This post may contain Affiliate Links. Please see my Disclaimer for more details.
This Turkey Gravy recipe is made in a roasting pan and packed with rich flavor, and takes only minutes to whip up. Get ready to pour it on everything on your plate!
Here are a few recipes to drown your Thanksgiving dinner with this luscious gravy: Southern Cornbread Dressing, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Southern Green Beans, Southern Candied Yams, and Southern Baked Mac and Cheese.
Latest Recipe Video:
Jump to:
As a Chef, during the holiday season, I'm always asked how to make the perfect turkey gravy that will put a smile on the face of everybody who has some. I love answering this question because what makes you smile like creamy mashed potatoes and gravy?
Well, it's really simple, but I know over the years, people have complicated the simplicity of making gravy from pan drippings or giblets. I will teach you how my dad taught me and how I was taught in culinary arts school.
The biggest thing you must do is have confidence. After that, it's essentially whisking in flour, salt, black pepper, and the juices from the pan. If you can do that, you'll be making delicious pan sauces regardless of what you cook.
Your gravy won't need much added if you have properly seasoned and cooked the turkey. Here's my How to Roast a Turkey Ultimate Guide; this will walk you through almost any questions about roasting a turkey. Plus, a delicious roasted turkey recipe.
Oh, one more thing you don't need any fancy tools that separate the fat because that fat holds the flavor! We're making this gravy in the same pan that we roasted the turkey, so do not put any foil on the bottom of the pan.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for this easy turkey gravy recipe.
Oil
You'll need a little oil to help pick up the turkey drippings. Because you'll be using the fat leftover from your roasted turkey.
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
I'm Southern raised, so I use flour for my turkey gravy. If you're gluten-free, you can use gluten-free flour or cornstarch. However, if you use cornstarch, that'll require a slightly different technique.
Salt and Black Pepper
I keep it simple because the turkey is seasoned perfectly, and that flavor will be concentrated in the pan juices.
Turkey Pan Drippings
This is flavor royalty for making easy turkey gravy. All the little brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pan will add color and flavor. Plus, the turkey juices! You're in for a treat when done correctly.
Cold Butter
This is the fancy Chef technique for making gravies and sauces with a beautiful glossy flavor and finish.
How To Make Homemade Turkey Gravy Recipe
It doesn't matter if you will use the giblets in your gravy or want to make a delicious gravy from the pan drippings; this is how you make a tasty gravy in minutes.
After you've removed the turkey from the pan, pour turkey drippings into a measuring cup. Place the roasting pan over medium-high heat. Once the turkey drippings begin to crackle and pop, add oil, flour, salt, and pepper, whisking constantly until the roux forms and turns a peanut butter color.
Slowly pour in pan juice while scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up the pan drippings. Bring to a boil until gravy thickens and is a pretty golden brown color.
Turn off the heat and stir in cold butter; taste and adjust the seasoning once the butter melts. Add gravy to a large measuring cup or gravy boat, and cover with plastic wrap to keep hot until it's time to serve.
How To Store Turkey Gravy
Leftover turkey gravy should be stored in an airtight container for 7 days in the fridge for maximum flavor.
Reheat the gravy over medium heat in a small pot until hot.
Freeze gravy in an airtight container for 2 months. Thaw in the fridge for 48 hours or in a bowl of water for 30 minutes to an hour until thawed enough to release from the container.
Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
Here are the best techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders for turkey gravy from drippings.
- Omit the stock if you have pan juices from your turkey. Use stock to give you the right amount if you have less than you need.
- You can substitute cornstarch for flour. Cornstarch has double the thickening power, so use half the amount.
- For a cornstarch slurry, mix equal parts of cornstarch and liquid. Add the pan juices/ chicken broth to the pan to pick up the pan drippings, then stir in the slurry. Bring to a boil and add more stock to thin to desired consistency.
- Flour-based gravies reheat better than cornstarch-based gravy.
- For more gravy flavor, add 2 tablespoons of chopped onion or some onion powder with some chopped fresh rosemary after you add the oil. Strain the sauce if you have any picky eaters.
- If you need to make a quick gravy without the turkey drippings, use equal parts oil and flour in a skillet for your roux and proceed with the recipe.
- You can melt butter instead of oil for the gravy if you like.
- Cover your turkey giblets with water, vegetable scraps, and a ½ teaspoon of black pepper for quick homemade turkey stock. Cook for 20 minutes, and skim off the water as it cooks.
- A whisk is the best tool to ensure you don't have any lumps in your gravy. If you have lumps, strain it or pour in a food blender to break it up.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about making tasty homemade turkey gravy.
The roux and pan juices are the key to making good turkey gravy. The roux imparts the perfect thickness and introduces a delightful hint of toasted flavor. Meanwhile, the pan juices hold 99% of the essential flavors required for a truly exceptional gravy.
Remember, a cold roux needs hot liquid, and a hot roux needs room-temperature or cold liquid to prevent lumps. If your gravy is lumpy, strain it or blitz it in a food blender for a few seconds.
Flour-based gravies have more flavor because of the roux. Cooking the roux to a peanut butter brown color will add outstanding toasty notes. It will reheat better the next day. Cornstarch is perfect if you need it only for that day, but if you're gluten-free, use a flour that fits your diet.
If you find out that your gravy needs to be thicker, there are two ways to approach it. First, in a small bowl, combine equal parts of flour and liquid, stir until smooth, then pour into your hot stock. Once the gravy comes to a boil, you can determine if you need to do it again.
Now a simpler way that takes more time would be to cook it over medium-low heat until it reduces and gets thicker. The more it cooks down, the stronger the sodium will taste, so be cautious before doing this.
Taste your giblet gravy before you cook it down to know where you stand.
Wondering what you can add to turkey gravy to make it taste better? Improve the flavor of your gravy by adding a small amount of onion and celery.
Also, adding some chopped fresh herbs like thyme, sage, rosemary, or parsley; adding some garlic or onion powder or poultry seasoning will enhance the flavor. My favorite way of adding more flavor is to add a few tablespoons of worcestershire sauce to the gravy.
Remember this formula three, two, one, when making gravy. 3 parts starch, 2 parts fat, and 1 cup of stock. For example, 3 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of oil, and 1 cup of hot pan juices.
Four tablespoons of flour mixed with 2 tablespoons of oil will make a roux that can thicken up to 2 ½ cups of stock. Use a whisk for the best results; a wooden spoon will work too. This will make the perfect turkey gravy.
Adding too much stock to your roux can lead to a thin, watery gravy. It's best to err on the side of caution and add less than you initially think. Allow the gravy to come to a boil, and check the thickness of your gravy as it cooks. This ensures the best results in taste and texture.
You do not need to remove the fat from the pan drippings. The fat holds all the flavor from your turkey and can be the difference between a gravy you proudly serve or not. It also reduces the amount of fat needed to make your roux.
The roux will absorb any fat, keeping it from leaving a greasy mouthfeel. Say it with me; fat equals flavor!
I recommend using the pan juices from the turkey for the best flavor. Those pan juices will put to shame any chicken stock or turkey broth you'll buy from the grocery store. However, you can use stock or broth interchangeably.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
Here are a few more recipes you can add to your table spread.
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Chicken Dressing
- Dirty Rice
- New Orleans Baked Mac n Cheese
- Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Apple Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
- Sweet Potato Pie
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Get all ingredients for the turkey gravy on the counter.
Step 2: Measure everything out.
Step 3: Follow the recipe below and get ready for the best turkey gravy recipe you've ever had.
Making homemade turkey gravy is actually a pretty straightforward process! Unfortunately, some people have made it seem more complicated than it needs to be, which can be discouraging for home cooks. But don't worry! After reading this blog post, you'll feel empowered to make delicious turkey gravy confidently from now on. Let's get cooking!.
Click here to subscribe to MY NEWSLETTER for easy and free recipes right into your inbox!
To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the Pin button on the recipe card, the sharing buttons above or below this post, or any of the photos above.
Tag me @kennethtemple_ and use #LezEat on Instagram to share your remakes with me, and don't forget to leave a star rating and comment below.
📖 Recipe
5-minute Turkey Gravy From Drippings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ½ cups cooked turkey pan dripping and juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter cold
Instructions
- After you've removed the turkey from the pan, pour turkey drippings into a measuring cup. Place the roasting pan over medium-high heat. Once the turkey drippings begin to crackle and pop, add oil, flour, salt, and pepper, whisking constantly until the roux forms and turns a peanut butter color.
- Slowly pour in pan juice while scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up the pan drippings. Bring to a boil until gravy thickens and is a pretty golden brown color.
- Turn off the heat and stir in cold butter; taste and adjust the seasoning once the butter melts. Add gravy to a large measuring cup or gravy boat, and cover with plastic wrap to keep hot until it's time to serve.
Notes
- Omit the stock if you have pan juices from your turkey. Use stock to give you the right amount if you have less than you need.
- You can substitute cornstarch for flour. Cornstarch has double the thickening power, so use half the amount.
- For a cornstarch slurry, mix equal parts of cornstarch and liquid. Add the pan juices/ chicken broth to the pan to pick up the pan drippings, then stir in the slurry. Bring to a boil and add more stock to thin to desired consistency.
- Flour-based gravies reheat better than cornstarch-based gravy.
- For more gravy flavor, add 2 tablespoons of chopped onion or some onion powder with some chopped fresh rosemary after you add the oil. Strain the sauce if you have any picky eaters.
- If you need to make a quick gravy without the turkey drippings, use equal parts oil and flour in a skillet for your roux and proceed with the recipe.
- You can melt butter instead of oil for the gravy if you like.
- Cover your turkey giblets with water, vegetable scraps, and a ½ teaspoon of black pepper for quick homemade turkey stock. Cook for 20 minutes, and skim off the water as it cooks.
- A whisk is the best tool to ensure you don't have any lumps in your gravy. If you have lumps, strain it or pour in a food blender to break it up.
Leave a Reply