Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy (Easy + Delicious!)
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy is silky, flavorful, and super quick and easy to make, saving the stress of frantically making gravy at the last minute when you're already busy putting together a big holiday dinner. This homemade turkey gravy is truly the best!
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For more delectable holiday recipes, you'll love The BEST Crockpot Ham, Green Beans with Bacon, and Cream Cheese Corn Casserole!
If you've ever cooked a big holiday meal, you already know that timing is everything. With all of the small details that have to be completed at the last-minute, it's pretty typical the it gets a bit hectic right before it's time to eat. And that's why I love this Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy so much...it's an absolute game changer when it comes to making a stress-free holiday meal!
Not only will this homemade recipe save you precious time on the big day, but it will also guarantee plenty of rich, silky, flavorful gravy to pour all over your turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing!
So whether you’re prepping for Thanksgiving or need a batch of gravy for a weeknight dinner, this Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy has got you covered, because pssst...it can also be adapted for other proteins as well (from beef to chicken to pork!).
Ingredients
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy is all about convenience...without sacrificing flavor! With just a few simple ingredients and easy steps, you’ll have a smooth, delicious gravy that you can keep warm or reheat when needed.
- Butter. Unsalted or salted will work, since you can adjust the salt you add to your homemade turkey gravy accordingly.
- Flour. Thickens the gravy to a perfect consistency.
- Turkey broth or stock. Using turkey broth or stock will obviously enhance the flavor of your Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy, but if you can't find any, you may substitute chicken broth or stock instead.
- Turkey base. Optional but recommended, as it really boosts and deepens the turkey flavor and overall richness of your gravy. In case you're not familiar with this ingredient, a common brand is Better Than Bouillon. If I can find it, I try to buy an organic version of turkey base for the cleanest ingredients. Just keep in mind that turkey base is pretty salty...so if you use it, taste your gravy before adding extra salt!
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper. To taste.
How to Make Turkey Gravy
Ready to master gravy ahead of the game? Let’s do this! 😉
- Start by melting the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Once melted, whisk in the flour, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. This helps remove any raw flour taste and creates the base of the gravy.
- Stir in the turkey base (if using) for extra depth of flavor.
- Slowly and gradually whisk in the turkey (or chicken) broth, adding a bit at a time to avoid lumps. Continue whisking as the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
- Simmer for about 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Add salt, to taste, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
- Once your gravy is done, you can keep it warm on the stove over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Transfer it to a gravy boat just before serving, or keep it warm in an insulated gravy boat or a small slow cooker set on WARM.
Make-Ahead Gravy in Other Flavors
In case you're wondering if you can make ahead a batch of gravy in a different flavor -- let's say, for a dinner that's not Thanksgiving...
...why, yes! Yes, you can!
Simply swap out the type of broth or stock and the bouillon base that you use. So for example, to make beef gravy, use beef broth and beef bouillon base.
For extra flavor, you could even opt to saute some minced garlic in the melted butter, just before whisking in the flour. This recipe is flexible!
Making Gravy Days (or Months) Ahead of Time
Let's just say that, instead of making your gravy several hours ahead of time on the same day and keeping it warm, you want to make it several days in advance and then reheat it just before dinner.
Well, that will work beautifully!
Storing Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
- If you're not going to be enjoying your gravy right after making it, cool it down quickly and then transfer it to an airtight container for storage.
- Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy will keep, tightly covered, for three to four days in the refrigerator.
- It will keep in a freezer-safe container (or freezer-thickness zip-top bag) for up to three months in the freezer.
Reheating Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy
- If your Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy is frozen, go ahead and transfer it to the fridge the night before you're planning to serve it. (If it doesn't thaw completely, that's okay...it can finish thawing on the stove, but it helps to have a head start.)
- Transfer the gravy to a saucepan set over low heat.
- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
How to Substitute Pan Juices in Turkey Gravy Recipe
Maybe you cooked your turkey ahead of time as well? Well, there's a way to incorporate those succulent pan juices into this Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy recipe!
Drippings from a cooked turkey may be used in this recipe in place of some or all of the butter and turkey broth.
Pour the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a large (4-cup) measuring cup, discarding the solids. Allow the juices to sit for 5 minutes, and then use a spoon to skim any fat from the surface into another small measuring cup.
You will need ½ cup (or 8 tablespoons) of fat to make this gravy. If you don’t have the fat in your small measuring cup doesn’t reach the ½-cup line, add tablespoons of butter to make up the difference. So, for example, if you have 5 tablespoons of fat from your turkey drippings, add 3 tablespoons butter for a total of 8 (to reach the ½-cup line).
If there are not 4 cups total of strained pan juices, pour in additional turkey broth or chicken broth to the 4-cup line.
Proceed with the recipe as written.
So have I convinced you to prep your gravy in advance this holiday season? 🙂
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy is the perfect solution if you want to minimize last-minute kitchen chaos on a busy holiday.
It's a lifesaver if you prefer one less thing to worry about once the turkey comes out of the oven.
And it's ideal if you like being prepared and having everything ready before your guests arrive!
This rich and flavorful homemade turkey gravy will save you time and hassle while delivering plenty of flavor. It'll be the finishing touch that brings your feast together!
And what more can you ask of Thanksgiving recipe than that?!
More Scrumptious Thanksgiving Recipes
- Cornish Hens with Citrus Glaze
- Crockpot Sweet Potato Casserole
- Ultimate Cornbread Casserole
- Creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Green Bean Bundles with Bacon + Brown Sugar Glaze
- Mini Pecan Pies
- Old-Fashioned Sweet Potato Casserole
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy (Easy + Delicious!)
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons) butter, SEE NOTES
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups turkey broth or stock, OR chicken broth or stock – SEE NOTES
- 1 Tablespoon turkey base, such as Better Than Bouillon (optional but recommended)
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add butter. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes while continuously whisking.
- Continue to whisk while adding the turkey base (if using) and slowly and gradually pouring in the turkey broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook (still whisking) for about 5 minutes or until the turkey gravy has thickened.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt (if needed) and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and cover to keep the gravy warm.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- Adding a spoonful of Turkey Better Than Bouillon is optional but recommended. It really boosts the savory turkey flavor of this gravy. You can add more or less to taste. However, it’s very salty, so if you use it, you may not need to add any salt.
- Once the gravy is done, you can keep it in the pot on the stove over very low heat for a bit, stirring occasionally. Transfer it to a gravy boat just before serving and cover tightly with aluminum foil to keep warm. Alternatively, there are insulated gravy boats or you can serve it directly from a small slow cooker set on WARM.
- HOW TO SUBSTITUTE PAN JUICES/DRIPPINGS IN YOUR TURKEY GRAVY: If you have pan juices from a cooked turkey, those may be used in this recipe in place of some or all of the butter and turkey broth. (1) Pour the pan juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a large (4-cup) measuring cup, discarding the solids. Allow the juices to sit for 5 minutes, and then use a spoon to skim any fat from the surface into another small measuring cup. (2) You will need ½ cup (or 8 tablespoons) of fat to make this gravy. If you don’t have the fat in your small measuring cup doesn’t reach the ½-cup line, add tablespoons of butter to make up the difference. So, for example, if you have 5 tablespoons of fat from your turkey drippings, add 3 tablespoons butter for a total of 8 (to reach the ½-cup line). (3) If there are not 4 cups total of strained pan juices, pour in additional turkey broth or chicken broth to the 4-cup line. (4) Proceed with the recipe.
