We had TWO turkeys at Thanksgiving dinner when I was growing up. My mom usually hosted and we’d always have at least 30-50 people there. Mom would make one turkey and my Grandma would make the other, and they would both use the turkey drippings to make the best homemade turkey gravy! They say the star of Thanksgiving is the turkey, but I’d argue that the Turkey Gravy and cranberry relish really make or break the meal! I’m all about “sauces” and dips and those two things are top favorites on my entire Thanksgiving plate. I love to make a big well in my homemade mashed potatoes for the gravy, I love it over my Turkey, and I love it lightly drizzled on stuffing. Everyone always loves a smear of leftover gravy and cranberry sauce on our turkey sandwiches the next day, too.
Homemade gravy is so easy and delicious. Below are steps for making turkey gravy with or without the giblets. When you buy a turkey (or chicken), you will find the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards from the bird stored inside its cavity. Before cooking your turkey, you should remove the giblets and set them aside. You can use the turkey giblets to make the best homemade turkey giblet gravy! Drippings are what’s left in the roasting pan after cooking the turkey. This includes fat that has melted and any bits of meat that have fallen off.
When you remove your giblets from the turkey, rinse them with cold water and store them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. When you are ready to make your giblet gravy, place all of the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards of the turkey in a sauce pan, cover them with water and bring it to a boil. Simmer the giblets 1 hour. Remove the giblets, save the water, and chop the giblets into small pieces.
When you have taken your turkey out of the oven, pour the drippings into a bowl. Allow the fat to separate and skim it from the top of the drippings. Add about one cup of the drippings to the roasting pan or a sauce pan. Whisk in about ½ cup of flour and make a roux by allowing it to turn to a golden brown color. Add broth and more drippings, stirring until it thickened, and add the giblet meat. Season the gravy with salt and pepper and make sure to taste it to be sure it has the flavor you are looking for!
To make turkey gravy without giblets, throw the giblets from the turkey away and make turkey gravy using the drippings from the pan.
Storing and Making Ahead of Time: To store: Store leftover gravy in a sealed container for 2-3 days. To Make Ahead: Make the gravy as directed. Allow it to cool and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. To reheat, pour it into a saucepan and add a couple tablespoons of chicken broth or water to thin it (use your best judgement for how thin/thick you like it). Heat it on medium low heat until warmed through (about 15 minutes). DON’T MISS my other popular THANKSGIVING Recipes:
Best Homemade Rolls Easy, No-Fuss Thanksgiving Turkey Perfect Mashed Potatoes Sweet Potato Souffle Triple Berry Pie
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