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Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

Make-ahead turkey gravy starts with deeply browned turkey wings simmered into homemade stock, then thickened with a pale golden roux. Chill it for up to 3 days and reheat until steaming hot for a smooth, spoon-coating gravy.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 16 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 36 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 110
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the turkey stock
  • 3 lb turkey wings
  • 1 yellow onion large, quartered
  • 1 carrot medium, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 stalk celery cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 cloves garlic smashed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 8 whole black peppercorns
  • 12 cups cold water
For the gravy
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 6 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups homemade turkey stock
  • 1.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 8-quart stockpot
  • 1 fine-mesh strainer
  • 1 3-quart saucepan

Method
 

Roast the turkey
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
  2. Arrange the turkey wings on an 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet and roast for 55 to 65 minutes, turning once halfway through, until deeply browned and the thickest part registers 165°F.
Make the stock
  1. Transfer the wings, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and peppercorns to an 8-quart stockpot.
  2. Pour 1 cup of the measured water onto the baking sheet and scrape up the browned bits; add this liquid and the remaining 11 cups water to the pot.
  3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 3 hours, skimming foam as needed.
  4. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer and measure 6 cups for the gravy; reserve any extra stock for another use.
Make the gravy
  1. Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, whisk in the flour, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until the roux is pale golden.
  2. Gradually whisk in the 6 cups turkey stock, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, whisking often, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
  3. Whisk in the salt and black pepper.
Chill and reheat the gravy
  1. Cool the gravy in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 3 days.
  2. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking often, until steaming hot and at least 165°F.

Notes

For the richest flavor, roast the turkey wings until deeply browned. Refrigerate the gravy for up to 3 days; freezing is possible. For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.