Turkey Gravy

This easy turkey gravy recipe is a classic.  It works whether or not you have pan drippings from a roasted turkey.  

Why This Turkey Gravy Recipe Works

Why buy pre-made gravy when making the real thing is so easy?  This is my go-to turkey gravy recipe.  It comes out velvety smooth every time and works perfectly – even if you don’t have turkey drippings.

I’ll show you how easy it is to make turkey gravy that will have your family begging for more.

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This homemade gravy recipe works because you start with a roux and then build in flavor from actual turkey drippings or turkey stock.  In fact, I use this same recipe for making chicken gravy too.  It’s that versatile.

Do you need pan drippings to make turkey gravy?

The great thing about this homemade turkey gravy is you don’t need to have drippings from a turkey to get a great tasting gravy.  You easily substitute an equal amount of turkey or chicken stock in place of the pan drippings.

This is definitely the best turkey gravy because you can make it even if you deep fry your turkey and don’t get any pan drippings.

How to Make the Best Turkey Gravy

Making this homemade gravy recipe starts with a roux.  If you’re not sure what a roux is, it’s a combination of butter and flour that is used as a base to thicken sauces.

In order to make the best turkey gravy recipe, you need to build flavor with your roux. To do this, I let the butter turn a slight brown when it’s melting.  By letting the butter turn brown slightly, you’re actually toasting the milk solids in the butter.  This gives it a deep somewhat nutting flavor.

After you build your roux, you stir in the pan drippings and/or stock.  Of course, to get the best turkey gravy recipe you should use pan drippings, but if that’s not an option a good store-bought turkey stock will work too.

Once the gravy starts coming together, the last step is to season it.  It’s super simple to make homemade gravy.

Expert Tips for Making Homemade Turkey Gravy

Here are a few expert tips to help you make the best classic turkey gravy:

• When using turkey pan drippings, make sure you strain out all of the fat.  I use this fat separator to ensure all of the fat is removed from my drippings.
• Build a flavorful roux by allowing the butter to turn a very light brown before adding the flour.
• Add flavor by using my homemade House Seasoning Blend and my Homemade Poultry Seasoning.

Variations for Making Homemade Gravy

This easy homemade gravy recipe can easily be adapted to fit your tastes and needs.  Here are some variations:

• Cook and finely mince the turkey giblets and add them to the gravy.  My family is split down the middle on this so I always it both ways.
• Substitute all chicken stock to make a great chicken gravy or base for soups/stews.
• Change out the herbs to develop different flavors.  I like use my Porketta Seasoning Blend when making gravy for a pork roast.
• Substitute the stock for milk to make a great cream gravy.

Tools Used to Make This Recipe

Sauce Pan: This is my go-to gravy making pan.

Whisk: I love the size of this whisk!

Fat Separator: This is my absolute favorite!

Strainer: Essential for eliminating lumps.

More Recipes You Might Like

• Herb Roasted Turkey
• Perfect Mashed Potatoes
• Grandma’s Homemade Stuffing

Looking for more?  Check out all of the best Thanksgiving recipes on It Is a Keeper.

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4.6 from 10 votes

Turkey Gravy Recipe

This easy turkey gravy recipe is a classic.  It works whether or not you have pan drippings from a roasted turkey.  

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Sauces, Seasonings, Dressings

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gravy, Thanksgiving

Servings: 6

Calories: 47kcal

Author: Christina Hitchcock

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups turkey stock and pan drippings
• 1/2 teaspoon House Seasoning Blend
• 1/4 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning Blend

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

• Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.
• When butter is melted, whisk in flour until a paste forms.
• Whisk the flour paste for about 1 minute.
• Slowly whisk in turkey stock and/or turkey pan drippings with the fat strained out.
• Stir in House Seasoning Blend and Poultry Seasoning Blend.
• Simmer over medium heat until gravy thickens to desired consistency.

Nutrition

Calories: 47kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 194mg | Vitamin A: 2.3% | Iron: 1%

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Helpful Tips for All Recipes on It Is a Keeper

• Want to scale a recipe up or down? Simply type in a new serving amount and the recipe will automatically adjust! 
• When a recipe call for House Seasoning Blend, you can use this recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.  
• I always use unsalted butter in my recipes.
• I always use a meat thermometor to test for doneness when cooking meat.  This one is my favorite.  
• When a recipe is made in the oven, it should be pre-heated to the temperature in the recipe, unless otherwise noted.
• The nutritional information provided in this recipe is an estimate.  Learn more on how I calculate nutritional information for my recipes.