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–+ servings
Ladle lifting gravy out of a cooking pot.

Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy (No Drippings!)

40aprons.com/make-ahead-turkey-gravy-no-drippings/
This make-ahead turkey gravy takes all the stress out of Thanksgiving dinner! Get ahead with a turkey and vegetable enriched stock, which then forms the base of a rich, more-ish gravy finished with (optional) sherry and cream!
Prep 20 minutes
Cook 3 hours 15 minutes
Total 3 hours 35 minutes
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 6 cups

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.

Recipe Notes

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.

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Serving Size: 16servingCalories: 453calProtein: 2gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 437mgPotassium: 196mgTotal Carbs: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gNet Carbs: 10gVitamin A: 3886IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1mg
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
https://40aprons.com/make-ahead-turkey-gravy-no-drippings/