Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
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Gravy made while the turkey rests has a way of going wrong with everyone watching. We make ours up to three days ahead from roasted wings, brown the roux to the color of peanut butter, and treat the drippings as a bonus.
The short version
Roast turkey wings and vegetables until deep brown, simmer them in stock for an hour, strain. Cook butter and flour to the color of peanut butter, whisk in the stock and simmer until it coats a spoon. Chill up to 3 days; on the day, stir in the defatted pan drippings, or serve it as is. Don't skip browning the wings.
What makes ours better
what we fixed so you don’t have to
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Make it ahead from roasted turkey wings. Wings roasted until mahogany and simmered for an hour give a stock that tastes like the roast itself, so the gravy is finished before the turkey goes in the oven. Drippings add a last layer, but the gravy doesn't depend on them.
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Brown the roux. Five to eight minutes of whisking takes butter and flour from pale to peanut butter, and that toasted color is where gravy gets its roasted depth without a drop of drippings. Go slow; a scorched roux is bitter and there's no fixing it.
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Use the neck and giblets, but skip the liver. The neck, heart and gizzard roast and simmer alongside the wings and add body. The liver turns the whole pot bitter and muddy, so leave it out (or fry it up for the cook).
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Finish with the drippings, fat skimmed off. The browned juices in the roasting pan are concentrated turkey; pour off the fat first or the gravy goes greasy. Taste before you add salt, because drippings from a brined bird are salty on their own.
What you need
the usual suspects
- Turkey wings2 pounds
- Yellow onion1 medium
- Carrot1 large
- Celery1 rib
- Dry white wine½ cup
- Low-sodium chicken stock6 cups
- Fresh thyme4 sprigs
- Bay leaf1
yes, all of the butter
Steps
deep breath. you’ve got this.
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Roast the wings and vegetables
Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut each wing at the joints into two or three pieces so more surface browns. Toss the wings (and the neck and giblets, if using) with the onion, carrot, celery and oil on a rimmed sheet pan or in a roasting pan. Roast, turning once, until the wings are deep mahogany and the vegetables are browned at the edges, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Pale wings make pale gravy. Wait for real color; the dark bits stuck to the pan are flavor you'll scrape up next.
About 50 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Deglaze the pan
Scrape everything into a large pot. Set the hot pan over a burner, pour in the wine and scrape with a wooden spoon until the browned bits dissolve into the liquid. Pour that into the pot too.
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Simmer an hour
Add the stock, water, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil, then lower the heat so it barely bubbles. Simmer, partly covered, for 1 hour, skimming off any foam. The liquid darkens and starts to smell like roast turkey.
About 60 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Strain and skim
Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl and discard the solids, or pick the meat off the neck and wings to stir in later. Let the fat rise for a few minutes and spoon it off, saving it if you want to use it in the roux. You should have about 6 cups; add water if you're short, or simmer a few minutes longer if you have much more.
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Brown the roux
In the rinsed-out pot, melt the butter (or turkey fat) over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then keep whisking as it bubbles. In 5 to 8 minutes it goes from blond to the color of peanut butter and smells like toast. Pull it off the heat for a moment if it darkens too fast.
Keep the heat at medium, not high. A roux with black specks is bitter, and the only fix is to start over.
About 6 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Whisk in the stock
Whisk in the warm stock about a cup at a time, letting each addition go smooth before the next. Once it's all in, bring the gravy to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Season with the pepper and a little salt, remembering that drippings will add more salt later.
About 5 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
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Hold or chill
Serving within the hour? Cover and keep it warm over very low heat. Otherwise cool it, then refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. A skin forms on top as it cools; it whisks back in when you reheat.
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Finish with drippings (or without)
Reheat the gravy to a simmer. Pour the roasting pan juices into a measuring cup, let the fat rise and spoon it off, then add the juices to the gravy. Set the empty roasting pan over a burner, add a splash of water or stock and scrape up the browned bits; add those too. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, until it's back to spoon-coating thickness, and taste for salt. No drippings? Taste, adjust with salt, pepper and a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice, and it's ready.
Good to know
the stuff I’d tell you over the phone
- No turkey wings at the store? Use 2 pounds of chicken wings or drumsticks the same way. The flavor is a shade lighter, and still real.
- Too thin? Simmer it longer, or whisk in a paste of 1 tablespoon soft butter mashed with 1 tablespoon flour and cook 2 minutes. Too thick? Whisk in stock or water a splash at a time.
- For giblet gravy, chop the cooked neck meat, heart and gizzard finely and stir them into the finished gravy.
- Doubling is easy; use a big pot, and give the roux a few extra minutes to brown.
- Storage. Refrigerated in a covered container, 3 days. Frozen in a zip-top bag or deli container, 2 months. Reheat over medium-low, whisking, with a splash of stock or water if it's thick; it looks broken when cold and comes back together as it heats.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Can I make turkey gravy without drippings?
Yes; that's the point of this recipe. The roasted wings and the browned roux carry the flavor, and the drippings are a bonus. Finish with a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice if it tastes flat.
How far ahead can I make gravy?
Three days in the fridge or two months in the freezer. Reheat it gently, whisking, and stir in the drippings from the roasting pan if you have them.
Why is my gravy lumpy?
The stock went in too fast or too cold, or the flour never got fully coated in fat. Add warm stock gradually and whisk each addition smooth. If it's already lumpy, pour it through a fine sieve or give it a few seconds with an immersion blender.
Why does my gravy taste bitter?
Usually the roux scorched (look for black specks) or a liver went into the stock. Brown the roux over medium heat, never high, and keep the liver out.
Can I use boxed stock instead of making my own?
Yes. Skip the first four steps, warm 6 cups of turkey or chicken stock and start with the roux. Roasting the wings is what makes this taste like the roast, though, so do it when you can.
How much gravy per person?
Plan on about ½ cup per person, more if there are mashed potatoes and leftovers in the picture. This recipe makes about 6 cups.
From the table
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Published October 26, 2026.