Read on to master how to make turkey gravy without cooking a turkey, including several ways to max out that savory flavor—without going to the effort of roasting a turkey—plus how to store your make-ahead easy turkey gravy and how to fix it if the sauce gets too thick or too thin. Plus score tips about how to customize your creation, how to freeze the gravy, and how early in advance you can whip it up.
How to Make Turkey Gravy Without Turkey Drippings
Our turkey gravy without drippings starts with a roux. This mixture of flour and fat thickens the gravy by sharing the starchy qualities of all-purpose flour with the sauce. Our roux starts with butter, but feel free to trade in bacon fat, ghee, or oil. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt your preferred fat. Once the fat is fully melted, add the flour. Stir it in until smooth, allowing this mixture to brown lightly (to lend the classic brown gravy color and build depth of flavor). Whisk in chicken broth and black pepper, then cook and stir until thick and bubbly—plus 1 minute more. Since broth has plenty of salt in it already, we suggest seasoning it to taste with salt right at the end. Add fresh herbs or any of the flavor-boosters below to amp up the flavor, if desired.
Homemade Gravy Recipe
Start to finish: 15 minutes Makes: 3 cups
⅓ cup butter⅓ cup all-purpose flour3 cups chicken broth¼ tsp. ground black pepperCoarse kosher salt or table saltFresh parsley (optional)
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth.
- Add chicken broth and pepper. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt. If desired, garnish with parsley. Ideal for anyone who makes deep-fried turkey, smoked turkey, or those who prefer some of their dishes to be part of a make-ahead Thanksgiving menu, a no-drippings gravy is the perfect Thanksgiving menu addition. Mix it up 2 days in advance and refrigerate, or freeze for up to 4 months in an airtight freezer-safe container. To reheat your easy turkey gravy, simply pour the refrigerated or thawed frozen gravy into a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until warm, adding water to thin as needed. (Skip extra stock, as this can make the sauce too salty). Note that the gravy will thicken as it cooks.
How to Customize Your Turkey Gravy
Sharing dinner with those who follow different diets? The no-drippings gravy is a cinch to customize.
Make it vegetarian: Use vegetable stock rather than chicken broth. Make it vegan: Use oil instead of butter and opt for vegetable stock instead of chicken broth. Make it gluten-free: Trade rice flour or cup-for-cup gluten-free flour mix.
If you feel like your turkey gravy without drippings is falling short on the meaty, umami qualities you know and love in traditional turkey gravy, consider these quick fixes.
How to Fix Any No-Drippings Gravy Imperfections
If your gravy gets too thin, either as you’re making it or reheating it, try one of these two solutions: If your easy turkey gravy without drippings gets too thick, simply add more water ¼ cup at a time. If your gravy could use extra salt, add ¼ chicken broth instead of water and salt. As you add more liquid, be sure to sample a spoonful before serving so you can adjust the salt, pepper, and fresh herb quantities if needed. For pouring over turkey on Thanksgiving, mixing with mushrooms and spooning over flaky biscuits for brunch, or adding to any dish that could use a saucy boost, an easy turkey gravy without drippings is a fantastic trick to have in your cooking repertoire.
