It's so easy to make Turkey Gravy from scratch from the pan drippings of a roasted turkey! Just a handful of ingredients and 5 minutes of time yield the most delicious gravy to serve with your holiday dinner.
Make roux: Place turkey drippings in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour and cook over medium-low heat until smooth and bubbly, whisking constantly, about 1 minute.
Add liquid: Slowly whisk in liquid, making sure no lumps form. Whisk until fully smooth.
Simmer: Increase heat to medium-high, bring to a boil while slowly whisking. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, whisking often, until thickened - about 1-2 minutes.
Season and serve: Take off the heat and season with salt, pepper and bourbon (if using). Serve immediately.
Notes
Ingredient notes
Drippings: If you don’t have enough drippings (if you only made a small turkey breast, for example), you can add melted butter to reach ¼ cup.
Liquids: You’ll get the most flavorful gravy with the juices from a roasted turkey. But again, if you’re not getting 2 cups of juices from a roasted turkey, you can just use broth. Turkey broth is obviously the best here, but chicken works just as well.
Bourbon: This is such a classic addition to a turkey gravy. I prefer stirring in just a little for a hint of flavor at the very end. If you’re serving young kids, you may want to set some gravy aside for them without alcohol before adding it to the rest. You can skip it entirely if it’s not to your taste!
Recipe tips
The gravy thickens as it cools, but you can always gently reheat it to thin it out again.
Adding bourbon will also thin out the gravy a little, so make sure you pace yourself and stir it in gradually until you get a hint of the taste only.