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This easy method for make-ahead turkey gravy (no drippings required!) means there will be zero stress in the gravy department on Thanksgiving day. Store-bought chicken or turkey stock is levelled-up with turkey wings, herbs and vegetables, before being turned into a rich, creamy gravy that is so simple to make, enriched with butter and an optional slug of white wine or sherry!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
Why This Is The Best Gravy For The Holidays
- Before I made this gravy, I always thought you could only get rich, full-bodied turkey gravy for Thanksgiving by using the drippings. And because you need the turkey to already be cooked to get those making Thanksgiving dinner, it meant always making the gravy at the most stressful part of making the meal. But with this make-ahead turkey gravy made from stock enriched with roasted turkey pieces and aromatics, you can get the gravy sorted the day before with zero stress on the big day!
- Unlike other recipes we’re not just relying on pre-made stock or broth to build the gravy. Instead we’re using it to bolster a homemade stock (which would, by the way, still be delicious made with water) for maximum flavor.
- This recipe is super flexible on what turkey pieces you use for the gravy. Wings and / or necks all work (making the shopping much easier!) but you can sub in chicken if you really can’t get your hands on turkey.
What I Learnt Testing This Recipe
- If you don’t add the stock to the roux really slowly, whisking the whole time, you’ll end up with lumps. But, if your gravy does turn a little lumpy don’t panic! Simply strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or give it a quick blitz with an immersion blender and it should come good again.
- I’ve found that different families get through different amounts of gravy, so always make more than you need so you always have enough! This recipe will yield about 6 cups which would serve about 16 people if you allowed 1/3 cup per person… but while on paper that seems a good amount I’m sure I pour at least double that over my mashed potatoes!
- Make sure you roast the turkey pieces until they’re really dark as this is where you’re getting the flavor you’d usually get from the drippings. I tested this when they were golden (how they would look if you were eating them), and taking them as dark as I could without actually burning them, and the darker wings and necks made a much better gravy!
- Also, don’t skip scraping the roasting pan. Those browned bits left behind after roasting the turkey pieces contain a so much flavor. Deglazing the pan and adding those juices to the stock makes a big difference to the flavor of the gravy.
Ingredients
Turkey wings and/ or necks: Just buy whatever is best value as we’re simmering all the flavor into the stock to form the base of the gravy. If you can’t get turkey pieces, sub with chicken. It won’t taste quite the same, but the flavor will still work with Thanksgiving dinner.
Yellow onion, carrots, celery and garlic: All these fresh aromatics will give the stock for the gravy a bit of extra body and depth.
Olive oil: Or any other neutral oil. This is just to brown off the vegetables, you won’t taste it in the final gravy.
Tomato paste: Again, the final gravy won’t taste at all like tomato, but this just adds another layer of savory flavor that will make this gravy taste like something way more complex than most make-ahead recipes.
Low sodium chicken or turkey stock: Choose low sodium as you really want to control the amount of salt that goes into the finished gravy. Trust me, salty gravy is enough to throw off the entire Thanksgiving meal!
Fresh thyme sprigs: These really lift the gravy and add a bit of herbal freshness. Dried thyme just would not be the same here, but you could sub for half the amount of fresh rosemary (half because it is a lot stronger!)
Bay leaves: Dried are fine, but fresh are even better! However, don’t pick fresh bay leaves unless you are 100% sure they are actually bay leaves, as they look very similar to laurel which are toxic!
Black peppercorns: Whole, to infuse warmth into the stock, as well as ground later to finish the gravy.
Unsalted butter and all-purpose flour: These combine to make a roux which will both thicken the gravy and add richness.
Dry sherry or white wine: Optional, but a touch of alcohol will give the gravy that next-level ‘I can’t believe this is homemade’ oomph!
Make-ahead & Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, warm gently on the stovetop, whisking in a splash of stock or water if it’s thickened too much. On the big day, whisk in a few tablespoons of actual pan drippings if you have them for extra flavor.
Because of the flour in the gravy, I would not recommend freezing it. In my experience sauces like this that are roux-thickened go weirdly lumpy when you try to thaw and re-heat them again!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Make sure your stock is gluten-free, and use a gluten-free flour substitute in the roux. And before you start, be sure to read all of my hints and tips for making the perfect gluten-free roux!
Just substitute everything turkey for chicken, and it will make a great chicken gravy for year-round entertaining!
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy (No Drippings!)
Equipment
- large rimmed baking sheet
- Large stockpot
- Fine mesh sieve
- Large saucepan
Ingredients
For the Stock
- 3 pounds turkey wings and/or necks
- 1 yellow onion quartered
- 2 carrots roughly chopped
- 2 celery stalks roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock or turkey stock
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
For the Gravy
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup dry sherry or white wine, optional
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Toss the turkey wings and/or necks with the onion, carrots, celery and olive oil. Roast until deeply browned, 45 to 55 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Transfer the roasted turkey parts and vegetables to a large stockpot. Place the baking sheet over medium heat, add a splash of stock, scrape up all the browned bits, then pour into the pot. Add the tomato paste, garlic, stock, thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for about 2.5 hours, skimming foam occasionally, until reduced and flavorful.
- Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the solids to extract all the liquid. Discard the solids — you should have about 6 cups of concentrated turkey stock. Skim off excess fat.
- In a clean saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until golden and nutty smelling, about 3 minutes.
- If using, pour in the sherry or wine and whisk to combine. Slowly whisk in the strained turkey stock, a ladleful at a time, until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thickened to your liking, about 10 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed. Let cool completely, then transfer to airtight containers.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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