Turkey Giblet Gravy (without drippings)

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Don’t want to mess with making gravy from pan drippings right before your holiday meal? Make Turkey Giblet Gravy! It is made without pan drippings, has a classic savory flavor, and you can make it up to 3 days ahead.

pouring gravy over turkey slices

It wouldn’t be a true Make-Ahead Thanksgiving without homemade gravy. Rich, savory, and smooth – no holiday meal feels complete without it. And while I love gravy made with pan drippings, it can add complication to the moments just before the meal. It’s hard to make gravy when everyone is hungry and staring at a table all of Thanksgiving dinnerYou don’t need that stress!

Save yourself the trouble on Thanksgiving, and make this delicious gravy. Here’s everything you need to know.

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overhead image of turkey neck and vegetables in a dutch oven

Start with Stock

A great giblet gravy starts with homemade stock made from the giblets. Even if you’ve never made stock before, don’t worry – it’s incredibly simple. Making stock out of the giblets will give you a delicious, rich turkey stock that will be the base of your gravy.

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turkey stock in a clear measuring cup

Step-By-Step Instructions

  1. Make stock from the giblets: Combine giblets (you can use the neck here too) with chopped onion, celery, and carrots in an oven-safe pot. Season with salt  and pepper. Roast at 400°F / 177°C for 60 minutes. Carefully transfer the pot to the stove and fill with water to cover all of the ingredients. Add bay leaves. Simmer for 60 minutes. Strain out solids.
  2. Melt butter: Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet.
  3. Whisk in flour: Whisk flour into melted butter and cook until golden brown. This creates a roux and is the foundation of flavor for the gravy. Keep cooking the roux until deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. 
  4. Add turkey stock: Pour the stock over the roux very slowly, whisking as you go. 
  5. Simmer until thick: Simmer the gravy until it reaches your preferred thickness. This should take between 6 and 10 minutes with the lower end making a thinner gravy and the higher end making a thicker gravy.
  6. Season: Taste the gravy and add some salt and pepper, if needed!
adding flour to melted butter in a saucepan

Alternative Method – Turkey Wings or Drumsticks

If you don’t want to use (or don’t have) turkey giblets, you can make gravy using turkey wings or drumsticks. Use about 2 pounds of bone-in turkey wings or drumsticks and follow the instructions in the recipe card below.

whisking flour and broth in a saucepan

Optional: Adding Pan Drippings Later

If you use this method to make your turkey gravy ahead, you can still use the pan drippings in your gravy whenever they’re ready. This is not at all necessary but will just increase the savory flavor. To do this, save the pan drippings from your roasted turkey. When you are nearly finished reheating your giblet gravy, whisk in about 1 Tablespoon of the reserved pan drippings.

overhead image of sliced turkey and gravy on a white plate

How to Store and Reheat Gravy

To prepare: Allow gravy to cool completely. Transfer to a container and cover with plastic wrap, pressing down firmly so the plastic is completely touching the surface of the gravy. (This tight covering will prevent a skin from forming on the gravy.) Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

To reheat: To reheat the gravy, remove the plastic covering and transfer gravy to a saucepan. Warm over medium heat, whisking frequently. If the gravy is too thick after reheating, add some water or stock about 1 Tablespoon at a time to thin.

turkey gravy in a clear jar covered with plastic wrap

Variations

  • Add fresh herbs – Add fresh herbs like thyme, sage, and rosemary to the turkey stock while it simmers.
  • Use chicken stock or vegetable stock – You can make this gravy recipe using chicken or vegetable stock instead of homemade turkey stock. If you do have pan drippings to whisk in (see notes section below), it is a great way to add to the authentic turkey flavor.

FAQs

How long can you store turkey gravy?

Refrigerate turkey gravy, tightly covered, for up to 3 days.

How long will turkey stock keep?

Turkey stock can be refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for 6 months.

How to prevent a skin on gravy.

If gravy is made at all ahead of time, a skin will form on its surface as it cools. To prevent this, cover it with plastic wrap, pressing down so that the plastic comes in contact with the entire surface of the gravy. Remove the plastic before reheating or serving.

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4.19 from 11 votes

Turkey Giblet Gravy Recipe (without drippings)

Don’t want to mess with making gravy from pan drippings right before your holiday meal? Make Turkey Giblet Gravy! It is made without pan drippings, has a classic savory flavor, and you can make it up to 3 days ahead.
To adjust the servings in this recipe, click on the number next to servings.
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 2 hours
Total: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 10

Equipment

  • Dutch oven
  • Skillet or Saute Pan

Ingredients 

For Stock:

  • giblets and neck from one turkey (any size will work; see note)
  • 2 Tablespoons cooking oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped into quarters
  • 3 stalks celery, chopped into 3-inch lengths
  • 2 carrots, chopped into 3-inch lengths
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 8 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves

For Gravy:

  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups turkey stock (see note)

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F / 177°C.
  • Make stock: Pour oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven or roasting pan. Add turkey giblets and neck and then onion, celery, and carrots. Sprinkle salt over top. Transfer to heated oven and roast, uncovered, until everything is starting to brown lightly, about 60 minutes.
  • After roasting, transfer the pot to the stovetop (be careful – the handles will be very hot!).
  • Add the water and bay leaves and bring to a boil over high heat.
  • Once the stock is boiling, reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer, covered, for 60 minutes. (Adjust the temperature as needed to keep the stock bubbling gently.)
  • Let the stock cool slightly. Strain out solids by pouring the stock through a fine mesh strainer. (Or you can use a strainer with larger holes, but line it with cheesecloth first).
  • Make gravy: Melt butter over medium heat in a saute pan or skillet.
  • When the butter is melted and starting to turn golden, whisk in the flour until no dry spots remain. Cook butter and flour together, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 3 minutes.
  • Slowly add 3 cups of stock while whisking. (See note about extra stock.)
  • Bring to a simmer and simmer until the gravy is thickened to your preferred consistency, 6 to 10 minutes.
  • Taste the gravy and season with some more salt if needed. See notes below to store and reheat.

Notes

Alternative to giblets – If you don’t want to use (or don’t have) turkey giblets, you can make gravy using turkey wings, drumsticks or any other turkey parts. Use about 2 pounds of bone-in turkey wings or drumsticks and follow the instructions in the recipe card below.
Extra stock – The 8 cups of water you use to make the stock will reduce as it simmers, but you will likely have more than the 3 cups you need to make the gravy. Save any extra stock to use in your stuffing or other holiday recipes. It can also be frozen and used in soups and stews.
To store the gravy: Cover the gravy with plastic wrap, pressing it down so that it comes in complete contact with the surface of the gravy. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
To reheat: When you are ready to serve the gravy, warm it in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking frequently. Add some more stock or water if needed to thin it out. Before serving, be sure to taste it once more and season if needed.
Adding pan drippings later: If you have pan drippings from a roasted turkey, you can whisk in about 1 Tbsp of the drippings as the gravy reheats. (This is completely unnecessary but will just increase the savory turkey flavor of the gravy.)

Nutrition

Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $5.00
Calories: 98
Keyword: Christmas, classic turkey gravy, easy sauce, easy side dish, Holiday recipe, holiday side dish, homemade sauce, make ahead, Thanksgiving
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About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

4.19 from 11 votes (11 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

    1. Hi Edie! No need for different instructions – just check out the note within the post – “Use 2 pounds of bone-in turkey wings or drumsticks and follow the instructions in the recipe card below”