Turkey gravy rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 6 recipes to cook with it.

What is turkey gravy?

Turkey gravy is the savory sauce built from a roast turkey's pan drippings, thickened with flour and loosened with stock. It is the thing that ties the whole plate together, poured over the bird and the mashed potatoes and stuffing alongside.

The recipe is short: fat, flour, and liquid. The drippings carry the roasted flavor and the flour gives body, while good stock fills out the rest. Get those in balance and the gravy almost makes itself.

It is also a head-start ingredient. A jar of leftover gravy turns Thanksgiving scraps into a fast second dinner.

Making and Using It

The classic method is a roux. Pour off the pan drippings, keep about a quarter cup of the fat, and whisk in an equal amount of flour over medium heat until it smells nutty. Then stream in the stock while whisking until it coats the back of a spoon.

The ratio worth memorizing is two tablespoons of fat and two tablespoons of flour per cup of liquid. That gives a gravy thick enough to nap a slice of turkey without turning to paste.

Once you have it, gravy becomes its own ingredient. It binds a Turkey-Stuffing Soup and moistens an Ultimate Thanksgiving Leftovers Sandwich, and it is the glue in Shells Stuffed with Thanksgiving Leftovers and a Leftover Mashed Potato Pancakes with Fried Eggs & Turkey Hash.

Reheat gravy gently while whisking, and thin it with a splash of stock if it has set up too thick in the fridge.

Pairing and Pitfalls

Gravy lives on the holiday plate over turkey and potatoes, but it also dresses up biscuits and roasted vegetables. A little black pepper, a sprig of thyme or sage, and a splash of the pan juices sharpen a flat batch.

The most common mistake is lumps, and they come from rushing. Add cold stock all at once to a hot roux and the flour seizes, so stream it in slowly while whisking, or whisk a flour slurry into simmering liquid instead.

The other miss is a pale, raw-tasting gravy. Cook the roux a minute or two until it turns golden and smells toasty before adding liquid, or the flour leaves a chalky edge.

Substitutes

No drippings? Build the gravy on butter and a good turkey or chicken stock; it loses some roasted depth but still tastes like gravy. A splash of soy sauce or a spoon of bouillon deepens the color and flavor.

For a gluten-free version, swap the flour for cornstarch: use one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid, whisked into cold stock first, and stir it in at the end. Pan gravy mix from a packet works in a true pinch.

Buying and Storing

Store-bought gravy comes in jars and refrigerated tubs, handy when you have no drippings. Homemade always tastes fuller, so make it from the roast when you can.

Cool leftover gravy quickly and refrigerate at or below 40°F (4°C), where it keeps three to four days. It freezes for up to four months, though flour-thickened gravy can separate as it thaws; whisk it hard over low heat to bring it back, adding a little stock if needed.

Quick facts

In Chinese

火鸡肉汁

British (UK) term

Turkey gravy

en français

dinde sauce

en español

pavo salsa

Recipes using turkey gravy

There are 6 recipes that contain this ingredient.

All 6 recipes