The perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey and mashed potatoes, this Turkey Gravy couldn’t be easier! It’s so rich, creamy, and full of flavor.
You can’t make a turkey without making homemade gravy! This is the perfect Thanksgiving recipe.
It’s funny that the recipes that used to be the most intimidating to me ended up being the easiest.
The Thanksgiving turkey. And the gravy.
If you have never made gravy from scratch, I am here to tell you you can do it. It honestly only takes minutes, and it’s WAY better than anything in a jar or a packet.
This gravy may be the star of your Thanksgiving meal!
Ingredients
- Pan Drippings: This is the liquid that is at the bottom of your roasting dish once your turkey is done. If you are making my roast turkey recipe, you’ll pour everything that is left in the bottom of the pan through a sieve (to catch the vegetables). The separate the fat from the drippings.
- Broth or Stock: You won’t get enough liquid from the drippings alone, so we also use chicken or turkey broth or stock. Chicken broth is always easy to find, but if you can get turkey stock, that would be even better.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter so that I can control the amount of salt a little better.
- Flour: This is what we are using to thicken up the gravy.
- Milk: I like a creamy gravy, so I add in a little bit of milk. If you want to leave the milk out, just add in an extra 1/4 cup of broth.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This will just deepen the flavor a little bit. You can leave it out, but I like the little something extra it adds.
- Herbs: I try to stick with the same kinds of herbs that I used to roast the turkey. This is typically rosemary, thyme, and sage. I will also sometimes use parsley.
- Salt and Pepper: You will want to taste the gravy when it’s done and add salt and pepper to taste. I like to add a lot of pepper, but it’s just a preference. You will want to add some salt, regardless.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
STEP 1: Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add in the flour. Whisk this together for a minute or two. You want it to start to darken in color.
STEP 2: Slowly whisk in the drippings and the broth. Keep whisking constantly to avoid lumps.
STEP 3: Keep whisking and add in the milk and the Worcestershire sauce.
STEP 4: Stir in the herbs, then cook the mixture, whisking, until it starts to thicken up. This will take 5-10 minutes, depending on how thick you like your gravy. Make sure and taste the gravy and add salt and pepper to taste.
Tips and Tricks
You can replace some or all of the butter with some of the fat that was removed from the drippings. I personally like to keep some butter in the gravy, just for flavor.
To separate the fat from the drippings, I will usually let the mixture sit for a few minutes, letting the fat rise to the top. Then you can skim the fat off with a spoon. I did end up purchasing a fat separator a couple of years ago because I was hosting Thanksgiving so often. It’s not a tool that is necessary, but if you have the space, it really does come in handy when making gravy from drippings.
If you have a larger turkey, you may want to double this recipe. You should get at least 8 servings from this recipe, but you will most likely need to double it if needing for mashed potatoes, as well.
You can make this gravy ahead of time. Just make the gravy, cover, and refrigerate. Before serving, you’ll want to reheat it slowly on the stove. You will most likely need to add in some extra broth to smooth it out.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
The BEST Sweet Potato Casserole
Fall Harvest Salad
Potato Rolls
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Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
- Pan drippings from turkey
- 2 cups chicken or turkey broth*
- 1/4 cup butter**
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs***
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Once your turkey is done, remove it to a cutting board and cover with foil to let it rest. Carefully pour the drippings in the pan through a sieve. Let the drippings sit for several minutes until the fat separates. Skim the fat from the top and pour the drippings into a large liquid measuring cup.
- Add enough chicken or turkey broth to the drippings to equal 2 1/2 cups. Set aside.Pan drippings from turkey, 2 cups chicken or turkey broth*
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until the mixture is golden brown. I like to whisk this for a couple of minutes.1/4 cup butter**, 1/4 cup flour
- Slowly start to whisk the drippings/broth mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Whisk constantly as your add the liquid.
- Once the broth and drippings have been added, whisk in the milk, Worcestershire sauce, and the herbs.1/4 cup milk, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon fresh chopped herbs***
- Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the gravy is thickened to your liking, about 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper, to taste.Salt and pepper
- Serve the gravy warm. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
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