Make Ahead Turkey Gravy
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Make this gravy ahead of your big dinner! Easy to make and full of flavor, you’ll love this turkey gravy, and so will your family.
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Chance are, if you’re making turkey for Thanksgiving Day, you are also wanting homemade turkey gravy, cranberry sauce, stuffing and all the Thanksgiving Sides that go with it. I have you covered!
This is a make-ahead turkey gravy without pan drippings, so you don’t have to wait until the last minute when your turkey is cooked to begin your gravy!
Take the stress out of the big day! Making homemade gravy ahead is the best way to ensure your cooking goes well when making the holiday meal. We make a yummy stock with some seasoned up turkey legs, and use carrots, onion and celery to round out the base flavors.
Once those have been roasted to get max flavor, we then simmer them in broth to further enhance the goodness. Then, we make a roux with butter and flour, whisk in the kicked up turkey stock, and you’ll serve your family amazing, flavorful, velvety gravy perfect over anything!
It’s a make ahead gravy recipe, meaning you’ll make it and store it in the refrigerator and reheat when you need it.
What to serve with Gravy
This is a great recipe to serve over mashed potatoes, alongside turkey, and all the fixin’s on turkey day.
Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead
Key Recipe Ingredients
Note: This highlights some ingredients. Full list is in the recipe card.
- Turkey Legs. Grab a package of these in the meat section of the grocery store.
- Onion, Carrots, Celery. These form the flavor of the gravy base.
- Butter. I use salted butter. 4 tablespoons on the turkey, 4 tablespoons in the gravy.
- Seasonings. I use garlic salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning and smoked paprika.
- Flour. Plain all purpose flour.
- Stock. Chicken or turkey stock can be used, as well as water.
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How to make this recipe
This is a step-by-step photo guide. Full ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
JumpRoast the turkey and vegetables. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the onion, carrots and celery in a 9×13 baking dish. Place the turkey legs on top of the vegetables. In a small bowl melt 4 Tbs of the butter, add all the seasonings to the butter and whisk to combine.
Pour the seasoned butter over the turkey legs. Bake for about 45 minutes. We are not looking to cook these through, they will finish cooking in the stock (so no need to worry about internal temperature, we just want to get some good golden brown color on the legs and veggies).
Make the stock. Transfer the legs and all the veggies and turkey drippings (pan juices) including all the browned bits from bottom of the pan to a large saucepan. Pour in the 4 cups of stock or water, bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer uncovered for an hour, then remove the vegetables and legs from the pot.
Make the gravy. In a sauce pan melt butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and allow to cook for 30 seconds.
Whisk in all of the stock and continue whisking over medium heat until it comes to a bubble and thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a gravy boat or other serving jug, and set aside until ready to serve.
Kylee’s Notes
What to do with leftovers
Store in an airtight container or in a bowl covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat until it is piping hot!
Substitutions/Additions
You can use turkey wings or legs, or a mixture of both to make the stock.
Chicken broth, turkey stock or water can be used to simmer the turkey legs.
Add a couple of bay leaves to the stock while simmering for added flavor.
Freezing instructions
Freeze in small 1 cup containers for up to 4 months. Reheat in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
FAQs
Add a little more stock or water to thin it out.
Heat in a saucepan or microwave over medium low heat.
Absolutely you can. Gravy can be stored in the freezer for up to 4 months. See notes for instructions.
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Make Ahead Turkey Gravy
Equipment
- Large stock pot
Ingredients
- 3 turkey legs
- 1 roughly chopped yellow onion
- 4 carrots
- 4 celery stalks
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8 tablespoons butter divided
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken stock or water
Instructions
Roast the turkey and vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 350℉.
- Place the 1 roughly chopped yellow onion, 4 carrots and 4 celery stalks in a 9×13 baking dish.
- Place 3 turkey legs on top of the vegetables.
- In a small bowl melt 4 tablespoons of the butter.
- Add all the 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon black pepper to the 4 tablespoons of the butter (save the rest for later) and whisk to combine.
- Pour the seasoned butter over the turkey legs.
- Bake for about 45 minutes. We are not looking to cook these through, they'll cook fully in the stock .No need to worry about internal temperature, we just want to get some good color on the legs and veggies.
Make the stock
- Transfer the legs and all the veggies and drippings from the baking dish to a large stock pot.
- Pour in the 4 cups of stock or water.
- Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer uncovered for an hour.
- Remove the vegetables and legs from the pot.
Make the gravy
- In a small saucepan melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat.
- Once the butter is melted, whisk in 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour and allow to cook for 30 seconds.
- Whisk in 4 cups chicken stock.
- Continue whisking over medium heat until it comes to a bubble and thickens.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer to a gravy boat or other serving jug, and serve.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
