This Homemade Turkey Gravy from Drippings recipe uses the pan drippings from your beautiful roasted bird to make the most flavorful gravy around! You can make the base ahead of time so you have less work the day you serve your turkey. Once you make this gravy it will be your go-to recipe from now on.

Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Homemade Turkey Gravy from Drippings
- Ingredient Notes
- What are Turkey Drippings?
- How to Make Gravy from Turkey Drippings
- You can Make the Base Ahead of Time
- Tips to Make the Best Gravy Ever
- Substitutions for This Recipe
- Need a good recipe for a Roasted Turkey?
- Homemade Turkey Gravy from Drippings
- Did you make this Homemade Turkey Gravy?
Why You Will Love This Homemade Turkey Gravy from Drippings
This Homemade Turkey Gravy From Drippings recipe has added butter and stock so you don't have to worry about having enough drippings or enough gravy. There are added onions and herbs as well which creates a flavorful classic gravy for your Thanksgiving Turkey!
This recipe was inspired by Ina Garten, so you know it has to be good. Another thing to know, this recipe will yield about 4 cups of gravy so you should have plenty for Thanksgiving dinner AND leftovers!
Ingredient Notes
Unsalted Butter: Unsalted butter is recommended in this recipe because it allows for better control over the amount of salt in the final product.
Onion: Onions are one of the main ingredients in the base of this gravy. I would recommend white or yellow onions for this recipe.
Fresh Garlic: Use fresh garlic for this recipe, the final result will be much richer in flavor.
Chicken Stock: Chicken stock is a flavorful liquid with additional spices and will add even more flavor to the gravy than regular water. Vegetable, turkey, or beef stock can be used as a substitution.
Brandy (optional): Adding brandy to this recipe adds depth and complexity to the flavors. The alcohol in brandy evaporates during cooking, leaving behind a subtle flavor enhancement.
Fresh Sage Leaves: Use fresh sage for this recipe. Sage pairs well with turkey and is an herb that smells and tastes like Thanksgiving.
Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is the preferred salt to use because it is more milt than other salts making it easier to control the level of saltiness. Add salt at the end of the recipe since the turkey drippings will already have salt in them.
Freshly Ground Black Pepper: Black pepper is an ingredient you don't want to skip in this recipe and freshly ground black pepper will give you the most flavor. The pepper will add a mild spice and balance out the creaminess of the base.
What are Turkey Drippings?
Turkey drippings are all of the goodies at the bottom of your roasting pan after roasting a turkey. The drippings are made up of melted fat and any other bits and seasonings that have fallen off. And the drippings are where a ton of flavor is hiding!
How to Make Gravy from Turkey Drippings
Place the butter in a saucepan to melt. Add the onion and garlic and stir for 15 minutes. Stir in the flour and continue to cook for another minute.
Add the chicken stock, brandy, sage leaves, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Stir and bring everything to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cool for one hour. Strain the cooled mixture and set it aside (cover and refrigerate if you are making the base ahead of time).
After your turkey has roasted, remove it from the roasting pan and allow it to rest. Pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a large saucepan.
Use a spoon to scrape off as much of the cooked-on bits as you can (this is where the flavor is!) and also put them in the saucepan. Add the wine and stir over medium-high heat.
Pour the prepared base into the saucepan and stir until nice and thick. Taste to see if it needs any salt and pepper.
Pour the gravy into a fat separator and allow the liquid to separate before putting it into a serving dish. This takes just a few minutes as it cools.
You can Make the Base Ahead of Time
As I mentioned, you can make the base ahead of time so that when you are cooking everything the day of, you have one less thing to worry about. Just complete steps 1-3 above and place the base in the fridge until you are ready to use it. You can warm it up in the saucepan before you add the drippings. So easy!
Tips to Make the Best Gravy Ever
- Get as much of those burnt-on, black drippings off the bottom of your roasting pan as you can. Trust me, this is where the flavor is and once you stir it all up, all you will have is tasty gravy.
- A fat separator is a lifesaver. But, if you don't have one, let the liquid sit for a few minutes and allow the fat to separate and rise to the top. Take a baster and suck the top layer off. If you don't have a baster, use a spoon.
- Don't worry if your gravy is a different color than you were expecting. The color depends on the herbs and spices you used when roasting your turkey.
Substitutions for This Recipe
- If you don't have sage or bay leaves, you can use other herbs. Try fresh thyme or parsley instead.
- The alcohol in the brandy and wine cooks out of the gravy before serving However if you do not want to use one or both, you can leave them out. For the wine, just add another cup of stock instead.
- If you are looking to cut down on sodium, you can use low-sodium stock and watch the added salt
Need a good recipe for a Roasted Turkey?
I have made my share of turkeys and have experimented with what is the easiest way to prep and cook a turkey. Check out my recipe for Perfect Dry Brined Roasted Turkey to find out how to make a juicy, brown, and delicious turkey every time.
Homemade Turkey Gravy from Drippings
Equipment
- fat separator
- medium-large saucepan
- fine mesh sieve
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, cut into strips
- 4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
- 6 tablespoon flour
- 4 cups chicken stock (or vegetable or turkey stock)
- 2 tablespoon brandy (optional, but adds depth)
- 10 large fresh sage leaves
- 2 bay leaves
- kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 1 cup dry white wine
Instructions
Gravy Base
- Place the butter in a med-large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 15 minutes, until the onion becomes nice and brown.
- Stir in the flour and continue to cook for one minute.
- Add the chicken stock, brandy, sage leaves, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon of pepper and continue to stir (don't add salt yet because you want to see how salty your drippings are). Bring the mixture to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the gravy base from the heat and allow it to cool for one hour. Strain the cooled mixture through a fine-mesh sieve and set it aside or in the refrigerator if making it ahead of time.
- If you are making the base ahead of time, cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming, and refrigerate until you are ready to use
Dripping and Finishing Steps
- After your turkey has roasted, remove it from the roasting pan and allow it to rest. Pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a large saucepan. Use a spoon to scrape off as much of the cooked-on bits as you can (this is where the flavor is!) and also put them in the saucepan. Add the wine and stir over medium-high heat.
- Pour the prepared base into the saucepan and stir until nice and thick. Taste to see if it needs any salt and pepper. Pour the gravy into a fat separator and allow the liquid to separate before putting it into a serving dish. This takes just a few minutes as it cools.
- Place the gravy in a serving bowl or gravy dish and enjoy!
Notes
- Store leftover gravy in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
- You can make the base of the gravy ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to go. I found this wasn't necessary because I had just the right amount of time to make everything while my turkey was resting.
- Get as much of those burnt-on, black drippings off the bottom of your roasting pan as you can. Trust me, this is where the flavor is and once you stir it all up, all you will have is tasty gravy.
- If you don't have sage or bay leaves, you can use other herbs. Try fresh thyme or parsley instead.
- The alcohol in the brandy and wine cooks out of the gravy before serving However if you do not want to use one or both, you can leave them out. For the wine, just add another cup of stock instead.
- If you are looking to cut down on sodium, you can use low-sodium stock and watch the added salt.
- Don't worry if your gravy is a different color than you were expecting. The color depends on the herbs and spices you used when roasting your turkey.
- A fat separator is a lifesaver. But, if you don't have one, let the liquid sit for a few minutes and allow the fat to separate and rise to the top. Take a baster and suck the top layer off. If you don't have a baster, use a spoon.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Did you make this Homemade Turkey Gravy?
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Jean says
I'm a big gravy fan, and will try this out! Glad I can use vegetable stock 🙂
Emily says
Oh good, I think you will like this one!
Sara Welch says
Such a rich and creamy gravy that did not disappoint! Was the perfect touch to dinner last night; my whole family loved it!
Emily says
That makes me so happy to hear, thanks for making my recipe!
Anaiah says
Yum! This gravy turned out amazing. I love adding extra gravy to my mashed potatoes and smothering all my veggies in it. Soo goooood!
Emily says
Is there any other way to do it? 😂
Sue says
I love this - especially that I can make the base a day ahead! This helps make Thanksgiving a little less rushed!! Thank you!
Emily says
Anything to make the big day easier, right?
Jodi Reed says
That's a great idea to prep ahead of time. I love the addition of brandy. Trying this soon!
Emily says
Any time you can do something ahead of time is a win in my book!
Nora says
What a great recipe! Can't wait to make it for my lovely turkey! Thanks for sharing!
Emily says
Thanks, Nora!
Kayla DiMaggio says
This turkey gravy was perfect! It complemented my mashed potatoes so well! I loved how much flavor it had!
Emily says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it.😊
Dionne says
I am so glad that I've stumbled upon it - such a great recipe to keep handy this fall!
Emily says
I hope you get a chance to give it a try, thanks for checking it out!
Angela says
This makes the most incredible gravy! Love the flavors here. Definitely my go-to gravy recipe from now on. Thanks so much for sharing!
Emily says
So glad to hear it, Angela.😁
Angela says
Great recipe! It is more flavorful then the gravy I usually make.
Andrea says
The white wine and the brandy gives this gravy such a great flavor. It goes perfectly with the turkey.
Emily says
Glad to hear it. Sometimes the unexpected ingredients make the biggest difference.
Dawn says
This gravy is the best turkey gravy ever! The taste was amazing and like no other gravy I have ever had. It was so convenient to be able to have the base to this ready ahead of time - I made it while the turkey was in the oven. I love most of my turkey dinner prepped ahead of time for ease and your gravy really helped make that happen for me 🙂
Emily says
Yay! That's so awesome, Dawn! Thanks for giving it a try.😁