Thanksgiving Dinner: Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy Recipe

Is turkey gravy not the most delicious part of the Thanksgiving meal? Ok well maybe it is just MY favorite! 🙂 Many people swear that gravy is one of the most essential parts of the Thanksgiving Dinner. Whether you fall in this category or not, we promise you will not regret making this turkey gravy this season. In fact, unlike most, it is gravy that can be made ahead of time. And why just Thanksgiving; make it anytime of the year!

Thanksgiving Dinner: Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

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Total Time: 30 minutes preparation + 2 hours cooking

Yields: 8 cups

Turkey Gravy Ingredients:

6 turkey wings

2 medium size onion, peeled and quartered

1 cup fresh water

2 quarts chicken broth, divided

¾ cup carrot, chopped

½ teaspoon dried thyme

¾ cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter

Pinch of ground black pepper

Gravy Recipe Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F or 200 degrees C. In a large roasting pan, arrange a single layer of turkey wings. Scatter the onions on the top. Roast for 1 hour, 15 minutes or until wings turns brown.
2. In a 5 quart stockpot, place browned wings and onions. Add water to roasting pan. Stir, while scraping up any brown pieces on the bottom of the pan. Pour the water from the pan into the stockpot. Mix in 6 cups broth, thyme, and carrot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 1 to ½ hours.
3. Remove wings from the stockpot and place on a cutting board. Separate the skin and meat when they are cool. Discard the skin and keep the meat for another use. Strain contents from the stockpot using a large strainer into a 3 quart saucepan. Press on the vegetables to take out remaining liquid, if any. Remove the vegetables and skim the fat off the liquid. Bring the contents in the pot to boil.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk all-purpose flour into remaining 2 cups of chicken broth until smooth. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the simmering turkey broth. Let it simmer for 4-5 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Add butter and pepper. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use.

Successful turkey gravy is more about the technique than ingredients. Producing it at the thickness you prefer and free of lumps takes a bit of practice. So, we recommend, it’s still time for Thanksgiving Dinner. Make it at least once before the big day.

Need more Thanksgiving Make Ahead Recipes?

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For more Thanksgiving recipes on Stagetecture, click here.