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 or Christmas 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 butter and sage roasted turkey, wild rice stuffing, and slow cooker mashed potatoes! One of our 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 poultry drippings from the turkey. A great option 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?
Then you definitely need to try our Gluten-Free Gravy! Still packed with the best flavor and easy to make.
What You Will Need
- turkey giblets – a perfect way to use the bag 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 from your local grocery store. They are a great way to make a flavorful gravy or a Classic Giblet Stuffing.
How To Make Turkey Giblet Gravy (without the drippings)
The first steps to making this turkey gravy recipe are to remove the turkey neck and giblet bag from the turkey cavity after the turkey has fully thawed.
How Do You Cook Turkey Giblets
Simply place all of the giblets in a large pot 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 make a grilled turkey, smoked turkey, or an herb-citrus roasted turkey!
After the giblets are done cooking, you can remove the fully cooked giblets leaving behind a homemade giblet stock. Option to strain broth, if needed. Reserve broth in a large measuring cup, making it easier to pour into the pan to make this savory gravy.
Pro Tip
Don’t let those boiled giblets go to waste! Cut-up them into small pieces and use the giblet meat to make our favorite Giblet Stuffing!
Now it is time to prepare the basic ingredients for mixing up the gravy.
Let butter melt in a large cast iron skillet over a medium-high heat.
Add the flour to the hot pan. If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, you can use a gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour.
Next, whisk flour and melted butter into a roux (it will have a paste-like texture).
Gradually add the giblet broth to the flour mixture while consistently whisking the mixture, creating a perfectly smooth consistency for this delicious gravy. If you prefer a thicker gravy you can let it simmer on the stove for a little 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 this classic turkey giblet gravy over our tender turkey, sausage stuffing, and creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes! Perfect for drizzling on ALL the things!!
Storage & Freezer
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.
Made this delicious recipe and loved it?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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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 pan drippings) – an easy and delicious turkey giblet gravy recipe that is perfect for your Thanksgiving dinner!
Ingredients
- 5 cups of water
- turkey giblets
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
- Broth: In a large saucepan place all of the giblets inside and add enough water to ensure giblets are fully covered. Cover and bring to a low simmer over medium heat. Let cook for 2-4 hours (add additional water as needed). Remove giblets and set aside* so you are left with giblet broth.
- Gravy: 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. Slowly add in 3 cups giblet broth, whisking constantly. Continue to slowly pour in the giblet broth, whisking the whole time, until it is all added.
- Taste & Consistency: Taste the gravy and add any salt or pepper, if needed. 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.
- Serve: enjoy this classic giblet gravy immediately with Instant Pot mashed potatoes and your favorite Giblet Stuffing.
Notes
- Extra Flavor: you can definitely add some onion, celery or herbs to 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 stock, homemade turkey stock, or vegetable broth.
- *Cooked Giblets: feel free to cut up the giblets and use the chopped giblets to make 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).
- Dairy Free: Simply use a plant-based butter.
- Gluten Free: swap out the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 26
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 3.9 mg
- Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.6 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 9 mg
Stephanie DeYoung says
So delicious and easy to make!
Erin says
So easy and so good!
Susan says
Everything looks great