Homemade Turkey Gravy From Drippings

Drippings are the leftover juices and fat that remain in the pan or pot after the meat has been fully cooked. The drippings are loaded with flavor from the seasoning of the meat and often used as a base for sauce or gravy.

This will depend on a couple of factors. When I make turkey in a Crockpot or slow cooker, the turkey is cooked in broth and usually onions as well. I don't strain anything, everything that is leftover in the slow cooker can go into the gravy.

If you roasted or smoked your turkey with only a small amount of broth or water, it may not have been enough to create drippings that are mostly liquid. In this instance, you may need to stain them in order to make gravy that is smooth.

I wait until the drippings, butter, and flour are combined to add any additional seasoning or spices. Because turkey drippings are used as a base for the recipe, they will have plenty of flavor. You may find you don't need to add much to zest up the gravy.

I often find I need a little salt and pepper to taste.

A butter and flour roux will create a nice and thick gravy. I like to add my broth and turkey drippings in slowly until I get the consistency of gravy I am looking for. Less broth will keep it thick.

If you find it still isn't thick enough, Use a flour slurry. Whisk 1 tablespoon of flour with 1 tablespoon of cold water or broth until completely smooth. Slowly whisk it into the simmering gravy, then cook for several minutes so you don't end up with a raw flour taste.

Gravy thickened with flour is always my preference. It gives you that rich, creamy gravy with a smooth, opaque finish that just looks and tastes like gravy is supposed to, honey. I make a roux by cooking the flour with fat first, which gets rid of that raw flour taste and adds another layer of flavor before the drippings and broth ever hit the pan.

Cornstarch works a little differently. It gives you a gravy that’s lighter, glossier, and more translucent, so if that’s the texture you prefer, go with it. Just don’t dump cornstarch straight into those hot drippings unless you want to be fighting lumps. Mix it with cold water first to make a smooth slurry, then whisk it into the drippings and broth.

There’s no roux involved when you use cornstarch, so it's a completely different method. Combine equal parts cornstarch and cold water, whisk until completely smooth, and then gradually add the slurry to the gravy until it thickens the way you want.

Thick gravy can be smoothed out by adding additional broth or stock to the pot.

The color of the gravy will vary based on what spices were used to season the turkey. How you cooked the turkey may alter the color of the gravy too. A deep brown turkey, such as a roasted one, will yield darker gravy than something that was cooked in a Crockpot or slow cooker for example.

Store the gravy tightly covered and sealed for 3-4 days.

You can freeze leftover gravy covered and tightly sealed for up to 6 months.