Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

Gravy is one of my favorite components of Thanksgiving dinner. I like to drown my turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and countless other things in its decadence. And then, of course, I use my dinner roll (more accurately, my 2nd or 3rd dinner roll) to soak up any leftover gravy and bits of food on my plate.  

While I LOVE gravy, first, I never loved the headache and stress of whipping it up while everyone is waiting to eat. Second, we started deep frying our turkey over 10 years ago, which means there are no turkey drippings with which to make the gravy. 

The solution I came up with? Making the gravy in advance (days or weeks), then refrigerating or freezing it, then rewarming it in time for dinner! This is the absolute best turkey gravy recipe… it’s perfectly seasoned and absurdly delicious. A great alternative if you want to get the gravy out of the way and not worry about it right before dinner!

The Key Ingredients

Here is everything you’re going to need to make this gravy:

• Large Turkey Wings – I have found these in my local supermarket; you can also substitute turkey legs.
• Aromatics – For the homemade stock, we’ll need onion, celery stalks, and garlic (you can include carrots too, if you’d like, as well as tie together some fresh herbs such as some sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary, parsley, or throw a bay leaf in there!)
• Butter + Flour – These combine to make the base of the roux that will help to thicken the gravy. I use unsalted butter and all-purpose flour.
• Milk – I prefer whole milk for its richness and thickness, but you can also use 2% milk.

How to Make Homemade Turkey Gravy (Ahead of Time!)

This recipe includes two main steps: 

• Making the homemade turkey stock (a little time-consuming but almost completely hands-off)
• Using that stock to make the final gravy

We want that authentic roasted turkey flavor, and this is how it happens! Let’s dive into how this easy turkey gravy recipe comes together!

Step #1: Make the Homemade Stock – In a large Dutch oven, roast the turkey wings, onion, celery, and garlic uncovered at 375 degrees for 2 hours. Remove the pot from the oven, add the water, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and place it over high heat to bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour.

Step #2: Strain and Cool the Stock – Strain the stock into a bowl with at least 1 quart capacity. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Remove the accumulated fat on top before using the stock. You can choose to use this discarded fat in place of the butter in the next step, if you wish.

Step #3: Make the Gravy – In a large pan, melt the butter (or the discarded fat from the stock) over medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste, then gradually whisk in the turkey stock. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until thickened (about 5 minutes). Then whisk in the milk, salt, and pepper.

How to Store and Reheat

Once the gravy has been made, let it cool to room temperature and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. 

To reheat, place in a small saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until heated through. You may need to drizzle in a little extra stock or milk to thin it out to your desired consistency if it got too thick in the fridge.

Freezing Instructions

You can make this gravy even further ahead and once completely cool, place it in a freezer-safe container (souper cubes or these deli containers are both great options, as are glass containers) and freeze for up to 3 months.

Remove from the freezer and put it in the refrigerator the day before Thanksgiving, then proceed with the same instructions above for reheating the gravy prior to dinner.

Recipe Notes

• Recommended Pan: I use my large Dutch oven for this recipe, but you can also use a traditional roasting pan if you would like.
• Turkey Wings: These are usually widely available in most grocery stores. If you cannot find them, turkey legs can be substituted.
• Butter: If you prefer, you can use the fat that rises to the top of the chilled stock in place of the butter when you make the gravy.
• Milk: This can be omitted if you prefer a rich, stock-laden gravy without any creaminess.
• Make-Ahead Stock: You can make the stock and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days before preparing the gravy.
• Freezing Stock: You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
• Homemade Stock Substitute: If you are in a real pinch, you can substitute store-bought chicken broth or stock or turkey broth or stock for the homemade version. The gravy will still work, you just won’t get that authentic roasted turkey flavor.

More Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes

• Homemade Cranberry Sauce
• Cloverleaf Dinner Rolls
• How to Make Compound Butter
• Cinnamon-Sugar Candied Pecans

If you make this gravy recipe and love it, remember to stop back and give the recipe a 5-star rating – it helps others find the recipe! ❤️️