If you have never made a homemade Turkey Gravy Without Drippings, you are missing out on a flavorful and tasty way to make gravy. Traditional Thanksgiving gravy is made with the drippings left behind from the roast turkey, but with this method, the turkey and veggies are transferred to a pot to infuse flavor into chicken broth. It speeds up the process and still tastes amazing!
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Not only does this turkey gravy from scratch have a wonderful creamy texture, but it also has plenty of turkey and herb flavors. Cooking the turkey and vegetables in the oven deepens their flavor, so when they are transferred to the pot, all the richness and brown bits are incorporated into the chicken broth.
If you like homemade gravy recipes, you will love these that are served with Smothered Hamburger Steaks and this Smothered Pork Chops.
Why You Will Love This Turkey Gravy Recipe
- Prepare ahead of time: You can roast your turkey and veggies ahead of time and save the stock so you can make the gravy when you want it!
- Two recipes in one: This recipe includes a method to infuse turkey flavor into broth and how to turn it into gravy. You can also use the turkey stock for other recipes like soup, casseroles, and more.
- Budget-friendly: This is an easy way to make a tasty homemade gravy without breaking the bank.
Ingredients
Here is everything you need to make this turkey gravy recipe without drippings. These items are common, everyday ingredients. You can also purchase a cheap dry wine — there’s no need to get a fancy brand!
- Turkey thighs: I like using turkey thighs for this recipe because the dark meat adds great flavor to the gravy, but wings are also good. Both of these turkey cuts are pretty inexpensive.
- Veggies: I add carrots, celery, and onion to this recipe. These veggies are also known as “mirepoix,” which is French for veggies used as a base to balance flavors in a dish.
- Garlic: Roasted garlic is a great ingredient for gravy and stock. It has a sharp flavor that helps make it rich and tasty.
- Chicken broth: A shortcut here is chicken broth. This will help add flavor to the gravy and the turkey stock rather than using water. I like to use low sodium broth for this recipe to control the saltiness level.
- White wine: Dry white wine adds a little sweetness that balances out the other ingredients in the turkey gravy. As it simmers, the alcohol cooks down and leaves behind a delicious concentrated flavor!
- Thyme: I love adding dried thyme to round out the savory flavor. It has a natural herbaceous and woody-like flavor that pairs perfectly with turkey.
- Butter: Whether or not you add butter will be dependent on the amount of turkey fat that is produced. This will be used to make a roux to thicken the gravy.
- Flour: The other component of the roux is flour, which is cooked in fat until it becomes almost pasty. It’s crucial in order for the gravy to achieve the right consistency.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Rosemary and sage: Add dried sage and rosemary for a stronger herb flavor.
- Mushroom: Add some sliced mushrooms to the gravy for earthiness and texture.
- Gluten-free: Use a gluten-free flour blend to thicken the turkey gravy.
How to Make Turkey Gravy Without Drippings
Before you get started, be sure to preheat your oven to 450° F and grab a roasting pan. That way, once the turkey and veggies are prepped, you can start cooking.
Step 1: Add turkey and veggies to the pan. Place the turkey thighs, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the roasting pan. Then spray everything generously with vegetable oil spray to help it brown.
Step 2: Cook. Roast the turkey and veggies for 1 ½ - 1 ¾ hours or until well browned on the outside. Stir the components occasionally to ensure they all get even color.
Step 3: Transfer to a pot and simmer. Put the browned thighs and veggies into a large pot. Pour in the chicken broth, white wine, and thyme. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce it to a simmer. Cook for about 1 ½ hours, or until the stock has a brown color and rich flavor.
Step 4: Strain the broth. Pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard all of the solid pieces.
Step 5: Skim and reserve fat. Allow the turkey stock to settle for a few minutes. Then, skim and reserve the fat that rises to the top to the side.
Step 6: Make a roux. Add the reserved fat to a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add butter until you have ½ cup of fat. Once it’s bubbling, whisk in the flour. Allow it to cook and brown for about 3-7 minutes while whisking constantly.
Step 7: Add turkey broth and boil. Gradually whisk in the broth until well combined and bring to a boil.
Step 8: Simmer and season. Reduce the heat and simmer the gravy for 10-15 minutes, or until it thickens. Add salt and pepper as needed.
⭐ Hint: As the turkey thighs and veggies cook in the chicken broth, skim off anything that rises to the top and discard it to avoid a cloudy broth.
If you love holiday recipes like this one, you may also enjoy this Easy Ham Sauce or our Leftover Turkey and Stuffing Muffins, Leftover Turkey Carcass Soup, Turkey and Stuffing Casserole (Crock Pot) recipes!
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Store gravy leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezing: Freeze the turkey stock in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month and thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before you use it to make gravy. To freeze the gravy, store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it.
- Reheating: Add the leftover turkey gravy to a pot over medium heat and whisk in chicken broth as needed until it reaches your desired consistency. I do not recommend using the microwave.
- Make Ahead: Make the gravy up to 24 hours before serving or the stock up to 2 days before you plan to make the turkey gravy from the stock.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve this gravy over Turkey Pot Pie or these Pork Chops with Stuffing
- It’s great with green beans, too. I highly recommend Hamburger Green Bean Casserole and my Classic Green Bean Casserole
- Spoon it over mashed potatoes or use it as a dip for Mashed Potato Fries.
Expert Tips
- Taste test: Test your gravy while it thickens. If it could use a little salt and pepper, add both as needed to suit your preference.
- Try fresh herbs: Use fresh thyme and even some parsley for a more intense herbal flavor.
- Strain well: Press the veggies through the mesh strainer really well to extract as much flavor as possible. Remove any chunks that make it through for a smooth gravy.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Follow the directions on the package to add the correct amount of water so the gravy doesn’t become too salty.
I like to use flour to make a roux because it adds depth. If you want to adjust the thickness of the gravy, use some of the broth or water mixed with a little cornstarch (also called a slurry), and whisk in a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
If you add too much flour, this can cause the gravy to become lumpy. Make sure there are equal amounts of fat and flour, and whisk continuously when you add the broth.
More Delicious Turkey Dishes
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Turkey Gravy Without Drippings
Ingredients
- 8 turkey thighs trimmed, or 10 wings, separated at the joints
- 2 medium carrots chopped coarse
- 2 medium celery ribs chopped coarse
- 2 medium onions chopped coarse
- 1 head garlic chopped
- Vegetable oil spray
- 10 cups low-sodium chicken broth plus extra as needed
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
- unsalted butter as needed
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the thighs, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic together in a roasting pan and spray with vegetable oil spray. Roast, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours.
- Transfer the contents of the roasting pan to a large pot. Add the broth, wine, and thyme and bring to a boil, skimming as needed. Reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until the broth is brown and flavorful and measures about 10 cups when strained, about 1 ½ hours. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible, discard the solids. (The turkey broth can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)
- Let the strained turkey broth settle (if necessary) then spoon off and reserve ½ cup of the fat that has risen to the top (add butter as needed if short on turkey fat). Heat the fat in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until bubbling. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until well browned, 3 to 7 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the turkey broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the gravy is very thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (The gravy can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat gently, adding additional chicken broth as needed to adjust the consistency).
Notes
- Taste test: Test your gravy while it thickens. If it could use a little salt and pepper, add both as needed to suit your preference.
- Try fresh herbs: Use fresh thyme and even some parsley for a burst of herbaceous flavor.
- Strain well: Press the veggies through the mesh strainer really well to extract as much flavor as possible. Remove any chunks that make it through for a smooth gravy.
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