Save yourself time on busy holidays with this easy make ahead turkey gravy. Rich velvety gravy is a guarantee with this simple recipe, and all you have to do is heat and eat on the big day.
If you’re anything like me when it comes to hosting family holidays- you spend the day running around like a chicken with your head cut off.
Back and forth between refrigerators, stove top, oven- all in an effort to get all of the elements of the special meal made and ready to be served at the same time.
It’s exhausting, and there really is a true science to it.
I’ve gotten smarter as the years have gone on though and figured out shortcuts and ways to make things easier on myself.
The biggest tip I’ve discovered?
Anything that can be made ahead of time, should most definitely be made ahead of time.
One of those ingenious short cuts is my make ahead turkey gravy recipe.
This Make Ahead Turkey Gravy is so easy and saves me tons of time and stress on both Thanksgiving & Christmas day!
No more running around while the turkey gets cold, trying to skim fat and whisk out lumps while everyone stares at you because you misjudged your time and they are starving.
Oh, is this just me?
Ingredients Needed
To make this make-ahead turkey gravy you will need a few different ingredients.
Nothing hard to find or out of the norm for a traditional gravy though!
You’ll need:
- Turkey Wings – You’ll need four fresh, uncooked turkey wings. Think chicken wings, but much much bigger.
- Aromatics – This gravy recipe uses a mixture of onion, garlic, celery, and carrots to infuse it with earthy flavor.
- Water – For deglazing the pan after roasting the turkey wings.
- Broth – Our turkey gravy uses chicken broth (NOT turkey broth) because we find chicken to be the more flavorful option. You can use either store bought or homemade broth.
- Spices – Sprigs of fresh thyme and cracked black pepper are used to season this gravy, along with an optional pinch of garlic powder at the end.
- Flour – All purpose flour to form a roux as the gravy base
- Butter – Used to form a roux as the base of the gravy. I recommend sweet cream butter for the smoothest results, and you can use either salted or unsalted.
I prefer a slightly darker gravy, so I tend to add a tiny bit of gravy master at the end.
This is a completely optional ingredient and doesn’t effect the flavor, just the color.
Where Can I Buy Fresh Turkey Wings?
Turkey wings can be found in most grocery stores, usually located next to the chicken in the fresh meat section.
If you don’t see any though you may have to ask, especially if it’s not near the holidays when they tend to be more prominently displayed.
They tend to come packaged in two’s, so you would need two packages (four wings in total) for this make ahead gravy recipe.
How To Make
I know gravy can be intimidating to some, and hard to get right without a solid recipe.
This make ahead turkey gravy requires minimal effort, and comes together perfectly every single time.
Start by adding the wings, garlic, and onions to a large roasting pan.
Add the pan to a 400F oven and roast for 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer them to a large (preferably 6 quart) stock pot.
Add the cup of water to the hot roasting pan, and using a spoon deglaze the pan.
Be sure to scrape up any stuck on browned bits as you go- those are flavor nuggets!
Add all of the juices & drippings (everything) from the roasting pan into your stockpot.
Add 6 cups of the chicken broth, celery, carrots, and sprigs of thyme to the pot as well.
Bring the pot to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer.
Let the mixture simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours.
Using a pair of tongs, remove the turkey wings from the pot. You can save them to use later, or completely discard them.
Strain the broth into a smaller pan, and discard the vegetables.
Skim off any visible fat.
Pour the remaining two cups of broth into a small mixing bowl.
Add the flour to the broth and whisk together together until smooth & evenly incorporated. Set aside.
Bring the broth in the sauce pan to a gentle boil.
Once bubbling, slowly pour the flour mixture into the pan- whisking constantly until it’s all been evenly incorporated.
Bring the gravy to a full boil and let it cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.
When the gravy coats the back of a spoon, it’s done.
Remove the pan from heat and add the butter, pepper, and garlic powder (if using). Stir until the butter’s completely melted.
If you prefer your gravy a shade darker, whisk in the gravy master.
Storing
Once your gravy is thickened and done cooking, it’s ready to be served.
In the case of this make ahead turkey gravy it’s also ready to be stored.
How you store it will ultimately depend on how far you’re making this in advance.
Seal the gravy in airtight containers and it can be safely stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.
You can also freeze it for up to a month.
TIPS & TRICKS
- The gravy may separate after defrosting- just heat & stir, and it comes right back together.
- Turkey wings can be bought ahead of time, frozen, and then defrosted they day before you’re ready to make the gravy.
- I like to make turkey salad from the meat on the wings after they’ve been roasted.
Other Make Ahead Holiday Recipes
While there are to many methods to count to making the perfect turkey gravy, I’ve been using this one for years.
It always turns out perfectly, and with a rich depth of flavor that can’t be beaten.
Save yourself time, take some stress off your plate, and use this make ahead turkey gravy recipe this holiday season!
Looking for other make ahead recipes for the holidays?
Try these:
If you’ve tried this MAKE AHEAD TURKEY GRAVY, or any other recipe on the site, let me know in the comment section how it turned out, we love hearing from our readers! You can also follow along with me on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK, and INSTAGRAM to see more amazing recipes and whatever else we’ve got going on!
Make Ahead Turkey Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 turkey wings
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 2 medium onions quartered
- 1 cup water
- 8 cups chicken broth divided
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 stalks celery cut into chunks
- 4 springs fresh thyme
- ¾ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- pinch garlic salt optional
- 1/8-1/4 tsp gravy master
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the wings, garlic, and the onions in a large roasting pan. Place the pan into the preheated oven and roast for 1½ hours.
- After it is done, transfer the wings and the onions to a large pot (at least 6 quart.)
- Add the cup of water to the roasting pan and deglaze the pan, scraping up all the bits from the bottom. Add the water and drippings to the pot with the turkey wings. Add 6 cups of the chicken broth, the celery, carrots, and thyme to the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer and simmer uncovered for 1½ hours.
- Remove the wings and save them or discard them.
- Strain the broth into a smaller saucepan and discard the vegetables. Skim off any fat.
- Whisk the flour wit h the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring the broth in the saucepan to a gentle boil and whisk in the flour/chicken broth mixture, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and let it boil for 4-5 minutes to thicken. When it coats the back of a spoon it is done.
- Add the butter, pepper, and garlic salt (if using it), stir until the butter melts. If you prefer the gravy a shade darker, add the gravy master and stir until evenly combined.
- Place into containers and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze up to a month. Enjoy!
Notes
- The gravy may separate after defrosting- just heat & stir, and it comes right back together.
- Turkey wings can be bought ahead of time, frozen, and then defrosted they day before you're ready to make the gravy.
- I like to make turkey salad from the meat on the wings after they've been roasted.
Nutrition
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