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turkey gravy

(3 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
DanaRae Brouillette
Hershey, PA

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.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(3 ratings)
yield 12 -14 lb turkey
prep time 5 Min
cook time 2 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For turkey gravy

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

How To Make turkey gravy

  • Chopped onions, carrots, celery, fresh thyme sprigs, and water in roasting pan with turkey.
    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.
    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.
    3
    Add onion and cook for 3 minutes.
  • Lid covering the pan while they cook.
    4
    Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
  • Adding broth and water to the pan.
    5
    Add chicken broth and water. Scrape the bottom of the pan and bring to a boil.
  • Herbs added to the boiling water/broth.
    6
    Add herbs and simmer for 30 minutes skimming foam from the surface.
  • Separating liquid and vegetables.
    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.
    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.
    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.
    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.
    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.
    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.
    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.
    14
    Once the mixture in the roasting pan reduces by half it's done.
  • Straining the liquid and vegetables again.
    15
    Strain roasting pan pressing on solids to extract all liquid. Discard the vegetables and save the liquid.
  • Adding liquid to the gravy.
    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.
    17
    Serve.
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