovely side dishes.
One Year Ago: Lazy Taxpayer's Bipartisan Burger
While we don’t have Thanksgiving here this is a great idea for Christmas when I’ll be roasting a large chicken up at my Folks’ place. Using homemade stock and the pan juices will equal super scummy gravy.
And thank you for the pulled chicken recipe from two posts ago – I happily devoured it tonight, and had a second helping! Zebbycat was not amused.
Hugles from New Zealand, Michelle xxx (Zebby is very busy snoring)
This is a WONDERFUL idea! I cannot believe I never thought of this before, guess that is why I keep reading your blog~ you come up with the best tips and recipes. Now I am soooooo hungry for turkey gravy over dressing, with a lot of cranberry sauce on the side!
This gravy looks absolutely delicious!!
That is the best looking turkey gravy I have ever seen and I pride myself on my gravy! Who needs to wait for Thanksgiving with this great method?
This is a great idea! I’m always frantically trying to get the gravy to thicken to that perfect point, while trying to get everything else ready.
wow – What a great idea! That is always one (of the many) stressors on that day! Thanks for sharing!
we cook our turkeys in the rotisserie will never ever bake one again… and use the gibles and neck to make giblet gravey… yummmmm love your pre made stock… and now for the question of the day… whats the difference in broth and stock ?(like what they have in the store)
Jeez…how easy! I never would have thought about doing this. Thanks for sharing!
I do this every year,I base my recipe on the Womans Day one, similar to yours. Such the time saver and its so good!! I think I will try yours this year instead.
This is terrific! I especially like the make ahead version because it’s so easy to strain the excess fat.
Beautiful gravy. I actually do pretty good when it comes to gravy making. Nothing offends me more to see someone make gravy from a packet or pour from a jar when it is relatively simple. Thanks for sharing.
Making gravy just before a large dinner is a nightmare! This takes all the stress and mess out of one of our favorite parts of the dinner. Thanks.
I love this! Not only does it ease the stress a little (sometimes I end up not making the gravy because everything is done and everyone is waiting…), but it looks like you get lots of gravy, more than you might get making it from whatever good stuff you get from the bird. Thanks!
That looks so incredible, I am saving this!
Hi, when roasting in the oven, did you cover your dutch oven or leave uncovered?
Looks great, can’t wait to try.
Uncovered.
You just made my Thanksgiving! This is always m biggest stressor becuase everyone is standing in the kitchen and watching! Ugh.
Cathy, I think you might have just saved my life. I’m actually a dynamite cook – with one exception. I CANNOT MAKE GRAVY. For all the reasons you mentioned above. I am totally making this this year, and my family will be AMAZED because my gravy skills (or lack thereof) are reknowned. THANK YOU!
Thanks for reminding me! I did this last year and it was great, but I’d forgotten about it!
Great idea to make the gravy ahead of time! I especially like the fact you can skim off the fat.
Thanks. What a great idea to make it ahead. And, my husband will probably love this recipe. He’s not crazy about the giblet gravy that my family has at Thanksgiving. (Since he’s from Chicago and I’m from Texas) I think his mom always made the brown gravy.
This will go perfectly with our Make Ahead Mashed Potato recipe.
Thank you! I’m hosting thanksgiving… they want gravy with mashed potatoes but instead of a roasted turkey one of my guests is making a turkey casserole… this will be perfect…
Your pic of the gravy with mashed potatoes qualifies as cruel and unusual punishment. Man, that gravy! Even skunk butt would be good with that. Ha.
Yeah, that looks good. I would like to bathe in it.
How far ahead can you make this and how would you re-heat it? Is freezing an option? I am making my cranberry sauce and gravy ahead of time this year.
I think you just saved my marriage. By the time it’s time to make the gravy, there is so much going on I was screach at my husband and we have a lovely argument before the meal. Oh yes, the holidays, LOL! I’m doing this.
You KNOW how much I love mashed potatoes and gravy…I’ll be right over!!!
This look dark and rich and wonderful. The best part of the recipe is that you’ve given it to us now, rather then on the day before the holiday.
I’ve never made it more than a couple days ahead. I just pour it into a saucepan and reheat. It will have a skin on it but that will disappear with whisking as you bring it to a gentle simmer only, do not let the bottom burn.
I have also never frozen the gravy, only the stock.
Usually I just make the gravy while the turkey is cooking as the stock has been prepared ahead of time.
Great idea to make the stock in advance. It’s always a mad rush to get everything done on Thanksgiving.
Now this is a good idea! Confessions: I never, ever use flour in gravy; I whisk cornstarch in a tiny bit of water, whisk that in, and never have lumps. Second confession: to avoid using salt, you can stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice per cup of broth, and it perks the gravy right up. Yeah, hubby was just diagnosed with high blood pressure, so my tiny amount of salt usage is being pared back still further. Third confession: I’m glad I’m not the only one thinking about Thanksgiving already!
Perfect! Bookmarking this for sure!
Wonderful idea. Although I do make my last-minute gravy, I definitely would appreciate having some homemade gravy already done. I usually make my gravy with the pan drippings and a stock I made from the neck and giblets, but I could just save those and freeze them for gravy at some other point.
I am making the turkey at home this year and bringing it to another dinner (at the home of a vegetarian who won’t make the turkey, but will have non-vegetarain guests like me). Being able to just pop the turkey out of the oven and have the gravy already done will be a big help.
I went back and re-read the entry and saw that, but thanks for your response. Will do the same! : )
I’ve made a version of this, but yours looks richer. I’ll have to convert to your way. Sad but true– one Thanksgiving, I poured the stock into a colander in my sink…and then I realized that I forgot to put a pot underneat. Yep, the whole beautiful stock went down the drain. I will never do that again, because now I use a pasta pot. Great tutorial. I’ve been reading your blog for ages, but I don’t leave a comment. I just wanted to say “hi” and I love your blog and photos a lot.
Snapping fingers and dancing she sings in a whisper, “The holidays are comin’…the holidays are comin’…
Yummy gravy!
I am thanking you now from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea how much the gravy stresses me out.
Thank you my holiday will be good!!
This is a great tip for those who are stressed out enough on Thanksgiving. Gravy is usually not a problem since I cook down the neck and giblets and make stock with that which I use for the gravy. I also saute mushrooms and the juice from that makes for good gravy too. Today I posted your upside-down apple cake – a real showstopper that I’ll be making for Thanksgiving too.
Cathy, I’ve got to tell you that this is exactly as I make it (except your pictures are way better than mine) with one tiny exception. I also add a few drops of Kitchen Bouquet, which only enhances the flavor. It was a little trick of my grandmother’s.
Luckily, we’ve been invited to our best friends’ home this year, so I’m only taking what they tell me to.
OMG–I LOVE this idea!! I am definitely doing this as I get a little testy about gravy making on Thanksgiving!
Okay, prepare yourself-I hate gravy. I know, how could I? Everyone else in the house loves it so I try to make it from scratch, but sometimes I just open a jar! Just give me a pile of spuds and butter, salt and pepper please! I will bookmark this though, since I think the family would enjoy it.
My mother in law would be all over a make ahead turkey. She doesn’t get to cook turkey any more though. She was voted off the island. Looks tasty.
How great is this? Even when you roast a turkey, there is NOT enough gravy. Problem solved, thanks.
I know this gravy anxiety moment well! This make ahead gravy is pure genius!
What a fantastic idea of making the gravy earlier. It will certainly help to calm me down in the kitchen knowing that one of important component of Thanksgiving dish is ready. Thx for the idea Cathy.
This looks like an awesome recipe. I would have never thought of using the wings separately. No one in my house eats them anyway!
I think turkey is so hard! I bought a $75 orgnaic turkey last year. (Blogged about it today, along with an interview with a turkey expert.) Will probably do the same this year. I’ll bet this gravy would make it taste even better than it did.
Uncovered.
Could a gravy look any better? Great photos Cathy, the last shot is making me drool.
You seriously never cease to amaze me……I love all of your dishes….and there have been times gravy has been the last straw for me…..thanks for the recipe….I have NOT dropped dead….I just can’t get it all together…YOU ARE MY HERO…Because you seem to have it all together and jog 5 miles to boot before the rains come….AMAZING I tell ya!!!!!
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!! ditto what everyone has been saying, this will save my thanksgiving
I LOVE this idea!
So, true that gravy anxiety is real! This is a great plan, especially for fried turkey.
I suffer from the WORST gravy anxiety! So this is a definite to-do for me! Especially being that I can make this ahead and then defrost and heat up the day of! Thank you so much for this!
I have done this for the past 5 years and it is the best!!!! No muss or fuss on the big day – and it is perfect every time!!!
That does look tasty. I’ve always boiled the giblets and neck and used the liquid from that. I’ll have to try your method because it does look delicious.
Really good idea! The consistency looks perfect too.
This is going to change my life! I’m definitely gravy-phobic and I agonize every Thanksgiving about whether the gravy will live up to the rest of the meal. No more worrying — I’m going to make it ahead and freeze it.
Great looking turkey gravy. Sounds more delicious. Hope to find the fried turkey recipe < ?b> together with this gravy.
I am SO doing this! Thanks!!!
I admit I get extreme gravy anxiety. You have saved me. Thank you so much!
So, If I need to make more gravy than just 2.25 cups, do I double or triple everything….or just the water? I know that’s kind of a dumb question…but I wasn’t sure.
Yes, increase everything. One recipe make about three cups stock. So if you doubled the turkey meat and the water you would end up with about 6 cups turkey stock. You could then triple the gravy making part (milk, cider etc) since you would have six cups of stock to make gravy.
I made this recipe today and the stock didn’t look nearly as good as yours. I followed the directions to a T but my stock was very watery and light colored…. not the rich dark brown that yours was. What could have gone wrong? Should I I have roasted my turkey wings longer till they were a much darker brown?
Very strange. I’ve made this recipe a million times and have never had a problem. In trying to think of what went wrong a couple things crossed my mind.
Did you use the same to roast the wings and boil the water after? This is where the stock richness comes from, all the burnt stuff on the bottom. If you used a different pan, you would not have gotten a rich, brown stock.
By any chance could you have unknowingly added too much water?
I can’t imagine anything else that would have caused a mishap. If you roasted your wings for 2 hours, they should have been very brown.
If you use the fat from the stock for the roux, instead of butter, you’ll get a little extra turkey kick. You may need to adjust the amount of flour, I usually need a pinch more.
I used a roasting pan and not a dutch oven so maybe that is why. Plus my veggies were piled on top of the turkey… maybe added too much moisture and steamed the turkey? One other thing is I used 2 wings and 2 thighs (only one package of wings left at the grocery store) so maybe the thighs did it? I needed to double the recipe. Added 12 cups of water at and used the same roasting pan to scrap up any goodness left on the bottom. I will have to retry with all wings and in a dutch oven. I will let you know how the gravy turns out from this stock though, won’t make that until Thursday. Thanks for all your amazing recipes.
No, it had nothing to do with the pan or thighs, it was the amount of water. If you only cooked for one hour on the stove with 12 cups of water you didn’t get enough of a reduction. Even though you have already strained it I would stick it back on the stove for another hour and reduce it to concentrate the flavors.
Anytime you double a recipe, it most likely always increases cooking time, especially in a reduction.
I just made this myself and it was light colored like a chicken stock. But the mistake I made was I put a lid on it while it roasted. It wasn’t until afterwards that I read in the comments that Cathy added to roast it UNCOVERED. (Cathy, not sure if you can add it to the recipe but it might help some.) It’s cooling in the refrigerator right now. I imagine it will still taste good, it will just be light yellowish tan instead of that pretty rich brown.
You seriously never cease to amaze me……I love all of your dishes….and there have been times gravy has been the last straw for me…..thanks for the recipe….I have NOT dropped dead….I just can’t get it all together…YOU ARE MY HERO…Because you seem to have it all together and jog 5 miles to boot before the rains come….AMAZING I tell ya!!!!!
The personal loans suppose to be useful for guys, which are willing to start their business. In fact, it’s not very hard to get a term loan.
you’ll get a little extra turkey kick. You may need to adjust the amount of flour, I usually need a pinch more.
I made this today. The house smelled amazing while it was roasting, and the stock looks absolutely delicious. Never again will I find myself scrambling to make gravy on Thanksgiving day. I couldn’t find turkey wings at New Seasons, so they suggested I use a turkey back. Thanks for the recipe.
Cannot wait to try this recipe
It’s so nice to be able to bring out my turkey stock and make gravy while there’s a lull in the action. Broke out the Noble Pig wine today, too.
Looks simply Delicious. I am normally in charge of the side dishes and not the turkey,dressing and gravy bc I did not want to tackle the bird part. This blog might actually get me ready for NEXT year ! thanks so MUCH !
I froze the full gravy 3 months ago, just defrosted it and it’s perfectly fine – just reheat!
I am cooking Thanksgiving turkey this year and one of our guests is quite allergic to celery. She cannot even tolerate products such as soups or sauces with this ingredient. What would you suggest instead of celery for this terrific looking stock/gravy? Thanks for your recipe, I plan to make it also for another occasion with the celery!
Leave it out.
I was just wondering what the vinegar does in this recipe. I’ve never seen this ingredient when making gravy.
It gives it a nice taste, the acid cuts the fat.
Thank you!
I just re-read your notes. So, is it possible to make the entire recipe and freeze it?
I’ve never tried that. I would freeze the stock and just make the gravy that day.
This year, I am responsible for the turkey, gravy and dressing and decided to try this as it gets pretty hectic in my kitchen on Thanksgiving. (I have a spinal cord injury and am pretty overwhelmed anyway but am a purist when it comes to certain ‘sacred’ dishes and want them done perfectly.) I am roasting the wings and vegetables now. They have about thirty more minutes to go and I saw that they were very light on the side facing downward so I turned them over so they can brown on the other side. That might help with the light coloring people were discussing. Also, I added a carrot to the vegetable mix and it just smells divine- I think it will add an element of additional richness to the gravy and maybe a little color as well.
I am so looking forward to the final product- I will freeze the stock and put it in the fridge overnight next Wednesday so it will be thawed out in time to finish the gravy. What a great idea to have this part of Thanksgiving made into something so uncomplicated! Many, many thanks!!!
It was a mess to make but whattttttt a difference. I made one the way I do normally,
boiling the neck ect. with carrots, celery and onions. Then your way .. All I can say is,
yours was by FAR the best. Yes! it was more time consuming but worth every minute.
Thank you soooo much. Marianne
I made the stock last night ( doubled the recipe) and finished the gravy tonight and it is delicious! I will never go back to regular gravy again. I could eat this as a soup! It is definitely some work/mess to make, so while it saves time the day of, it surely makes up for that when you are preparing it. Well worth it though!
I know, isn’t it a relief to have it done?