Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy Recipe (Without Drippings)
- Preparation 15 min
- Cooking 1 h 20 min
- Servings 10 to 12
- Freezing Absolutely
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🦃 The gravy is ready before the turkey comes out of the oven!
On Christmas night, the moment your turkey is ready is the moment everybody is ready to eat. That is no time to start a gravy. This one you make that morning, the day before, or even weeks ahead in the freezer. When the day comes, you reheat it, whisk it, and serve. A real homemade turkey gravy, thick, deep beige, tasting of roast chicken and brown butter, with no last-minute scramble!
🍗 Chicken wings, because the turkey isn’t ready yet
The whole point is not to wait for the turkey. So obviously you have nothing from the turkey on hand, and turkey wings are hard to find at the grocery store. Chicken wings do the job. I brown them in the big pot, add the vegetables, the white wine and the broth, and let it simmer while I do something else. You strain it, press the wings to get all their juice out, and you end up with a base that actually tastes like something.
🧈 Brown butter changes everything
I let the butter melt until it turns nutty brown before adding the flour. It tastes like more, and it makes a darker gravy. Small detail, big difference. And it is not just for turkey: on chicken, on mashed potatoes, on a poutine, it goes everywhere.
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📅 Make-ahead prep
That is the whole point of this gravy. You have three options: make it that morning, make it the day before, or freeze it and thaw it. On the day of the meal, put it back in the pot over low heat, add a splash of chicken broth and whisk to bring it back. When the turkey comes out of the oven, the gravy is already waiting.
🧈 Brown butter is flavour and colour
Let the butter melt and wait until it turns nutty brown and fragrant before the flour goes in. It tastes like more, and your gravy comes out darker. Mine came out deep beige, and it was perfect.
🍗 Wings just nicely golden
No need to blacken them. Mine got just nicely golden in the pot, and that was enough to give the broth flavour and colour. Once strained, I put them in the compost: they had given everything they had.
🥄 Too thick or too thin?
Mine was nice and thick. If it gets too thick, thin it with a little hot chicken broth. If you want it thicker, let it simmer a few more minutes.
🍷 White wine, for a little kick
It gives the gravy a little kick. If you don’t have any, replace it with the same amount of chicken broth.
🧂 Low-sodium broth, and salt at the end
I used a low-sodium broth and salted lightly at the very end. The gravy reduces as it simmers, so an already salty broth can turn too salty fast. Taste first, it comes down to personal taste.
🦃 Turkey drippings, as a bonus
If you like, add a little of your turkey’s pan juices when you reheat. It will boost the flavour. Just don’t add too much, or your gravy will get too thin.
🥕 Short on wings?
Go without, using well-browned vegetables and 1 tbsp (15 ml) of tomato paste cooked with them.
❄️ One block or portions
It freezes really well. When it thaws it looks a bit jelly-like, but whisk it with a little broth and it comes back perfect. You can freeze it in one block or in portions. I serve this kind of gravy all at once, so I freeze the whole batch.
✅ What to serve with my make-ahead turkey gravy
With your turkey, obviously: my perfectly juicy Christmas roast turkey or my maple glazed roast turkey. But it works with any meat, on chicken, on mashed potatoes, and definitely on a poutine. If you’re making a turkey that’s out of the ordinary this year, my apple stuffed roast turkey with cider and my whiskey brined turkey need a gravy too.
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Ingrédients
- 2 lb (900 g) chicken wings
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil, plus more as needed
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 carrot, cut into large pieces
- 1 celery stalk, cut into large pieces
- ½ cup (125 ml) dry white wine
- 6 cups (1.5 L) low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ cup (125 ml) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
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Preparation
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken wings for 10 to 12 minutes, turning them, until nicely golden.
- Add the onion, carrot and celery. Stir and cook for 10 minutes, adding a little oil as needed.
- Pour in the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the broth, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 45 minutes.
- Strain through a sieve into a large bowl, pressing on the wings to get their juice out. You should have about 5 cups (1.25 L) of broth. Add chicken broth if needed.
- In a clean saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat and let it cook until it turns nutty brown. Add the flour and cook the roux for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking.
- Slowly pour in the hot strained broth, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking often.
- Add the Worcestershire sauce. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. Strain if you like.
- Cover the surface with parchment paper, let cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
- On the day of the meal, reheat over low heat, whisking, with a little chicken broth if the gravy is too thick.
Yes, that is exactly what this one is for. Make it that morning, the day before, or freeze it. It keeps up to 3 days in the fridge with parchment paper pressed on the surface. On the day, reheat it over low heat, whisking, with a little chicken broth to bring it back.
With browned chicken wings, vegetables, white wine and chicken broth, simmered for 45 minutes, then strained and thickened with a brown butter roux. You get a full-flavoured base without waiting for the turkey. Pan juices on the day are a bonus, not a requirement.
Yes, for up to 3 months, in one block or in portions. When it thaws it can look a bit jelly-like or separated. Reheat it gently while whisking in a little chicken broth, and it turns smooth again.
To thicken it, let it simmer a few more minutes. To thin it, whisk in hot chicken broth a little at a time. If you add turkey pan juices, go easy so it doesn’t get too thin.
Turkey, mashed potatoes, chicken or a poutine. It goes great with my perfectly juicy Christmas roast turkey and my maple glazed roast turkey.
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