Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Homemade Stock

Plate of vegetables and turkey slices with turkey gravy.

5 from 2 votes

Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy with Homemade Stock

Make-ahead turkey gravy built on homemade giblet stock, shallots, and sage, finished on the day with the turkey drippings. Make the base up to 2 days ahead, or freeze the stock weeks early.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Simmering time for stock2

Total Time2 30

Course: condiment, dinner

Cuisine: American

Meat & Poultry: turkey

Servings:

Calories: 197kcal

Author: Dorothy Stainbrook

Equipment

skillet
measuring cup
large pot
roasting pan Used for the turkey
spring whisk

Ingredients

For the turkey gravy base

2 pounds giblets, turkey neck and turkey wings
½ medium onion halved, not chopped
1 cup parsley sprigs not chopped
1 bay leaf
4-6 cups water
6 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons fresh sage chopped
2 shallots thinly sliced

For the gravy

6 tablespoons all purpose flour
pan drippings from a roasted turkey not brined
4 cups homemade base stock see above

Instructions

Prepare the stock: In a large pot add the turkey giblets and/or wings, the onion, the parsley and the bay leaf. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil.
Once it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 1-2 hours. Check occasionally and add more water to cover ingredients if necessary.
After a couple of hours, strain the stock into a bowl or pan. Set the onion/spice/herbs aside in case you need to make more stock later on.
2 pounds giblets, turkey neck and turkey wings, 1/2 medium onion, 1 cup parsley sprigs, 1 bay leaf, 4-6 cups water
While the stock is simmering, make the herb butter. In a large skillet, saute the shallots about 5 minutes over medium heat, or until softened. Add the sage and cook in the butter another 3-4 minutes.
6 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons fresh sage, 2 shallots
Make the gravy base: add the flour and a few tablespoons warm water to a small jar with a secure lid. Shake it until it is a thoroughly mixed liquid. Over medium heat, whisk the slurry into the skillet with the shallot-sage butter.
Slowly add the strained stock to the pan over medium heat, while whisking continuously to prevent lumping (a wire whisk works well for this). This takes about 5 minutes or until your base is thickened to your preference.
Taste and add a little salt and pepper.
Allow it to cool and then refrigerate until ready to use (can be stored up to 2 days). Warm it gently in a saucepan before adding it to the drippings.
6 tablespoons all purpose flour
Make the gravy: On the day of the feast, after roasting the turkey, remove the turkey from the roasting pan to a large platter and tent with aluminum foil.
Strain the liquid from the roasting pan into a a measuring cup or a gravy separator and set aside. (If using a gravy separator, the juices will sink to the bottom while the fat floats on top.
Place the roasting pan on the stovetop (it may take up one or two burners) and heat up the drippings over a medium high.
Slowly add the homemade gravy stock into the roasting pan with the drippings, whisking continuously and scraping up all the browned bits into the gravy. Simmer until the gravy is smooth and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes, whisking as it thickens.
If gravy is too thick, thin the gravy with the reserve juices that you separated from the fat. If gravy is too thin, make some more roux of flour and water and whisk into the pan (make sure the roux is shaken up and a liquid, not just lumpy flour)
Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
4 cups homemade base stock, pan drippings from a roasted turkey

Notes

**Notes:

Turkey liver makes broth bitter. Leave it out.
Popular herbs to add include chives, parsley, chervil, basil, tarragon or sage.
Use a heavy bottomed pan that is not too big when making the gravy. Thin large pans can burn the drippings and brown bits.
Store the base up to 2 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.

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