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Foolproof Turkey Gravy

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  • Prep 5 min
  • Total 10 min
  • Servings 8
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There are just two simple steps (and five easy ingredients) in this delicious turkey gravy from drippings. You’ll be delighted with the smooth, flavorful results. This is a recipe you’ll return to every year, so be prepared to become the designated “gravy maker” at all your holiday gatherings. You'll get rave reviews, but don’t let anyone know how easy it really is to make turkey graving from drippings; it may sound complicated, but with Betty's foolproof recipe you'll be able to add another turkey feather to your apron.
Updated Sep 25, 2023
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How to Make Turkey Gravy From Turkey Drippings

Learning how to make turkey gravy from scratch isn’t always easy—but we’re here to help with a foolproof recipe for homemade turkey gravy using drippings! Whenever you make a Roast Turkey, don’t toss the fat and juices that are left behind in the roasting pan. We love using these turkey drippings in gravy to achieve homemade results with minimal effort and no extra dishes needed. This is truly the best turkey gravy recipe around!

Have some extra drippings? Make more gravy! You can easily double or triple this turkey gravy recipe without any extra effort. Before making your easy turkey gravy, make sure to taste your drippings. If they seem burnt, you can always try using broth or stock to make a No-Drippings Gravy instead!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup turkey drippings (fat and juices from roasted turkey)
  • 1/4 cup Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour
  • 2 cups liquid (juices from roasted turkey, broth, water)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, or less, if using turkey drippings
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Make With
Gold Medal Flour

Steps

  • 1
    Pour drippings from roasting pan into bowl, leaving brown particles in pan. Return 1/4 cup drippings to roasting pan. (Measure accurately because too little fat makes gravy lumpy.) Stir in flour. (Measure accurately so gravy is not greasy.)
  • 2
    Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in liquid. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in salt and pepper.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    Taste as you go! Gravy is often the star of a turkey dinner, the condiment that ties the meat, potatoes, and veggies together. So be sure it’s well seasoned before the gravy boat is set on the table.
  • tip 2
    Do like the pros: use a medium-sized wire whisk to stir up the gravy, vigorously mixing in the flour into the pan drippings to create a roux (a thickening mixture that’s equal parts fat and flour), then as you stir in the liquid.
  • tip 3
    End up with a few lumps? Pour the gravy through a wire mesh sieve to smooth the gravy to a silky smoothness.
  • tip 4
    A flavorful broth is a traditional liquid for many gravies, but you could mix things up by using wine, milk, or half-and-half with the broth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Can I Make My Turkey Gravy Thicker or Thinner?

This recipe makes a perfectly creamy and silky-smooth homemade turkey gravy—but if you’d like to change the consistency, we’ve got some tips for you!

Want to thin out your turkey gravy? You’ll need a hot liquid, such as stock, broth, water from cooking potatoes, white wine or just plain water. Add your hot liquid of choice to your hot gravy, and whisk it in to incorporate.

Prefer a thicker consistency? Mix 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of water or broth until the flour has fully dissolved. Whisk this mixture into the hot turkey gravy, then bring the gravy to a boil, stirring constantly as it boils for 1 minute. Or, you can try adding a quick-mixing flour to thicken your homemade turkey gravy.

Another way to thicken up a too-thin turkey gravy is making a roux. This classic sauce is often used by cooks for thickening and adding richness without causing a raw flour taste. To make a roux, a mixture of flour and fat (usually butter) is cooked over low to medium heat until smooth and bubbly before a liquid is added. Some recipes call for cooking the roux until it turns golden to deep brown.

Can You Freeze Turkey Gravy?

Leftover homemade turkey gravy? This rarely happens—but when it does, consider these tips for leftover storage. If you’d like to save this turkey gravy for your next festive gathering or big family get-together, store it in a well-sealed container or resealable plastic bag in the freezer. Your frozen turkey gravy will keep for up to four months. Try serving it up over some Easy Turkey Stuffing or mashed potatoes with a delicious roast dinner!

Want to store your homemade turkey gravy for a shorter time period? This turkey gravy will keep in the fridge for up to two days when stored in a well-sealed jar or container. It can be tricky to reheat gravy in the microwave without overcooking or curdling the gravy, so reheat it on the stove over low heat instead. Stir it often, and remove it from the heat as soon as the gravy comes to a simmer.

If you ended up adding any milk or cream to your turkey gravy, it’s likely to separate when reheated. Instead of tossing your leftovers, make them into your next meal. Try swapping in leftover turkey gravy where jars of gravy or gravy mix are called for in other recipes!

Nutrition

40 Calories, 3 g Total Fat, 1 g Protein, 2 g Total Carbohydrate

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 2 Tablespoons
Calories
40
Calories from Fat
25
Total Fat
3 g
Saturated Fat
1 g
Cholesterol
5 mg
Sodium
200 mg
Potassium
30 mg
Total Carbohydrate
2 g
Dietary Fiber
0g
Protein
1 g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
0%
0%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
0%
0%
Exchanges:
1 Fat;
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

  • Don’t believe what you hear – making gravy isn’t as hard as everyone says. Just start with Betty’s guide on how to make gravy and you’ll be ready to go when the big day comes. Take your pick of the many turkey gravy recipe options, all of which will help you add that perfect homemade touch to your dinner. When the moment for gravy-making arrives, measure your dripping accurately, keep stirring, and stay with it. After just a minute of boiling, it’s time to find the gravy boat and call “dinner is served,” because your gravy from drippings will be ready to go. The perfectly cooked bird and the beautifully whipped mashed potatoes will taste even better when you add a few dollops of your rich and robust turkey gravy. Once you’ve tackled turkey gravy, you can add more favorites to your lineup, including Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy, Chicken à la King, Pork Chops in Country Onion Gravy, Hamburger Gravy and Cornmeal-Sage Biscuits with Sausage Gravy.
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