Homemade Gravy for Turkey

4.91 from 20 votes

This incredibly easy recipe makes the BEST Homemade Turkey Gravy that I have ever had. Once you learn how to make turkey gravy from scratch rather than using a packet, you will never go back!

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Spreads & Sauces

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Author: Amy Nash

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter or fat from off the top of the drippings
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (see notes for gluten-free version)
2 1/2 cups drippings OR broth (see note)
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

Reheat the drippings or broth so they are warm. Skim off 1/4 cup of fat from the top of the drippings and set aside. Discard the remaining fat, reserving the drippings and adding enough broth or water to make 2 1/2 cups of liquid.
2 1/2 cups drippings OR broth, 1/4 cup butter or fat
Heat the fat (or melt an equal amount of butter) in a large pan over medium heat. Sprinkle with the flour, whisking it in and cooking for 1-2 minutes until lightly browned to create a roux.
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Gradually add the warm drippings or broth to the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. It will thicken almost immediately at first, then thin out as more and more liquid is added.
Once all of the drippings or broth have been added, continue to cook and stir frequently for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened to your liking. If the gravy gets too thick, thin out with a little addition broth or water. If it is too thin, make a slurry with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water and whisk that into the gravy, letting it cook for another minute or two to thicken up.
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper

Notes

Turkey gravy without drippings: If you don't have turkey drippings to make your gravy, either because the turkey was smoked, fried, or you just didn't have a full 2 1/2 cups of drippings from your turkey (often the case if using a smaller bird) you can just use chicken or turkey broth in place of the drippings. I had about 1 1/4 cups of actual drippings and made up the remainder with chicken broth for this batch of turkey gravy and it was the best I've ever had.
Gluten-Free Gravy: Substitute an equal amount of King Arthur measure-for-measure flour for the all-purpose flour. Or you can replace the 1/4 cup of flour with 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Both methods work well and the gravy tastes just the same. There might be a very slightly different mouthfeel, perhaps, but nothing significant.
Adding in herbs: If you want an herby gravy, consider adding 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh thyme or rosemary and 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley to the gravy along with the drippings or broth. Since I use drippings from my herb roasted turkey, I usually skip this since the drippings carry a lot of the flavor with them anyway, but it's a nice addition if you are just relying on broth for your gravy.
Make-ahead gravy: If you aren't waiting for turkey drippings, the gravy can be made 2-3 days in advance and stored in the fridge. Then simply reheat on the stovetop and whisk well before serving.

Nutrition

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