Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy is a must for a stress-free Thanksgiving dinner!
Turkey gravy is definitely a big thing at our Thanksgiving dinner, and not something to rush. It's the perfect side dish to make ahead, to ensure it comes out perfect and one less thing you need to do before feasting! Now you can grab a cocktail while the turkey is resting and the other side dishes are warming in the oven. You're welcome!
I'm kind of picky with my gravy, I like it to have a rich dark brown color. You get that from roasting the turkey wings in a pot. All those brown bits on the bottom and the golden brown crispy skin on the wings.
How to make Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- In a large dutch oven or pot place turkey wings, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Bake uncovered for 2 hours.
- Remove from oven and place on stovetop. Heat on medium-high and add water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Strain stock into a large bowl and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours or overnight.
- Using a spoon remove that fat that has accumulated on top.
- Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add butter and let melt, whisk in flour until if forms a paste and cook about 30 seconds.
- Add in turkey stock. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and let simmer until thickened.
- Turn off heat, sauce will thicken as it cools.
Do I have to use turkey wings?
No, you can also use the back/neck of the turkey or even drumsticks. If you use drumsticks, you can shred the meat off and use it in soups or even finely chop it up and add it into the gravy.
Making Turkey gravy can be a little time consuming and stressful. Especially if your like me, and you feel like everyone is looking over your shoulder and waiting and waiting for that delicious gravy to thicken up so they can eat!
Looking for some recipes for your Thanksgiving dinner?
- Garlic Roasted Mashed Potatoes
- Bacon Jalapeno Mac N Cheese
- Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
- Turkey French Dip Sandwich
- Root Beer Glazed Spiral Ham
- Garlic Roasted Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Make Ahead Turkey Gravy
Make Ahead Turkey Gravy is a must for a stress free Thanksgiving dinner
Ingredients
- 2 turkey wings
- 2 carrots chopped
- 3 celery stalks chopped
- 1 small onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 6 cups water
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar, optional
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Place turkey, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in a large pot or Dutch Oven and place on the upper or middle rack. Bake uncovered for 2 hours. Remove from oven.
- Add water and simmer on stovetop uncovered for 45 minutes. You should have about 4 cups of stock.
- Strain the stock into a bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours or even overnight. Using a spoon remove the fat accumulated on top.
- Heat a large saute pan on medium-high heat, add butter and let melt. Whisk in flour and cook for about 30 seconds. Whisk in turkey stock and vinegar.
- Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until thickened. Turn off the heat, sauce will thicken more once it starts to cool down.
Notes
Gravy will thicken up a bit while it cools down. But if its to thick just add a couple tablespoons of water until you get the desired consistency.
You can make this gravy up to two days ahead and keep in the refrigerator until ready to heat.
You can also freeze the gravy for up to three months in your freezer. Or just freeze the stock then make the rest of the recipe when your ready.
To reheat: Place in saucepan and heat on med/low until warm.
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
8 ServingsAmount Per Serving Calories 184Total Fat 12gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 53mgSodium 138mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 14g
How many pounds of chicken wings should I use? I’m concerned that the chicken wings will burn. Has anyone tried this?
This gravy was amazing! Yeah, it was perfect. It will be my go-to gravy for everything. It had tons of great flavor.!
I’d like to make it year round. What can I substitute for the turkey wings when I can no longer get them?
No they are fine to eat, or shred them and freeze.
What can you do with the turkey wings after roasting? Do they have to be cooked longer in a certain way?
I have never used frozen, I think it would create too much water in the bottom and not get crispy. But you can defrost them in the microwave first.
Can I use frozen turkey wings?
Yes, that should be fine!
Looks awesome! Can I substitute smoked Turkey wings? We are having smoked Turkey for our dinner.
I definitely wouldn't throw them out. There is a lot of meat on drumsticks. Depending on how they look you could serve them or shred them for soups etc. Or even finely dice the meat up into the gravy.
I am having to use drumsticks as it was all I could find. I am wondering if they will be servable? Or would you typically throw them out?
So happy to hear that Donna! I need to try a fried turkey lol
Excellent! I will be making more with our deep fried turkeys all year long! Thank you!
Yay Tami! So happy you loved it 🙂
I made the stock yesterday and it turned out amazing. I was worried about what appeared to be burned bits at the bottom of the pan after roasting. I removed the turkey and veggies then carefully deglazed the pan. I was pretty sure I would have to throw out the deglazing liquid but it tasted great. I added the turkey & veggies back in along with some salt. After an hour I added 2 cups if mire poix, 1 sprig of sage, 1 small sprig of rosemary and a few sprigs of time for added flavor. An hour later I have a beautiful stock for Thanksgiving gravy. I've been making my own stock and bone broth for years. This is by far the best ever. I'm really impressed.
The video is under the second photo 🙂
Where can I find the video please? This recipe looks yummy 😋
Yay Sabina, so glad you loved it 🙂
By far the best gravy I have made. Only used a third of this stock to add color and then added store bought chicken broth to thin to the right consistancy. Got rave reviews and still have stock to use for another day.
Yes, you can get Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce at you grocery store. A little bit goes a long way in making it a darker color. Hope this helps Wendy 🙂
My gravy turned out very light in colour. Is there a gravy browner or something else you’d recommend to get a little darker colour? Thanks very much.
Sure you can throw them in when you add the water to make the stock.
Can the giblets be used in the stock?
After simmering you should have about 4 cups of turkey stock, you add add all of that. There is a video to watch that might help.
How much turkey stock should you add? I don't see it in the ingredient list.
Just whisk it in a sauce pan and heat on low until warm. You could also heat it in the microwave.
What is the best way to reheat this on the day you use it?
Oh yes cast iron is very rarely dead! With a little TLC it can be brought back to life. Glad it worked out Jessica 🙂
Thank you! I did have a dutch oven, cast iron though and It is very old, I wasn't sure It could be brought back to life, but my husband taught me an interesting trick! If you boil water in it after scrubbing it down, the boiling water cooks the rust off and turns it back to non toxic cast iron!!!!! So my broth is now simmering on the stove top!
The crock pot doesn't get hot enough and would take a long time. You can use any pot doesn't have to be a dutch oven.
Could I do this in the crock pot? I don't have a dutch oven and am unable to get one at this point! Please help as I would love to try this recipe for our dinner! Thank you!
Well it does say add salt and pepper to taste Deb!
This recipe was very bland.
Yes Chris, it ads a great flavor to this gravy.
Vinegar (acid) makes everything mo better
Nope, no liquid added to the pot while roasting.
About 4 1/2 cups Judi.
It gives the gravy great flavor, but its optional.
What is the purpose of the vinegar?
How much stock should you end up with?
Do you add any liquid to the pot before you roast it?
Glad it turned out for you Joan. Not sure why your veggies burned. I only roast in a cast iron pot, not sure what you used. Maybe your pot was to low in the oven, it should be placed on the middle rack?
No need to do that Kevin. Adding the water to the turkey makes the actual stock for the gravy. 🙂
Would substituting any store-bought turkey stock for some of the water make it richer or take away from the homemade flavor?
Just made this gravy! Very rich and velvety. My veggies burned too but I just took the burnt parts out. Ready to freeze for next week.
When your whisking in the stock you add in the vinegar, step 5. 🙂
Where do you add the cider vinegar, please?
You can, but chicken wings are smaller and wont take as long to roast in the oven so you'll have to adjust the roasting time.
Can you substitute chicken wings?
Serving size is about 1/2 cup.
Makes 8 servings. What size is a serving? 2 Tbsp? 1/2 c?
Most grocery stores sell parts of the turkey by Foster Farms. Or ask the butcher, this time of year they get a lot of request for individual turkey pieces and usually have them cut up. Hope that helps Stefanie 🙂
How do you get turkey wings without buying and tearing them off of a whole turkey. Don’t want my thanksgiving turkey to come out of the oven with no wings...?
I'm so sorry Tara, I've made this recipe so many times and have never had it burn. Maybe your oven was to hot. I'm hoping it turned out for you in the end 🙂
I’m not sure what I missed but all of the vegetables and garlic were black after 2 hours. Turkey looked good but when I poured the water in, it smelled awful and burnt. I scraped out the dish and added back everything that wasn’t burnt. Hoping it turns out ok.
Yes you can use turkey legs. If they are really huge I would add on another 20 minutes roasting time:)
Can I use turkey legs instead of wing?
Yes I have made two days ahead of time. Just warm it up on the stove until desired temp.
Have you ever made a day or two ahead?