turkey gravy

Hershey, PA
Updated on Oct 27, 2020

A delicious gravy everyone will love. It can be served at a formal dinner party with confidence. This recipe makes enough to accompany a 12-14 lb turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

A fantastic turkey gravy that's a little labor intensive but so good. Different than traditional turkey gravy, this uses a dark roux instead of a light roux to thicken it. The darker roux gives this gravy a robust flavor. Using turkey drippings is a must in this recipe because it adds to the richness of the gravy. Cooking down the giblets and neck also helps add flavor. Wine used to deglaze the pan gives a little tang to the gravy we loved. Rich and savory, it's worth the steps to make this turkey gravy.

prep time 5 Min
cook time 2 Hr
method Stove Top
yield 12-14 lb turkey

Ingredients

  • FOR ROASTING THE TURKEY
  • 1 cup chopped onions
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • FOR THE GRAVY
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • - reserved turkey giblets and neck from turkey
  • 1 - onion, chopped
  • 4 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 8 - parsley with stems
  • 3 tablespoons butter, unsalted
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup dry white wine

How To Make turkey gravy

  • Chopped onions, carrots, celery, fresh thyme sprigs, and water in roasting pan with turkey.
    Step 1
    Save the turkey giblets and neck. Roast turkey as usual. Add 1 cup each of chopped onions, carrots, and celery along with fresh thyme sprigs and 1 cup of water to the roasting pan before the turkey goes into the oven.
  • Browning turkey giblets and neck.
    Step 2
    Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Brown turkey giblets and neck for 5 minutes.
  • Cooking giblets and neck with onions.
    Step 3
    Add onion and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Lid covering the pan while they cook.
    Step 4
    Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
  • Adding broth and water to the pan.
    Step 5
    Add chicken broth and water. Scrape the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil.
  • Herbs added to the boiling water/broth.
    Step 6
    Add herbs and simmer for 30 minutes skimming foam from the surface.
  • Separating liquid and vegetables.
    Step 7
    Pour turkey broth through a fine-mesh strainer. Save vegetables for later. Reserve and dice heart and gizzard, if desired, for the gravy. Refrigerate broth and diced giblets until ready to use. Reserve 1 cup broth for later deglazing.
  • Cooking butter and flour to make a roux.
    Step 8
    Make the roux. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until nutty brown and fragrant (about 10-15 minutes). It should be a rich brown color - be careful not to burn it.
  • Slowly adding in turkey broth.
    Step 9
    Gradually (slow drizzle) add hot turkey broth to the roux. Vigorous and constant whisking at this point is key to avoid lumps.
  • Simmering the gravy.
    Step 10
    Simmer gravy, stirring occasionally and skimming scum from the surface with a spoon, until thickened (about 30 minutes). Set aside covered until turkey is done.
  • Separating turkey drippings.
    Step 11
    Set a mesh strainer over a measuring cup or bowl and pour drippings from the turkey through the strainer. Let the dripping settle and the fat will float to the top.
  • Cooked vegetables back in the pan and adding wine.
    Step 12
    Return vegetables from the strainer to the roasting pan. Place the roasting pan with vegetables over two burners at medium-high heat. Add wine and reserved 1 cup turkey broth. Scrape up browned bits in the pan. Bring to a boil.
  • Removing fat from the drippings.
    Step 13
    Defat the drippings. Tilt measuring cup of drippings and use a wide, shallow soup spoon to skim fat off the surface. Save defatted drippings.
  • Mixture reducing in the pan.
    Step 14
    Once the mixture in the roasting pan reduces by half it's done.
  • Straining the liquid and vegetables again.
    Step 15
    Strain roasting pan pressing on solids to extract all liquid. Discard the vegetables and save the liquid.
  • Adding liquid to the gravy.
    Step 16
    Add this liquid from the roasting pan to the defatted drippings. Bring the gravy to a simmer and add the defatted drippings to taste depending on how thick you want it. Stir in giblets (if desired).
  • Pouring Turkey Gravy over mashed potatoes.
    Step 17
    Serve.

Discover More

Category: Gravies
Ingredient: Turkey
Culture: American
Method: Stove Top
Keyword: #Turkey
Keyword: #gravy

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