No turkey is complete without a side of homemade gravy. Thankfully, making turkey gravy with drippings is super easy. Here are a few methods to make your own homemade turkey gravy to accompany your juicy turkey, whether you're serving your bird for Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner or any time of the year.
Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements and step-by-step instructions.
Tips for Making Turkey Gravy from Drippings
To Strain Or Not To Strain
I prefer making turkey gravy with the pan drippings because they give it a richer flavor than broth alone. I've found that straining the drippings makes a noticeable difference when I want a smooth gravy without little bits of turkey.
Some people strain their turkey drippings before adding it to a pot to make gravy. This is not a right or wrong issue, it's strictly personal preference.
If you like smooth gravy with no lumps or bits of turkey, you'll want to separate the liquid from the solids. To strain your pan drippings, you'll need a medium bowl and a fine mesh strainer.
- Place the mesh strainer over the bowl.
- Use a ladle to scoop pan drippings out of the roasting pan and into the strainer, allowing the liquid to drain into the bowl.
- Strain the pan drippings until you have 3 cups of liquid in the bowl.
- Discard the solids.
If you don't mind the solids, you can simply use a ladle to gently stir the pan drippings in the roasting pan, and scoop out 3 cups of liquid. Pour the pan drippings into a medium bowl.
I prefer making turkey gravy with the pan drippings because they give it a richer flavor than using broth alone. I've found that straining the drippings makes a noticeable difference when I want a smooth gravy without little bits of turkey. I like adding the drippings gradually while whisking the roux because it's much easier to keep lumps from forming. I've learned to remove some of the excess fat from the drippings before making gravy so the finished sauce doesn't feel greasy. I prefer adding salt at the very end because turkey drippings can already be quite salty, depending on how the bird was seasoned. I've found that gravy thickens as it cools, so I usually keep a little extra broth nearby to thin it out before serving.
- Melt about ¼ cup of butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
- Whisk in ¼ cup of flour to make a roux.
- You can add 2 teaspoons of thyme (ground, dried or fresh, chopped) during this step as well. Whisk butter, flour, and thyme together for about one minute.
- Slowly whisk in your pan drippings about ½ cup at a time. Continue to whisk, bring the gravy to a boil.
- When gravy comes to a boil, reduce heat slightly and continue whisking until thickened. This can take 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
If you don't have enough pan drippings to make three cups, use as much as you can and add chicken or turkey broth to make up the difference. Skim off excess fat so the gravy doesn't turn greasy. For the cornstarch method, add the slurry a little at a time-the gravy can thicken faster than expected.
Cornstarch Option
- An alternative thickening technique is to add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to ¼ cup of room temperature chicken broth. Stir until cornstarch is mixed well into the broth.
- Bring butter, thyme, and pan drippings to a boil over medium heat.
- Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into pan drippings and simmer until thickened. *Don't put all of the cornstarch mixture in at once. To avoid over thickening, or jelly-like gravy, pour in a little at a time, stir it around and simmer it for a minute to see how much it thickens. Continue adding the cornstarch mixture until you reach the desired consistency.
- Continue to stir until gravy has thickened.
- Turn off heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
If your gravy gets too thick, add a little more broth, a splash at a time until you get back to your desired thickness.
Exact measurements and the full step-by-step method are in the recipe card below.
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup of flour (if making roux)
- 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch (if using alternate thickening method)
- ¼ cup of chicken broth (if using cornstarch to thicken)
- Thyme - I prefer 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground, dried thyme. If you use fresh thyme, chop it finely and sauté it in the butter to soften it before adding other ingredients
- Salt and pepper
Trimmings: If you prefer, add the trimmings and anything used to flavor the turkey to elevate the gravy. Chop any vegetables, herbs or bacon and add any turkey trimmings including parson's nose, giblets (I love this giblet gravy recipe), wing, and drumstick tips.
Turkey Gravy Seasoning Variations
For a classic turkey gravy, thyme is a good starting point. For a slightly different flavor, try one of these additions:
- A small pinch of dried sage, or a little finely chopped fresh sage
- A small amount of finely chopped rosemary
- A splash of Worcestershire sauce for extra savory depth
- Additional thyme, added gradually to taste
Start with a small amount of any additional seasoning and taste before adding more. Turkey drippings may already be well seasoned.
We like to keep our homemade turkey gravy fairly simple for Thanksgiving, especially when serving it over stuffing, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and other Thanksgiving sides.
For a richer finish, stir in a small splash of cream, if desired.
Can You Make Turkey Gravy Without Drippings?
Yes! You can make gravy with this recipe by using chicken or turkey broth, or vegetable broth if you prefer.
How to Fix Common Turkey Gravy Problems
Too thick: Whisk in warm chicken or turkey broth, a splash at a time, until the gravy loosens. Too thin: Simmer a few minutes longer, or add a small cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened. Lumpy: Whisk vigorously or pour the gravy through a fine-mesh strainer. Greasy: Skim excess fat from the surface with a spoon or fat separator. Too salty: Dilute with unsalted broth and recheck the consistency; adding more salt-free liquid may mean you need to thicken it again.
How To Store Leftover Gravy
Leftover turkey gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days, and in the freezer for up to six months.
How To Use Leftover Gravy
You probably have leftover turkey (and mashed potatoes) to smother with gravy, but you can add it to other recipes too. Pour it over a casserole, use it as the sauce in a chicken pot pie, use it as a dip for crescent rolls or french fries, make a poutine, add it to cooked and crumbled breakfast sausage and serve it over biscuits, make chicken and dumplings.
Here are the best ways to reheat gravy and a list of Creative Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes if you need inspiration!
Homemade Turkey Gravy Recipe with Drippings
Use the pan drippings from your roasted turkey to make this easy homemade turkey gravy.
Ingredients
- 3 cups turkey pan drippings, with excess fat removed (add chicken or turkey broth if needed)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cool chicken or turkey broth
- 2 teaspoons thyme, or to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add the turkey drippings and thyme to a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer.
- In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with ¼ cup cool broth until completely smooth.
- Slowly whisk about half the cornstarch mixture into the simmering drippings.
- Simmer for 1–2 minutes, stirring frequently, to see how much the gravy thickens.
- Add more of the cornstarch mixture as needed until the gravy reaches your preferred consistency.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve warm.
Notes
- Cornstarch alternative: For gravy without flour, omit the butter and flour. Bring 3 cups of skimmed turkey drippings or broth to a simmer. Mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cool broth, then gradually whisk the slurry into the simmering liquid until thickened. Season to taste. Add more slurry if needed for a thicker gravy.
- Cornstarch thickens quickly, so don't add the entire mixture at once. If the gravy becomes too thick, whisk in a splash of broth until it reaches the consistency you want.
- If you don’t have enough drippings, make up the difference with chicken or turkey broth.
- Too much fat in the drippings can make the gravy greasy. Skim most of it off before measuring.
If the gravy gets too thick, thin it with a splash of broth. - For a smoother gravy, strain the drippings before using.
- Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 3–5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Optional: While the turkey rests, deglaze the roasting pan with ½ cup broth or wine, scrape up the browned bits, and add that liquid to the drippings.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 14 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 45Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 143mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 1g
This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix.
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Raj says
Hi
So nice recipe. Very helpful information for homemade turke gravy recipe. I like.