Making Easy and Delicious Turkey Gravy from Drippings

Turkey gravy made from pan drippings is the crowning touch to a perfect Thanksgiving meal. When you roast a turkey the rendered fat and browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan are full of meaty flavor. Turning those drippings into a smooth rich gravy is easy with just a few basic steps. This gravy is so delicious, your guests will be asking for seconds!

Gathering the Turkey Drippings

The first step in making turkey gravy is collecting those flavorful drippings. When the roasted turkey is done, remove it from the pan and let it rest on a cutting board. Place the roasting pan on the stovetop over two burners on medium heat. Be careful as the pan will be extremely hot! Use a spoon or gravy separator to remove most of the clear fat, reserving about 1/4 cup. The golden brown drippings left behind are filled with tasty turkey essence.

Deglazing the Pan

To get all of that flavorful goodness into your gravy, deglaze the pan by adding 1/2 cup of liquid like wine, stock or water. As you stir and scrape the bottom of the pan, the flavorful browned bits will dissolve into the liquid. Pour this flavor-packed liquid into your gravy base.

Making a Simple Roux

Now it’s time to thicken up those drippings into gravy. In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Whisk in 1/4 cup flour to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, whisking constantly, until the roux turns golden brown. This adds nutty flavor and thickening power.

Combining the Base and Roux

Whisk the hot turkey broth into the roux along with the drippings liquid. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thick and smooth. And that’s it – you just made gravy from scratch!

Tips for Perfect Gravy

Avoid lumps in your gravy by first cooking the flour and fat into a smooth roux before adding liquid. Equal parts fat and flour is a good ratio. For 4 cups liquid, use 1/4 cup each butter and flour.

Use broth, water or a combo for the base. Chicken or turkey broth adds lots of flavor. Add extra flavor with wine, herbs and seasonings.

Simmer the gravy gently once thickened so it doesn’t curdle or separate. Stir frequently.

If the gravy seems thin, mix a tablespoon of cornstarch with a bit of water. Stir into the simmering gravy to thicken.

Add a splash of cream or milk just before serving for extra richness and sheen.

Let the finished gravy sit for 5 minutes so the flavors combine. Taste and adjust salt, pepper and seasonings as needed.

Serving Suggestions

Turkey gravy is meant for dousing over everything on your Thanksgiving table! Mashed potatoes, stuffing, turkey and rolls all soak up that savory goodness.

Leftover gravy can be refrigerated up to a week. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave. Use it to make next day turkey pot pie or turkey tetrazzini. Drizzle it over sliced turkey sandwiches too.

Gravy Variations

Play around with different flavors in your gravy:

Sage Gravy – Add 1 tsp dried sage or 2 tsp chopped fresh sage.
Mushroom Gravy – Sauté mushrooms and add to the gravy.
Onion Gravy – Cook chopped onions into the roux.
Wine Gravy – Use wine for the deglazing liquid.
Giblet Gravy – Simmer chopped giblets in the broth.
Cranberry Gravy – Swirl in cranberry sauce.

Make Ahead Gravy

Want to free up oven space on the big day? Make your gravy ahead of time.

Cook the roux and add broth and drippings. After simmering, transfer to a container and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Or freeze the finished gravy for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheat on the stovetop or microwave.

Turkey Gravy from Drippings in Easy Steps

Here’s a quick summary of the easy method for making the most of your turkey drippings:

Roast turkey and remove from pan, reserving drippings.
Deglaze hot pan with liquid to dissolve browned bits.
Make a roux – cook butter and flour together.
Whisk in turkey broth and drippings liquid.
Simmer until thickened.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and herbs.
Serve piping hot over your Thanksgiving feast!

With this easy method, you’ll never have a dry turkey again. Your guests will rave about the silky, flavorful gravy you made from scratch. Those tasty drippings have turned into liquid gold! Enjoy the best gravy ever this Thanksgiving.

turkey gravy from drippings easy

How to Store and Reheat Homemade Turkey Gravy

This gravy is so good we wouldn’t be surprised if it disappears in one meal. But if you do end up with leftovers, follow these tips for proper food storage. Put your turkey gravy in the fridge to keep it fresh, or put it in the freezer to keep it for longer.

In the Fridge: After enjoying, allow the gravy to cool slightly before refrigerating any leftovers. You can store in a sealed jar or container to maintain freshness. These delicious gravy drippings can be safely kept in the refrigerator for about 2 days.

Do you want to save some homemade turkey gravy for the next family meal or holiday get-together? Put it in a container that can be sealed well or a plastic bag that can be sealed again and freeze it for up to 4 months.

It can be hard to heat up gravy in the microwave without making it too thick or overcooked, so we suggest heating up your turkey gravy over low heat on the stove instead. Stir it often, and remove it from the heat as soon as the gravy comes to a simmer.

If you added any milk or cream to your homemade turkey gravy, it’s likely to separate when reheated. Instead of tossing your leftovers, make them into your next meal. Other recipes might call for jars of gravy or gravy mix, but you could use leftover turkey gravy instead.

Can You Make Gravy from Drippings Ahead of Time?

We prefer making fresh turkey gravy on the day of the big feast. But if you’re prepping dishes ahead of time, you can make your gravy whenever you roast your meat. Save those drippings, follow this turkey gravy recipe, and then see our storage and reheating tips below.

This turkey gravy can be kept in the fridge for two days or frozen for up to four months. Keep turkey gravy safe by following the storage and food safety instructions. Then you’ll always have a versatile sauce on hand to pour over roasted meats and savory sides!

How to Make Gravy from Turkey Drippings | Thanksgiving Turkey Gravy | Turkey with Gravy | Easy Gravy

FAQ

How do you separate the fat from turkey drippings for gravy?

Step 1 in the fight against greasy skin is to separate the fat from your turkey drippings before you make the gravy. You want all the flavorful broth, and none of the fat. You can do this with a fat separator, or even just by letting the juices sit in a pitcher, and then skimming off the fat once it rises to the top.

Which is better for turkey gravy cornstarch or flour?

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You’re basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

What to do with turkey drippings?

Pour about two cups of boiling water in the pan, scrape with a spatula, then carefully pour the drippings into a jar or two. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator. When it’s cool, you can remove the layer of fat and use the drippings to flavor rice, soups, vegetables, or your leftover turkey.

How do you thicken meat drippings for gravy?

If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don’t add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.

How do you make turkey gravy without drippings?

Here’s how to make turkey gravy without drippings. Pictured: Chef John’s Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy. Allrecipes Magazine Heat 4 cups of turkey broth, chicken broth, or water (or a combination of broth and water) in a saucepan until hot but not boiling.

How much Turkey drippings do you put in Turkey Gravy?

Try this and you’ll never toss those turkey drippings again! This turkey gravy makes 2 1/4 cups gravy. You can scale up by adding more fat drippings or butter along with flour and stock. Once your Thanksgiving turkey has been transferred from the roasting pan and is resting, make your turkey gravy.

How do you cook a Turkey drippings?

To gather up the turkey drippings, carefully lift the cooked turkey from the roasting pan and place it onto a cutting board to rest. Remove as much grease or fat as possible from the pan using a spoon, ladle, or gravy separator. Reserve ¼ cup of fat. Place the roasting pan over two burners on the stove on medium heat.

How do you make turkey gravy with chicken drippings?

Allrecipes Magazine Heat 4 cups of turkey broth, chicken broth, or water (or a combination of broth and water) in a saucepan until hot but not boiling. This will be used as the base of the gravy; you’ll be adding thickened turkey drippings (a roux) for your final gravy.

How do you make turkey gravy from scratch?

In a large saucepan, whisk flour, 3/4 cup broth and reserved fat until smooth. Add thyme, sage and pepper; gradually whisk in the drippings mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. A traditional, from-scratch easy turkey gravy recipe will work for any roasted meat or poultry.

How do you make gravy with drippings?

However, the process to make the gravy with stock or broth is the same as the drippings: Warm the stock or broth in a saucepan. Make the roux in a separate saucepan. Combine the warm liquid with the flour and butter mixture. Whisk and continue cooking until the mixture is thickened to your liking.