We all know that the real shining star of the Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner 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 your gravy ahead of time, before the turkey is done cooking, or if you are making a deep-fried turkey and don’t have any drippings!
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.
Key Ingredients + Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, and estimated nutritional information.
- turkey giblets – a perfect way to use the bag of giblets that come with every whole turkey and usually get thrown out.
- butter – feel free to use a vegan butter, plant-based butter, or ghee!
- flour – this homemade gravy has been tested with all-purpose flour and gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flavor, just use the one that works for you!
What Are Giblets?
The giblets of a turkey are the bird’s neck, heart, liver, and gizzard. When you purchase a whole turkey from your local grocery store, most of them are typically placed in a small bag in the cavity of the turkey. They are perfect for making a flavorful gravy or a Classic Giblet Stuffing.
How To Make Turkey Giblet Gravy (without the drippings)
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!
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.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
- Can I use turkey giblets to make gravy? Absolutely! We have been making this flavorful old fashioned gravy for years.
- What are some common mistakes to avoid when making turkey giblet gravy? The main thing to keep in mind with this recipe, and any gravy, is to slowly add the broth and consistent whisking the whole time. Do not rush this process. You can even take short pauses to whisk. Add as much broth as you want, depending on how thick you want your gravy.
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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: Gravy
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
An easy and delicious Turkey Giblet Gravy recipe that doesn’t require any drippings and 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
- Make Broth: In a large saucepan, place all of the giblets and add enough water to ensure they 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 the giblet broth.
- Make 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 a thicker gravy, 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: option to add some onion, celery or herbs to the water with the turkey giblets for additional flavor to the giblet broth.
- Turkey Giblet Broth Amount: If you don’t have 3 cups of broth, simply 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 them to make Giblet Stuffing OR mince them up and add them to the 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