The Best Homemade Turkey Gravy
We’re here to give you all the deets on how to make the absolute best turkey gravy. Rich and silky, this easy turkey gravy recipe is here to be poured over whatever your heart desires. May we suggest a pile of steaming mashed potatoes? While this can be considered “make ahead” turkey gravy, it’s so simple that you can make it the day of. Creating a rich homemade turkey stock with carrots, onions, celery, and thyme makes sure your gravy flavor is complex and darn delicious – almost as good as grandma’s turkey gravy recipe. You might even be the new “turkey gravy from scratch” maker in the group.
What is the Secret to Good Gravy?
Wondering what to add to turkey gravy to make it taste better? Look no further. One of our all-time favorite secret tips is to make turkey gravy from drippings! The easiest way to get turkey drippings is from roasted turkey. Just save all the delicious flavorful juices from this Perfect Roasted Turkey Recipe or Roasted Spatchcocked Turkey, strain em’, and add em’ right in. Our second most asked question to making the best turkey gravy: is turkey gravy better with flour or cornstarch? We understand the dilemma and while some turkey gravy recipes might call for cornstarch, we’re team flour on TMP. Why? Creating a deep roux, a mix of butter and flour (and, in this case, turkey drippings!), we build a base layer of golden brown flavor. It also creates the ideal thickness – when you pick up your spoon, it should coat the back and leave a glossy finish.
What Do You Need for Turkey Gravy
This gravy for turkey recipe is super simple yet packed with flavor. With only a few staple ingredients, and in just about an hour and a half, you’ll have foolproof, rich, flavorful gravy.
Extra virgin olive oil
Turkey necks
Fresh thyme
Bay leaf
Fresh Italian parsley
Onion
Celery
Carrot
Chicken bouillon
Pan drippings (from a roast turkey)
Unsalted butter
Flour
Kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
What Can I Serve with Gravy?
The easy answer to this question is EVERYTHING. It makes a great sauce for anything mashed, smashed, or fried. But really, we like to pour it over Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, or any roasted veggie (hellooo Roasted Butternut Squash!). We especially like a big bowl on the Thanksgiving table to douse over our Cornbread Stuffing or Green Bean Almondine. All year long we devour this easy turkey gravy over Homemade French Fries and use it as a sauce to dip in our homemade biscuits like these Bacon and Cheddar Biscuits. We could never forget the OG way to use the best turkey gravy, an open-faced turkey sandwich, which we make with leftover turkey from Perfect Roast Turkey Recipe. The possibilities are endless.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
Don’t let the turkey necks intimidate you: we promise this will be the only turkey gravy recipe you use. Fresh, flavorful turkey stock combines with turkey drippings and a deep roux to create the most luxurious, gravy you’ve ever tasted.
Make the turkey stock! Brown the turkey necks to release all the caramelized yummy bits, then add in all the fresh herbs, seasonings, veggies, and water. Bring to a boil then reduce for about an hour. Pro tip: prepare the rest of your dishes while you wait.
Create a deep roux! Combine the butter and tasty turkey drippings. Slowly whisk in the flour and cook until golden brown and smells fragrant. This will be used as a thickening agent to create a full-bodied gravy.
Combine! Slowly add in the stock little by little to not break the roux. Whisk continuously until all the stock has been added. Bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. When it reaches your desired consistency, remove it from the heat. Keep in mind when cooled, it’ll become thicker.
Tools You’ll Need For Gravy for Turkey
Large spoon or spatula
Our Favorite Turkey Recipes
Why save turkey for Thanksgiving when we can enjoy it all year long? We’ve made a list of 10 Best Ground Turkey Recipes but we love turkey in all forms. Try:
When in Doubt, Add Gravy!
Our favorite part of the week is seeing all the delicious recipes you tag us in! We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holiday season than with gravy! Take a picture of your turkey gravy and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper. Happy eating!
