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Best Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy from Scratch (Easy, 5-Ingredient Recipe)

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This make-ahead turkey gravy is a game-changer for holiday hosting. Made with just five simple ingredients, it delivers a velvety, impossibly rich, and deeply flavorful gravy that you can prepare days in advance, freeing you to enjoy your own party.

Ingredients

  • For the Deeply Roasted Turkey Stock:
  • Turkey Wings or Drumsticks (2-3 pounds)
  • Onion (1 large, quartered)
  • Carrots (2 large, roughly chopped)
  • Celery (2 stalks, roughly chopped)
  • Chicken or Turkey Stock (8 cups, low-sodium)
  • Fresh Thyme (4-5 sprigs)
  • Black Peppercorns (1 teaspoon)
  • Bay Leaves (2)
  • For the Gravy:
  • Unsalted Butter (1/2 cup / 1 stick)
  • All-Purpose Flour (1/2 cup)
  • Your Homemade Turkey Stock (All of it, about 6-7 cups after simmering)
  • Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper (To taste)

Instructions

  1. Part 1: The Deeply Roasted Turkey Stock (Day Before or Up to 3 Days Ahead)
  2. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange the turkey wings (or drumsticks) and the quartered onion, chopped carrots, and celery in a single layer in your large roasting pan. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  3. Roast for 45-60 minutes, flipping the pieces halfway through. You want the turkey skin to be deeply golden brown and the vegetables to have nice, dark caramelized spots.
  4. Carefully remove the hot roasting pan from the oven and place it on your stovetop over two burners. Pour about 1 cup of your chicken or turkey stock into the hot pan. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  5. Transfer the roasted turkey, vegetables, and all the deglazing liquid to your large stockpot. Add the remaining 7 cups of stock, the fresh thyme sprigs, black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Pour in enough cold water to just cover everything by about an inch. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low to maintain a very gentle simmer.
  6. As the stock simmers, a foam and scum will rise to the surface. Use a large spoon to skim this off and discard it. Let it simmer gently, partially covered, for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  7. Set your fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or pitcher. Carefully pour the stock through the strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract every last drop of liquid. Discard the solids. Let the stock cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.
  8. Part 2: The Silky Smooth Gravy (Day of or Day Before)
  9. Take your chilled stock out of the fridge. Spoon off and discard the solid layer of fat from the top. You should have about 6-7 cups of defatted stock.
  10. In your medium saucepan or skillet, melt the 1/2 cup of unsalted butter over medium heat. Once melted and bubbling, add the 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour. Whisk constantly to combine. Cook the roux, whisking continuously, for about 2-3 minutes. You want it to be a pale, golden blonde color.
  11. Slowly pour in your defatted turkey stock, about 1 cup at a time, while whisking constantly. Keep the heat at medium. The mixture will seize up and become very thick at first, but keep whisking and adding stock.
  12. Once all the stock is incorporated, bring the gravy to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes, whisking occasionally, until it has thickened to your desired consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon.
  13. Remove the gravy from the heat. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste it.
  14. For the absolute silkiest, most lump-free gravy, pour it through a fine-mesh strainer one last time into a serving boat or storage container.

Notes

The biggest mistake is adding cold stock to hot roux, which causes lumps. Always warm your stock before adding. If you do get lumps, blend the gravy in a blender for 30 seconds. Make the stock up to 3 days ahead. The gravy will thicken as it cools; thin with a splash of stock or water when reheating.

Nutrition

Keywords: make-ahead turkey gravy, easy turkey gravy, 5-ingredient gravy, Thanksgiving gravy, holiday gravy, from scratch gravy, turkey stock, roux gravy

Find it online: https://twinkletaste.com/best-make-ahead-turkey-gravy-from-scratch-easy-5-ingredient-recipe/