Turkey gravy goes hand and hand with roasted turkey. Instead of buying canned or jarred turkey gravy the next time you make a bird, why not make your own? It is easier than you think the make the best homemade turkey gravy for your meal.
This holiday season, fill your gravy boat with homemade turkey gravy! This hot, thick, rich gravy will garner rave reviews from friends and family alike. Simply follow these easy step-by-step directions for perfect turkey gravy for your holiday table.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
It is that time of year – the holiday season, and I bet turkey is on your table at least once in November or December. So many people eat turkey as their main holiday entree for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, and New Years Day! According to the National Turkey Federation – “in 2016, more than 219 million turkeys were served for meals in the United States. We estimate that 44 million of those turkeys were enjoyed at Thanksgiving, 22 million at Christmas, and 19 million at Easter.” That’s a lot of birds!
What to do with all those wonderful pan drippings from that tender and juicy turkey you just made!? Why make turkey gravy, of course! There is nothing better than homemade gravy, and this turkey gravy recipe really packs a flavor wallop. Easy to make (really!) this wonderful turkey gravy is the perfect pairing to your roasted turkey and mashed potatoes.
Your Thanksgiving turkey needs gravy, or so they say. No matter how moist and delicious your roast turkey, flavorful gravy adds something to the meal, even if you are not pouring it on the meat itself. So many people pour gravy over mashed potatoes and/or stuffing, that it is almost necessary to enjoy the meal. Using the bottom of the roasting pan leftover pan drippings, you can make this easy turkey gravy recipe in minutes. Yum!
Tips and variations for making turkey gravy:
● Instead of all-purpose flour, you can substitute Wondra instead. It is a personal preference, but what Hubby usually uses for roux, sauces, and gravies
● There is no corn starch in this recipe.
● All the ingredients for this recipe (except the pan drippings) are commonly found at your local grocery store.
● Scrape the bottom of your roasting pan for the last bits of drippings. Strain your pan drippings with a fine mesh strainer if you like. Remember that fat rises to the top.
● Some people roast the turkey giblets and the turkey neck separately and use that for gravy.
● The amount of turkey drippings that the turkey will yield will depend on how much the turkey itself gave along with the 1 cup of turkey broth (turkey stock) added during cooking. In other words, you may get a bit more gravy or a bit less gravy. You can do the same when you roast a chicken, if not enough pan juices, add chicken broth (chicken stock) to make up the difference and ensure you have enough drippings to make the desired amount of delicious turkey gravy (or delicious chicken gravy!)
● This amount of roux should thicken approximately 2 – 2½ cups of gravy, using the rough ratio of 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour to 1 cup of liquid.
Want to make a turkey? Here are some great turkey recipes you might enjoy:
● Easy Oven Roasted Turkey Recipe
● How to Cook a Turkey
● How to deep Fry a Turkey
Need holiday meal side dishes? Try one of these:
● The Best Cranberry Sauce Recipe
● Vintage Cranberry Walnut Jello Recipe
● Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe
Turkey Gravy Ingredients:
● 2 cups Turkey Pan Drippings
● ¼ cup Butter
● ¼ cup All-purpose Flour (you can substitute Wondra)
● Pinch Garlic Powder
● Pinch Onion Powder
● Salt, to taste
● Black Pepper, to taste
● ¼ tsp Poultry Seasoning
Turkey Gravy Mise en Place:
● Frying Pan
● Strainer
● Spoon or Whisk
● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
Turkey Gravy Directions:
● Strain the pan drippings to remove the solids (this step is optional); set aside.
● In a frying pan, melt the butter and flour to make a roux. Mix the flour in with the butter and cook this mixture until it turns golden in color.
● Add the pan drippings to the roux in small ½ cup portions, bringing it to a low boil, and incorporating the drippings into the mixture until it thickens, and then add another ½ cup of pan dripping, continuing this until you have added all the drippings.
● Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Taste with a clean spoon and add more seasonings according to your taste buds.
● When you have used all the pan drippings, if you feel there is not enough gravy or the gravy is too thick, you can add turkey broth in the same increments as the drippings.
● Serve hot.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
How to Make Turkey Gravy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Turkey Pan Drippings
- ¼ cup Butter
- ¼ cup Flour (you can substitute Wondra)
- Pinch Garlic Powder
- Pinch Onion Powder
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- ¼ tsp Poultry Seasoning
Instructions
- Strain the pan drippings to remove the solids (this step is optional); set aside.
- In a frying pan over medium heat, melt butter and flour to make a rich roux. Using a wire whisk (or silicone whisk if using a non-stick pan), mix the flour in with the melted butter and cook this mixture until it turns golden in color.
- Pour the drippings into the roux in small ½ cup portions, bringing it to a low boil and incorporating the drippings into the mixture until it thickens, and then add another ½ cup of pan dripping, continuing this until you have added all the drippings.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Taste with a clean spoon and add more seasonings according to your taste buds.
- When you have used all the pan drippings, if you feel there is not enough gravy or the gravy is too thick, you can add turkey broth in the same increments as the drippings.
- Serve hot.
- Store any leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 130Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 153mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 10g
Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.
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Megan says
I never get to host Thanksgiving, so I haven’t had to attempt a homemade gravy before. I’m saving this for when I finally get to make my own turkey!!
Myrna Marshall says
You should cook the giblets with an onion in water, until the neck meat falls off the bones. Cool them and blend them in a blender, I like mine a little chunky Use the cooking liquid also in the blender. Add this to your gravy, do not need garlic or onion, takes away from the turkey flavor. Salt and pepper to taste. This is the best of the best.
Anne says
Love this easy to follow recipe! This is how I make my turkey gravy too. We’ll be sharing your post in our weekly roundup on Sunday. Thanks so much for sharing it with us on the Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!