How to make Turkey Gravy

Nov 03, 2023 • Tom Jackson

The liquid gold behind any juicy turkey is the gravy. Chef Tom shows how to make a standout gravy using a handful of simple ingredients. The key to a savory Turkey Gravy is homemade turkey stock and drippings from a roasted turkey.

How to Make Turkey Gravy

Tom Jackson

Rated 3.9 stars by 37 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

12

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Calories

24

One thing you must have at Thanksgiving is Turkey Gravy. It’s the liquid treasure to elevate a Thanksgiving Turkey. Chef Tom demonstrates to art of crafting a flavorful Turkey Gravy with just a few basic ingredients. The secret is pipping hot turkey drippings fresh off the pan and homemade turkey stock.

Ingredients

1/2 cup (2 oz/55 g) turkey fat and unsalted butter
2/3 cup (2 oz/55 g) all-purpose flour
1 quart turkey stock and turkey drippings, warmed
Jacobsen Salt Co. Tellicherry Black Pepper, to taste
Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt, to taste

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Directions

Melt your turkey fat and/or butter over medium heat in a Lodge 12” Cast Iron Skillet. Add the flour and whisk to incorporated. Continue whisking while the roux cooks, for about one minute, until slightly browned and aromatic.
Slowly pour the turkey drippings and turkey stock into the skillet, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated. Bring the gravy to a simmer. Lower the heat. Cook to desired consistency.
Taste and season with black pepper and salt, as needed.

Recipe Note

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

How to make Turkey Stock

Savory Herb Roasted Turkey

Recipe Highlights and Insights:

The Myth behind the wishbone

One memory of Thanksgiving that seems to stand out is the tradition of having children at a Thanksgiving feast breaking the wishbone. It’s a popular tradition in many cultures, especially in the United States. The wishbone or the furcula bone is found in the breast of the turkey. It also can be found in other poultry, but turkey is the one people have developed the tradition of digging out the wishbone.

The tradition goes that you have two people hold one end of the wishbone almost as if they are about to declare a “thumb war” with a wish in mind they want to come true. The belief is the person holding the larger piece of the bone after they break apart from each other, will have their wish come true. It’s not verified if whether your wish is guaranteed to come true but there’s nothing wrong with having the hope it will. This is typically a playful and lighthearted tradition, especially for youngsters who seem to enjoy it during the holiday. Then they pass the tradition to the next generation.

This custom of the wishbone dates to the era of Etruscans an ancient Italian civilization. Etruscans believed poultry to have magical powers and they would harvest these divine powers by pulling out the furcula, and pass it around to spread good luck.

It’s something people look forward to each year as families will have competitions to see who breaks the wishbone, children fight over who gets to break it, and the strategies that go behind figuring out which side will break the larger piece. Whether the wishbone wish comes true, one thing is for sure it will create an unforgettable memory.