Turkey Gravy Recipe
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This turkey gravy recipe is loaded with flavor and cooked until it is creamy and silky smooth, making it the perfect sauce to accompany your turkey and comforting side dishes. I make it super easy for you to prepare at home with my simple technique and step by step instructions.
Any gravy recipe, whether it is beef gravy or chicken gravy, is only as good as what you serve it with. For my turkey gravy, the best way to enjoy it is with my brined smoked turkey or my irresistible juicy roast turkey. So I highly recommend making this for the holiday season.
Turkey Gravy
Turkey gravy is a thick, creamy sauce made from turkey drippings, bones and meat, vegetables, herbs, and liquid. It becomes thickened by reducing the liquid while cooking it and by using a thickening agent like a slurry. The gravy is then finely strained and served alongside the turkey, and it pairs excellently with side dishes like mashed potatoes and of course some stuffing.
In many households, people remove as much meat as possible from the neck and any roasted bones, finely mince them along with the cooked heart and add them to the sauce when it’s done. I personally do not like this, as I prefer a silky-smooth sauce, but to each their own, and you are more than welcome to give it a try.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Turkey – I use the backbone removed from a spatchcock turkey, the neck, and the heart from the giblets. Any turkey bones, skin, or meat are good to use. I would avoid using the kidney and liver, as those can make the gravy bitter.
- Liquid – I prefer to use chicken stock to make the gravy richer. However, using vegetable stock, water or brodo will work well.
- Onion – You can use leeks, shallots, red, white, yellow, or sweet onions. Some whole garlic cloves are also good.
- Vegetables – I use carrots, celery, and parsnips. However, any root vegetable, like celeriac root, rutabaga, etc., can also be used. You do not need to peel any of the root vegetables, though you should rinse them of dirt.
- Herbs – Fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary were used, but you can also used dry.
- Wine – Any good dry white wine like chardonnay, sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio is good.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is used to make the beurre manie.
- Fat – You can coat the vegetables and turkey in your favorite cooking oil. I prefer to use olive or avocado oil. In addition, unsalted butter is used to make the beurre manie thickening agent. I always like to use unsalted butter to control the sodium content.
- Seasonings – I use only coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
Prep the turkey parts: First thing I do is chop the turkey backbone into 3 pieces and cut the neck in half.
Combine the ingredients: I add the turkey pieces to a large bowl along with the heart from the giblets, onion, garlic, celery, carrots, parsnips, herbs, salt, and pepper.
Coat with oil: I drizzle in the oil and mix the ingredients until they are coated.
Prepare the pan: I transfer the mixture to a roast pan or sheet and spread it out to flatten the ingredients. I usually place the turkey on a rack over the vegetables at this stage.
Roast the mixture: I place the pan on the middle rack of the oven at 425 degrees convection and roast for 60 to 70 minutes or until everything is well browned.
Drain the fat: I pour any rendered fat through a chinois or fine mesh strainer into a shallow pan or plate and place it in the freezer so it can solidify.
Transfer: Next, I transfer everything from the pan into a large-sized sauce pot.
Deglaze the pan: I place the pan with the fond over a burner or two burners on medium heat and deglaze it with 1 cup of white wine. I scrape the bottom to release all the goodies stuck to the pan.
Add to the pot: I transfer the mixture to the pot.
Add the stock: I pour in the chicken stock and cook it over medium to medium high heat for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavors.
Strain the mixture: I strain everything completely through a chinois or fine mesh strainer into a separate pot.
Thicken the gravy: Over medium heat, I slowly stir in the beurre manie about a quarter to a third cup at a time until it is incorporated, thick, and creamy. This usually takes 4 to 6 minutes, and I use most of the beurre manie.
Finish: I finish the sauce by stirring in 3 to 5 tablespoons of the chilled fat from the freezer.
Season and serve: I adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve.
Chef Tip + Notes
The best expert tip for making this turkey gravy is to take your time browning the turkey parts and vegetables at the beginning. The deeper the color you get on the bones, onions, carrots, and herbs, the richer and more flavorful your gravy will be. I never rush this step because that caramelization is what builds a savory base that you simply can not get any other way.
- Chop with ease: I sometimes use a meat cleaver to chop the turkey backbone and neck because it makes the job quicker. It is very helpful when working with thicker bones.
- Prep ahead: I like to prep the vegetables one to 2days in advance for holiday meals. It makes cooking day much easier.
- Use dry herbs: You can swap the fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage for one teaspoon each of dried herbs.
- Understand the fond: Fond is the brown tasty bits stuck to the pan. I always scrape them up because they add rich savory flavor to the gravy.
- Choose your thickener: You can thicken the gravy with a traditional roux or slurry. if you prefer. Both methods work well.
- Check the texture: I know the gravy is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. This smooth finish is called nappe.
- Use resting time: There is plenty of time to make the gravy while the turkey rests. I take advantage of that pause to finish the sauce.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 3 days ahead. Keep cool until ready to use.
How to Store: I cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze this, but the sauce may break, and you will need to rethicken it.
How to Reheat: I add the desired amount of turkey gravy to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until hot. You may need to rethicken it using a small amount of roux or beurre manie.
More Sauce Recipes
Turkey Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 turkey backbone
- 1 turkey neck
- 1 turkey neck
- 1 roughly chopped yellow onion
- 2 roughly cut carrots
- 2 roughly cut ribs of celery
- 2 roughly cut parsnips
- 3 mashed garlic cloves
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 sprigs fresh sage
- 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 beurre manie recipe
- coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Instructions
- Start by chopping the turkey backbone into 3 pieces and cutting the neck in half.
- Add the turkey pieces and the heart from the giblets to a large bowl, along with the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, parsnips, herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Drizzle in the oil and mix the ingredients until they are coated.
- Transfer the mixture to a roast pan or sheet and spread it out to flatten the ingredients. At this stage, I usually place the turkey on a rack over the vegetables.
- Roast in the oven on a middle rack at 425° convection for 60 to 70 minutes or until well browned.
- Drain off any rendered fat through a chinois or fine mesh strainer into a shallow pan or plate and place it in the freezer to solidify.
- Next, transfer everything from the pan into a large-sized sauce pot.
- With the remaining fond stuck to the bottom of the pan place it over a burner, or two burners over medium heat, and deglaze with 1 cup of white wine. Scrape the pan to remove all the goodies stuck to the bottom.
- Transfer the mixture to the pot.
- Pour in the chicken stock and cook over medium-to-medium high heat for 15 to 20 minutes to reduce and concentrate the flavors.
- Strain the mixture completely through a chinois or fine mesh strainer into a separate pot.
- Over medium heat, slowly stir in the beurre manie about ¼ to 1/3 cup at a time until it is incorporated, thick, and creamy. This will take 4 to 6 minutes total. You will use most of the beurre manie.
- Finish the sauce by stirring 3 to 5 tablespoons of the chilled fat from the freezer.
- Adjust any seasonings with salt and pepper and serve.
I could bathe in this gravy! I made turkey stock for this instead of using chicken stock and couldn’t be more pleased with the final product. I did add a little soy and Worcestershire sauces to help flavor and darken the gravy in place of salt.
So glad you enjoyed it, thank you!
I meant to give it five stars! Well, really ten!
Are you saying that instead of thickening the gravy with flour, etc., you press those vegetables and bones through a find strainer? I am confused about the bain marie that you referenced. Thank you.
Here’s the recipe for the Beurre Manié that will thicken the gravy-https://www.billyparisi.com/beurre-manie-recipe/
Sim[ply a wonderful gravy to lift the turkey experience to the next level.
eddy
Excellent!
Sounds delish! However, where does the backbone come from if the turkey is roasting above??? I know you can pull out the neck, but the backbone?
I use the backbone from making a spatchcock turkey. Any turkey bones, skin, or meat are good to use.
OMG I am definitely making this! But instead of chicken stock, I will make my basic turkey stock to replace. I love the idea of reinforcing the stock with a few turkey parts. Hopefully, I am not ruining the recipe doing that! LOL
Thanks for giving it a shot!
Hands down the best gravy I have ever made. Now my gravy is done & ready for tomorrow. The beurre manie made the gravy silky smooth with a perfect thickness; the flavor is incredible.
Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Happy Thanksgiving & blessings!
Thank you!!