We are going to show you how to make the BEST Giblet Gravy from the bag of turkey giblets (neck, heart, liver, and gizzards) that comes with every whole turkey. This easy gravy recipe is a MUST at our Thanksgiving dinner every year!
The BEST Turkey Gravy With Giblets
We all know that the real shining star of the Thanksgiving meal is a perfectly smooth and flavorful homemade gravy to drizzle on your roasted turkey, wild rice stuffing, and slow cooker mashed potatoes! One of my favorite parts of this easy turkey gravy is that it has so much great flavor (from the turkey giblets) but you don’t need to wait for the turkey drippings from the turkey. Perfect for making ahead of time before the turkey is done cooking or if you are making a deep-fried turkey!
Looking for a gluten-free gravy option!? We have an amazing Gluten Free Gravy recipe!
What You Will Need
- turkey giblets – a perfect way to use the pouch of giblets that come with every whole turkey and usually get thrown out.
- water – used for boiling the giblets to create a giblet broth.
- unsalted butter & flour – whisked together to create a roux which is the base of every classic turkey gravy.
- kosher salt & ground black pepper – simple seasonings that are great is just about anything!
What Are Giblets
The giblets of a turkey are the bird’s neck, heart, liver, and gizzard. Most of them are typically placed in a small bag and can be found in the cavity of the turkey when you purchase a whole turkey. They are a great way to make a flavorful gravy or a Classic Giblet Stuffing.
How To Make A Turkey Giblet Gravy (without the drippings)
First, you will need to remove the neck and giblet bag from the turkey cavity after the turkey has fully thawed.
How Do You Cook Turkey Giblets
We recommend placing all of the giblets in a large saucepan of water & cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bring it to a low simmer on medium high heat for about 2-4 hours. This process can easily be done while your turkey is cooking – no matter if you grill it, smoke it, or roast it!
After the giblets are done cooking, you can remove the fully cooked giblets leaving behind a homemade giblet stock.
Pro tip: cut-up the fully cooked giblet meat and use to make our favorite Giblet Stuffing!
Now it is time to prepare your ingredients for mixing up the gravy.
You can begin by placing the tablespoons of butter in a cast iron skillet to melt.
Now you can add the tablespoons of flour to the cast-iron pan. If you want to make this recipe gluten-free you can use a gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour.
Next, use a whisk to turn the melted butter and flour into a roux (it will have a paste-like texture).
Then gradually add the giblet broth to the flour mixture while consistently whisking the mixture, creating a perfectly smooth, delicious gravy. If you prefer a thicker gravy you can let it simmer on the stove for a bit until it reaches your desired consistency.
How To Serve A Turkey Giblet Gravy
This homemade giblet gravy recipe is a staple at all of our holiday meals! So easy to make and we love being able to prep it ahead of time. We typically serve it over our tender turkey, stuffing, and creamy mashed potatoes! Perfect for drizzling on ALL the things!!
Recipe FAQs & Tips:
- depth of flavor: if you want to amp up the flavor even more you could add some onion, celery, or fresh herbs to the water when making the giblet broth.
- leftover gravy: simply place the homemade turkey gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days – perfect for making this gravy ahead of time or enjoying on all the thanksgiving leftovers the next day!
- freezing gravy: option to either store all together in a freezer-safe container or an ice cube tray to use small amounts at a time. Keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.
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Other Recipes You Might Like:
Turkey Giblet Gravy Recipe (no drippings)
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: Turkey
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
Turkey Giblet Gravy Recipe (no drippings) – an easy and delicious turkey giblet gravy recipe that is perfect for your Thanksgiving dinner!
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- turkey giblets
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place giblets in a large saucepan and add water (ensure giblets are fully covered).
- Cover and bring to a low simmer.
- Let cook 2-4 hours (add additional water as needed).
- Remove giblets and set aside* so you are left with giblet broth.
- In a deep skillet or medium saucepan melt butter on medium-high heat.
- Once butter is melted, add in flour and whisk to combine. This will create a sort of paste (called a roux) and it should have an almost nutty smell.
- Then slowly add in 3 cups giblet broth, whisking constantly. Continue slowly pouring in the giblet broth, whisking all the while, until it is all added.
- Add salt; stir to combine.
- Assess the consistency of the gravy – if you like it a little thinner add broth a little at a time, whisking to combine, until you have reached your desired consistency. If you want it a bit thicker let it simmer (a soft boil) for a bit and it will continue to thicken.
- Taste and add additional salt or pepper, as desired.
- Serve this classic giblet gravy immediately with mashed potatoes and your favorite stuffing.
- If gravy ends up having to sit for a bit and you feel it dries up a bit, just add a splash of broth and whisk to revive.
Notes
- Extra Flavor: you can definitely add in some onion, celery or herbs into the water with the turkey giblets to add additional flavor to the giblet broth.
- Turkey Giblet Broth Amount: If you don’t have quite 3 cups of broth just make up for the difference with chicken broth, homemade turkey stock, or vegetable broth.
- *Cooked Giblets: feel free to cut up the giblets and use them in some Giblet Stuffing OR you can mince them up and add them in to make a more lumpy gravy (although then the gravy won’t be super smooth).
- Storage: The gravy actually stores really well in the refrigerator – Store in airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Flour-based gravy such as this one freeze really well actually – Freeze for up to 3-4 months in a sealed container or even an ice cube tray.
Erin says
So easy and so good!
Susan says
Everything looks great