This Make Ahead Turkey Gravy is so easy and saves tons of time and stress on Thanksgiving Day! No more running around while the turkey gets cold, trying to skim fat and whisk out lumps while everyone stares at you because you misjudged your time and they are starving. (Oh, is this just me??) Originally published November 18, 2015.

homemade turkey gravy poured from a ladle onto mashed red potatoes.
Table of Contents
  1. Best Premade Turkey Gravy Recipe
  2. Make Ahead Turkey Gravy ingredients 
  3. Thanksgiving Make Ahead Gravy Substitutions 
  4. How to make Turkey Gravy 
  5. How to store Make Ahead Turkey Gravy 
  6. Make Ahead Turkey Gravy Recipe FAQs
  7. Thanksgiving classics that never fail:
  8. Best Make Ahead Gravy for Turkey Recipe

Sometimes when I’m in public I pretend to be a more concerned mother than I actually am. Like when Truman falls and bumps his head and the ENTIRE populace of Starbucks stops in its tracks to make sure he’s okay. And what I say out loud is, “Aw, yeah, poor guy, he hit his head!” But what I really want to say is, come on people, this happens every day, let’s not get choked up here. Two-year-olds have heads made of STEEL.

It was actually kind of awesome. Truman fell from a barstool and hit the back of his head going down. Before I could maneuver myself to a position where I could pick him up, an Asian man came out of nowhere and swooped Truman up in his arms, then handed him to me. I wish more strangers would do this kind of thing for each other! It was so refreshing.

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homemade turkey gravy dripping down red mashed potatoes.

It reminded me of this video Eric showed me about a Japanese reality TV show that films kids as they complete their first errand. Apparently in Japan, parents start sending their kids on short errands when they are very young, like 3-5 years old. This would be impossible here in the US because 1) there are no stores close enough to walk to and 2) children are taught to mistrust adults they don’t know. It’s the opposite in Japan. Kids there are taught that they can trust adults, even if they are strangers.

homemade turkey gravy in a white gravy boat with a metal ladle.

I think this is how the world ought to be, personally. Our culture has taken the distrust so far that I can no longer leave my sleeping son in the car for 5 minutes while I pick up some milk without worrying that someone will take a video and turn me in to the police. We were all raised not to trust each other, and so we don’t. A bystander doesn’t trust that I’m not negligent, and I don’t trust a bystander not to turn me in. It’s so sad. I would much rather teach my children that MOST people are kind and well-meaning, with a few who aren’t, instead of the other way around.

homemade turkey gravy on red mashed potatoes with fresh thyme and roast turkey.

So I really just love it when a random stranger (a MAN, no less, not a fellow mother-warrior) has the guts to scoop up my kid when he falls down, even if it goes against the American “mind your own business” culture. It fills me up when I see people taking care of people. Do you have any opinions about this? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments.

Best Premade Turkey Gravy Recipe

Who loves making gravy at the last minute on Thanksgiving? I just love pulling that bird out of the oven and frantically pouring off the juices to whisk up my homemade gravy. Said no one ever! I feel like gravy is the most stressful part of the entire meal. You need the turkey juices to make it (pray there is enough!), but you can’t get the juices until the turkey is done, and then your turkey sits getting cold while you whisk like mad over a hot stove. It’s kind of a nightmare.

Enter make-ahead gravy! My mother-in-law Kris has been using this recipe for years and she just told me about it. You use turkey wings and whatever other parts you can find (neck, thighs, whatever), roast them, boil them, and then make a gravy from those drippings.

Make Ahead Turkey Gravy ingredients 

Here’s a quick shopping list to help you gather your ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredients and instructions!

  • Turkey wings (or other parts, like necks or thighs, 4-5 lbs total)
  • Onions
  • Chicken or turkey broth (I always use either Better than Bouillon chicken base, or, even better, Better than Bouillon turkey base)
  • Carrots
  • Thyme (dried)
  • Flour
  • Butter
  • Salt and pepper

Your local grocery store probably carries turkey wings, but if they don’t, turkey necks, drumsticks, or thighs are totally fine. What you want to avoid is buying a smoked turkey product (fresh or frozen). Totally different flavor and not what we need here.

You can find Better than Bouillon chicken base at your local grocery store. Their turkey base is harder to find and you might have to buy it online. Both are great options, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you choose the easy route and do the chicken base (or chicken broth of your choice). If you don’t choose Better than Bouillon that’s ok just do NOT use bouillon cubes. You don’t want low-quality gravy, you want “the Thanksgiving of your dreams” gravy.

Thanksgiving Make Ahead Gravy Substitutions 

This recipe is foolproof as is. Sometimes you’ve got to be flexible though! Here’s what to do if you can’t find an ingredient or you’re making this for someone with a special diet.

  • Don’t be afraid to use whatever turkey parts you can find. I mean, without reason. Chicken breasts or tenderloins aren’t going to work, because white meat just doesn’t have enough fat (and fat means flavor). Turkey wings, necks, drumsticks, or thighs are all good candidates. Whatever is cheapest is ok! It’s fine to buy frozen ones. You don’t need to worry about the texture or high quality of the meat because you’re not going to eat it, just extract its flavor into your gravy. It is NOT ok to substitute canned turkey…I really hope you already knew that. 
  • What if I can’t find turkey parts, Karen?? It’s ok, don’t panic. You could make this gravy with chicken parts instead. Is it going to taste like turkey? Only if you use the turkey Better than Bouillon base. Will it still be a delicious gravy either way? Yes, totally. If you like the flavor of chicken (who doesn’t, let’s be real) it’s still worth it. 
  • If you’re making turkey for a gluten-free meal, you can substitute cornstarch for the flour. You’ll only need ¼ cup. Make sure you thoroughly whisk it into the 2 cups of broth. I’d start with a smaller amount of broth–say, one cup–just to make it easier to break up the little pieces. Lump-free gravy is what we want here!
  • I know I’ve been raving about Better than Bouillon and it is my preference, but you can still make this gravy with ordinary chicken or turkey broth. Since a lot of the flavor comes from the broth, pick something high quality. DO NOT buy bouillon cubes. Those dusty little lumps are not going to create magical Thanksgiving memories.

How to make Turkey Gravy 

Let’s break it down. Turkey gravy isn’t hard but it does have a few steps. Here’s whatcha do:

Bake Turkey

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. Place wings (or other turkey parts) on the pan. Scatter the onions over the pan.
  2. Roast for about an hour. Make sure the parts are browned on top. Then remove the turkey parts to a large stock pot.
Turkey wings & veggies on roasting pan.

Prepare & simmer the Gravy

  1. Place the baking sheet over two burners on your stove and turn both of them up to medium. Add a cup of water and use a wooden spoon to stir up all the browned bits. When the bottom of the pan is clean, scrape the water into the pot with the turkey.
  2. Add 6 cups chicken broth (or 6 cups water and 6 teaspoons chicken or turkey base). Add the chopped carrots and the thyme.
  3. Simmer uncovered for about 1 and 1/2 hours.
roasted vegetables on a baking sheet with liquid, turkey parts and vegetables in a pot.

Cool

  1. Remove the turkey parts and set aside.
  2. Pour the remaining onion and carrot mixture through a colander into a bowl. 
  3. Put the bowl in the freezer for about 20 minutes so it’s easy to skim the fat from the top.

How to thicken Turkey Gravy

  1. Pour the broth back into the pot. Bring to a gentle boil.
  2. Whisk together the flour and 2 cups of broth, making sure to get out all the lumps.
  3. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the broth. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring. 
  1. Stir in butter, pepper, and salt.
  2. Taste it and add more salt, pepper, thyme, or up to 1 teaspoon of turkey base as you prefer.
  3. Let cool and freeze in ziplock bags. Let the gravy thaw in the fridge overnight, or just stick it in the microwave.  If you are making a turkey on the day you plan to serve this gravy, add the fat-skimmed pan drippings to the gravy! YUM.

Add remaining ingredients

Below on the right is the broth after I froze it for 20 minutes. It makes it so easy to skim the fat! (Update Nov 2017: You can also use a Fat Separator Measuring Cup. They work amazingly well and are way faster. My sister sent me one in the mail after she read on this post (in 2015) that I still put my gravy in the freezer. Thanks Laura!!)

Then you stick it in the freezer and forget about it until a couple hours before you want to eat. You could literally make this gravy TODAY and have one less thing to do on the big day. Mine’s already in the freezer ready to go!

Bouillon base and broth for gravy.

How to store Make Ahead Turkey Gravy 

We’ve got two great options here: fridge and freezer. The one you choose depends on how far in advance you make it. 

How long will make ahead gravy last in fridge?

Only a couple days. If you make it Tuesday or Wednesday, you’re good to just refrigerate it. Otherwise, freeze it. If you freeze your gravy flat, with the ziplock lying down like a piece of paper, it will really take no time at all to defrost, and you can have peace of mind knowing it’s fresh. Nothing worse than Thanksgiving food poisoning for your entire extended family, am I right?? Another bonus of making it in advance is that your grocery store is less likely to run out of turkey parts 3 weeks before Thanksgiving. The day before, you might be out of luck. 

Can you freeze Turkey Gravy?

Yes absolutely! This is what I always do. Just let it cool, put it in labeled ziplock bags, and stick it in the freezer until you’re ready to use it. I don’t recommend freezing it, defrosting it, and then refreezing it. This is why smaller ziplock bags, like quart size, are a good plan – just pull out one at a time. You can always get more out if you need it.

Make Ahead Turkey Gravy Recipe FAQs

What can I add to turkey gravy to make it taste better?

The best way to add flavor to turkey gravy is with a bouillon base. You’d think I’m working for Better than Bouillon or something the way I won’t stop talking about it, but no, I’m just a huge fan. And  always have it on hand, right there in the fridge. Turkey broth has flavor, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not as concentrated as the flavor in a bouillon base (turkey and chicken both work here). It’s also more consistent. And on a nostalgic holiday like Thanksgiving, getting those memories juuuust right is important, ok? 

Which is better for turkey gravy cornstarch or flour?

Cornstarch and flour are usually pretty interchangeable thickeners. But when you’re planning from the very beginning to freeze and reheat something, flour’s the one to choose. Flour also makes the gravy look more substantial and less translucent–meaning your gravy won’t look thin and watery.

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Best Make Ahead Gravy for Turkey

4.91 from 30 votes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 3 hours
Total: 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
This Make Ahead Turkey Gravy is so easy and saves tons of time and stress on Thanksgiving Day! No more running around while the turkey gets cold, trying to skim fat and whisk out lumps while everyone stares at you because you misjudged your time and they are starving. (Oh, is this just me??) 

Ingredients

  • 4 turkey wings or other parts, 4 to 5 pounds total
  • 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
  • 1 cup water
  • 6 cups chicken broth, *
  • 1-2 carrots, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon thyme, dried
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups chicken broth, *
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, more to taste
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet. (I used foil in the photo above out of habit, but there is no need.)
  • Place wings and other turkey parts on the pan. Scatter the onions over the pan.
  • Roast at 400 for 1 hour, up to an hour and 15 minutes. Make sure the parts are browned on top.
  • Remove the turkey parts to a large stock pot.
  • Place the baking sheet over two burners on your stove and turn both of them up to medium. Add 1 cup water and use a wooden spoon to stir up all the browned bits. When the bottom of the pan is clean, scrape the water into the pot with the turkey.
  • Add 6 cups chicken broth (or 6 cups water and 6 teaspoons turkey base.) Add the chopped carrots and the thyme.
  • Simmer uncovered for about 1 and 1/2 hours.
  • Remove the turkey parts and set aside. (You can pull off the meat and save it for something else, but I found that it was pretty tough.)
  • Pour the remaining onion and carrot mixture through a colander into a bowl. (You can discard the veggies or snack on them).
  • At this point I stuck the bowl in the freezer for about 20 minutes so that it was easy to skim the fat from the top.
  • Pour the broth back into the pot. Bring to a gentle boil.
  • Whisk together the flour and 2 cups broth, making sure to get out all the lumps.
  • Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the broth. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring. Stir in butter, pepper, and salt.
  • Taste it and see what you think. You can add more salt, pepper, thyme, or up to 1 teaspoon of turkey base.
  • Let cool and freeze in ziplock bags. Let the gravy thaw in the fridge overnight, or just stick it in the microwave.
  • If you are making a turkey on the day you plan to serve this gravy, add the fat-skimmed pan drippings to the gravy!

Notes

You can see in the photos that my roasting pan is lined with aluminum foil, but you don’t need to worry about doing that since you want to scrape the browned bits anyway. I just did it out of habit. I used heavy duty foil and it worked out okay.
*Instead of chicken broth, I used Turkey Base from Better Than Bouillon. 1 teaspoon + 1 cup water = 1 cup broth. It has a really rich flavor and is perfect for making a very turkey-tasting gravy.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.3cup | Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 724mg | Potassium: 316mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 922IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 175
Keyword: gravy, thanksgiving, Turkey
Did you make this? I’d love to see it!Mention @thefoodcharlatan or tag #thefoodcharlatan!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I made this and didn’t do the baking sheet heat-up part. It turned out so good for Thanksgiving that I am doing it again for Christmas. Thank you!

  2. Small Problem, i’m just seeing this post 2 days before thanksgiving. I cannot find turkey base anywhere near me, any substitutions? Shipping will be delivered a week from now. Kindly advice

    1. Hi Yvonne! No problem at all, just use a really high quality chicken stock, or you can use the chicken base fomr the same Better than Bouillon brand. it will still get you a great gravy. Enjoy! Happy T day!

  3. Hi Karen, I ended up with only two cups of stock. How much more do I need to make the gravy? A total of 6 cups? I think it is concentrated so I’ll just make some Better than Bouillon stock, but how much? Many thanks!

    1. Hi Andrea! After boiling the turkey for 1 and 1/2 hours, you should probably have somewhere about 2 cups stock (thereabouts). Then add in the other 2 cups called for to finish. Enjoy!

  4. I have a convection stovetop, so I don’t think I can heat a regular (non-convection) baking sheet up on my stovetop. But maybe just pouring the water on it out of the oven, when it is hot, will work. Looking forward to trying this.

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