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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. Use all those delicious brown bits at the bottom of your roasting pan to make the best turkey gravy recipe ever!
I don’t know about you, but if there’s a good gravy on the dinner table, you can bet that I love pouring it all over my plate, not just on the meat. Gravy on the mashed potatoes, gravy on the green beans, gravy on the Brussels sprouts, gravy everywhere! That’s when you know it’s good.
And this turkey gravy is that good.
Making turkey gravy from drippings is one of the easiest and best ways to make a flavorful and rich gravy that enhances the flavor of that Thanksgiving turkey you worked so hard to make. Best of all, you can make it while your turkey is resting and cooling down so it can be carved.
Turkey Gravy Ingredients
After you’ve transferred your turkey to a carving board to rest, here’s what you’ll need:
- Drippings: You’ll need drippings from 1 large turkey. Try this herb roast turkey or this chipotle citrus Thanksgiving turkey.
- Flour: ¼ cup of all-purpose flour to thicken the gravy.
- Stock or broth: 1 to 1 ½ cups turkey stock or chicken broth are perfect.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: Since the drippings themselves have a lot of the seasoning that was used to flavor the turkey, I recommended tasting the gravy before adding in extra salt and pepper to avoid oversalting.
How to make turkey gravy from drippings
- Carefully pour the turkey drippings through a strainer and into a large glass container or two. Place them in the fridge for 15 minutes to let the fat rise to the top and solidify.
- Remove the drippings from the fridge, scoop out 2 tablespoons of the fat, and discard the remaining fat (or transfer it to a storage container to use later). You should now have only the liquid turkey drippings remaining.
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the 2 tablespoons of reserved fat and the all-purpose flour until smooth. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until bubbly and light to golden brown.
- Whisk in 1 cup of the turkey drippings and 1 cup of stock until completely smooth. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the gravy has thickened to your liking. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
Tips
- If you don’t get two tablespoons of fat from your turkey drippings, you can use two tablespoons of butter instead.
- Use unsalted, low-sodium turkey or chicken broth if possible. Since the pan drippings may already be salty, I recommend using low-sodium or unsalted stock if you can find it. Then, you can taste the finished gravy and add salt and black pepper as needed.
- If your gravy has thickened too much, whisk in more turkey or chicken stock, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s thinned out to your liking.
- If your gravy isn’t thickening, a quick fix is to whisk in a little bit of cornstarch.
- The color of your gravy can vary from light to dark brown, depending on the spices and seasonings used to make your 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:
- Fresh Green Bean Casserole
- Jalapeño Cornbread
- Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts
- Green Chili Corn Casserole
- Easy Cranberry Sauce
Recommended Tools
- Medium saucepan. Perfect for making the gravy. This saucepan distributes heat evenly and reduces the chance of burning.
- Strainer. Useful to strain out any bits from the drippings for 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.
Storing and Reheating
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.
More Thanksgiving Recipes
- Oven Roasted Carrots
- Mashed Sweet Potatoes
- Roasted Butternut Squash
- Brussel Sprout Salad
- Chorizo Cornbread Stuffing
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4.82 from 27 votes
Turkey Gravy from Drippings
servings: 8 servings
Print Pin Review Save
Prep: 15 minutes minutes
Cook: 10 minutes minutes
Total: 25 minutes minutes
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!
Ingredients
- drippings from roasted turkey
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth (or turkey stock)
- kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Carefully pour the turkey drippings from the roasting pan through a strainer and into a large glass container or two. Place it in the fridge for 15 minutes to let the fat rise to the top and solidify.
Remove the drippings from the fridge, scoop out 2 tablespoons of the fat, and discard the remaining fat or transfer it to a storage container to use later. (See Notes below if you don't end up with 2 tablespoons of fat.) You should now have only the liquid turkey drippings remaining.
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the 2 tablespoons of reserved fat and the all-purpose flour until smooth. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking constantly, until bubbly and light to golden brown.
Whisk in 1 cup of the turkey drippings and the chicken broth until completely smooth. (See Notes below if you don't end up with 1 cup of turkey drippings.)
Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the gravy has thickened to your liking. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
Notes
- Not enough drippings: If you don’t have enough turkey drippings to equal 1 cup, add more turkey or chicken stock until you have 2 cups of liquid.
- Not enough fat: If you don’t get two tablespoons of fat from your turkey drippings, you can use two tablespoons of butter instead.
- Too thick: If your gravy has thickened too much, whisk in more turkey or chicken stock, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s thinned out to your liking.
- Too runny: If your gravy isn’t thickening, a quick fix is to whisk in a little bit of cornstarch.
- Broth: Use low-sodium turkey or chicken broth if possible. Since the pan drippings may already be salty, I recommend using low-sodium or unsalted stock if you can find it. Then, you can taste the finished gravy and add salt and black pepper as needed.
- Color: The color of your gravy can vary from light to dark brown, depending on the spices and seasonings used to make your turkey.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1/8th of recipe, Calories: 54kcal (3%), Carbohydrates: 3g (1%), Protein: 3g (6%), Fat: 3g (5%), Saturated Fat: 1g (5%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 3mg (1%), Sodium: 24mg (1%), Potassium: 0mg, Fiber: 0g, Sugar: 0g, Vitamin A: 0IU, Vitamin C: 0mg, Calcium: 10mg (1%), Iron: 0mg
Author: Isabel Orozco-Moore
Category: American
Leave a Reply
Grandma Becky
I am well into my 60’s and I have never been able to make gravy. I tried this step by step and it was wonderful. My family was shocked that they could finally ask for seconds of gravy. I feel like I am finally a grown up. Thanks so much.Reply
Susan G
Best ever!Reply
Sherri Wibert
Thank you times a billion you saved my Christmas dinner. This recipe was so easy and fast. I needed gravy for noodle that go on mashed potatoes with our turkey and this was a huge hit. I saved to my Pinterest Hubby’s favorites!!!Reply
Ana Febles
What about if I don’t have chicken or turkey stock, what could I substitute with?
Reply
Ana @ Isabel Eats
Hi Ana! Any broth you have on hand should work!
Reply
Mandy
AMAZING! This has been the staple of my thanksgiving menu since 2019 (what everyone raves about and asks for me to share). The flavor is rich and so delicious! I use lemon and herbs on my turkey so the drippings are full of flavor. Thank you for this great recipe!Reply
Ana @ Isabel Eats
Thank you Mandy!
Reply
Angie
Awsome recipe Isabel simple yet delicious thank you beautiful lady .
Reply
Jenn
This was my first time making gravy so I was a little nervous. This recipe was so easy and it was the absolute best gravy I have ever had!! Can’t wait to make this again for ChristmasReply
Michelle
Oh my goodness! It turned out AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for sharing the recipe.Reply
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