What to Do With Juices from Turkey: 7 Creative Ways to Use Leftover Turkey Drippings

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Learn how to make turkey gravy from drippings the easy way. Don’t let all the seasonings and juicy pan drippings from your turkey go to waste!.

Don’t let all the seasonings and juicy pan drippings from your turkey go to waste. This is the best turkey gravy recipe ever! Use all the tasty brown bits at the bottom of your roasting pan.

If there’s good gravy at the dinner table, I love pouring it all over my plate, not just on the meat. What about you? When there’s gravy on the mashed potatoes, green beans, Brussels sprouts, and everything else, you know it’s good.

It’s easy and tastes great when you make turkey gravy from the turkey drippings. It brings out the flavor of the Thanksgiving turkey you worked so hard to make. Plus, you can make it while your turkey rests and cools down so you can carve it.

The holidays just wouldn’t be the same without a beautifully roasted turkey as the centerpiece of the meal As delicious as holiday turkey is, it does leave behind its fair share of leftovers Along with piles of leftover meat, you’re also left with copious amounts of flavorful turkey drippings and juices in the bottom of the roasting pan. But don’t just pour them down the drain! Those savory turkey juices are liquid gold. Read on to discover 7 creative ways to use leftover turkey drippings and juices.

Make Delicious Turkey Gravy

Hands down, the most popular use of turkey drippings is to make gravy. This rich, savory sauce takes your holiday meal to the next level. Making gravy from the flavorful pan drippings helps create an incredible sauce that enhances the entire meal.

To make turkey gravy first strain the drippings through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove any bits and pieces. Next, use a spoon to skim off most of the layer of fat that rises to the top of the drippings. Save a few tablespoons of the fat and mix it with some flour to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the defatted drippings along with some chicken or turkey broth to form a smooth gravy. Season with salt pepper, and any desired herbs. Serve the gravy warm over sliced turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and more. It takes your leftovers from basic to brilliant.

Use as the Base for Soup

Another fantastic way to use turkey drippings is to incorporate them into soups. The rich, concentrated turkey flavor adds incredible depth to soups and stews.

Try using the drippings in place of regular broth or stock when making dishes like turkey noodle soup turkey rice soup, or turkey vegetable soup. You can also add them to lentil bean, or split pea soup for a flavor boost. The possibilities are endless. Turkey drippings give you an easy way to infuse soups with holiday flavor.

Make Flavorful Rice and Grains

Cooking grains like rice, farro, quinoa, and barley in turkey drippings instead of plain water is an easy trick to make them irresistible. The savory drippings infuse the grains with juicy turkey flavor.

After straining and defatting the drippings, use them in place of water or broth when cooking your grains. Try making holiday-flavored pilafs, risottos, stuffed peppers, or lettuce wraps. Drippings take grains from bland to beautiful.

Liven Up Stuffing and Dressing

Holiday stuffing is a staple, but it can use an extra boost of flavor. Reheat and add a few spoonfuls of turkey drippings to leftover stuffing or dressing to enhance the taste. The drippings lend a wonderful richness while also moistening up any dried out stuffing.

You can also use drippings as part of the liquid when making stuffing or dressing from scratch. They provide fantastic turkey flavor without any extra work. A quick drizzle of drippings gives stuffing fabulous flavor.

Make Unique Sauces and Gravies

While regular turkey gravy is always popular, why not also try using drippings to craft unique new sauces? Get creative and make barbecue sauces, pan sauces, salsa verde, and more using the flavorful drippings.

Saute aromatics like onion and garlic in a bit of the rendered turkey fat, then deglaze the pan with wine or broth. Add in the drippings along with interesting ingredients like olives, herbs, citrus, chipotles, and spices to make one-of-a-kind drippings-based sauces.

Give Veggies a Flavor Boost

Plain old steamed vegetables are so last year. This holiday, give your veggies a makeover by roasting, sauteing, or steaming them in turkey drippings. The rich, savory flavor takes veggies to the next level.

Some ideas are roasted Brussels sprouts, glazed carrots, sauteed greens, or drippings-steamed broccoli. You can also toss drained canned beans with a bit of drippings. Turkey drippings add excitement to everyday vegetables.

Use for Moist Turkey Leftovers

Got leftovers from your holiday centerpiece? Bring some moisture back into sliced turkey meat by heating it in a bit of the defatted drippings. Or brush drippings onto the turkey before reheating to keep it tender and juicy.

For the ultimate leftover turkey sandwich or wrap, spread one side of the bread with a bit of mayo or cranberry sauce, top with turkey slices, and drizzle with some warm drippings. The rich flavor takes your sandwich from dry to dynamite.

Make Delicious Pet Treats

Our furry friends deserve some holiday excitement too. Pour leftover drippings into ice cube trays and freeze. Once frozen solid, pop the cubes out and store them in bags in the freezer. Use the savory, odorless turkey cubes as special training treats for dogs. Just be sure to check with your vet about any dietary restrictions first.

As you can see, turkey drippings are a valuable byproduct of roasting the perfect holiday bird. With a bit of creativity, you can transform drippings into all sorts of mouthwatering dishes. This holiday season, don’t discard those flavorful turkey juices. Put them to delicious use with these clever ideas.

what do you do with juices from turkey

What to Serve with Turkey Gravy

If you’re making this gravy for an upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration, here are a few serving suggestions:

what do you do with juices from turkey

  • Medium saucepan. Perfect for making the gravy. This pot spreads heat out evenly and makes it less likely that something will catch fire.
  • Strainer. It’s helpful to strain the drippings to get a smoother gravy. This one comes in three different sizes.
  • Whisk. Essential for ensuring a smooth and lump-free gravy. This comes in a set of three different sizes.

Leftover gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

To reheat, heat the gravy in a saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until warmed. You may need to whisk in a splash of broth or water to thin it out. You can also reheat it in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute.

what do you do with juices from turkey

How to make turkey gravy from drippings

  • Put the turkey juices through a strainer and into one or two large glass containers. For 15 minutes, put them in the fridge to let the fat rise to the top and set.
  • Take the drippings out of the fridge and take out 2 tablespoons of the fat. You can either throw away the rest of the fat or put it in a container to use later. You should now have only the liquid turkey drippings remaining.
  • Heat the all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of the fat you saved in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk the ingredients together until they are smooth. Keep whisking for one to two minutes, or until it bubbles and turns light to golden brown.
  • First, add 1 cup of the turkey fat and 1 cup of stock. Mix everything together until it’s completely smooth. If you want the gravy to be thicker, turn down the heat and let it cook for a while longer. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.

what do you do with juices from turkey

  • If the turkey fat doesn’t give you two tablespoons of fat, you can use two tablespoons of butter instead.
  • Use unsalted, low-sodium turkey or chicken broth if possible. If you can find low-sodium or unsalted stock, use that instead of the pan drippings, which may already be salty. After that, you can check the gravy and add more salt and black pepper if needed.
  • This gravy has become too thick. To thin it out, add more turkey or chicken stock one tablespoon at a time while whisking.
  • A quick fix for gravy that isn’t thickening is to whisk in a little cornstarch.
  • When you season your turkey, the spices and herbs you use can change the color of your gravy from light brown to dark brown.

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

FAQ

What to do with turkey juice after cooking?

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.

Should I drain juices from turkey?

“You can’t wash off bacteria with water, and rinsing out the turkey risks splashing its juices all over the sink,” Keating says. Instead, open the plastic wrap carefully and drain any liquid into the sink before discarding the wrapper. Pat the turkey dry, inside and out, with paper towels.

What can you do with turkey drippings besides gravy?

U can use the fat in your cooking for the next few days. Just substitute fats with it where it makes sense. Turkey fried rice, roast potatoes, roasted veges etc. You can also freeze the fat in an ice cube tray if you want pre portioned amounts to use for months.

What are the pink juices coming from turkey?

Scientists have found that pinkness occurs when gases in the atmosphere of a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give poultry a pink tinge. They are the same substances that give red color to smoked hams and other cured meats.

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