Turkey Dripping Gravy

Turkey without gravy is like pizza without cheese. Bert without Ernie. Ross without Rachel. You know the drill.

Gravy not only adds flavor and moisture, it pulls a whole plate together! Gravy is also a necessity when heating up leftovers, it brings everything back to life. This Turkey Dripping Gravy is so rich and savory it will literally make your mouth water. 

I wasn’t always in love with gravy, I remember as a young girl I would always ask for ketchup at the Thanksgiving and Christmas table to eat with my turkey (to the dismay of most of my family). I have since seen the error of my ways! 

Gravy is super easy to make when you are creating it from the drippings of an already flavorful turkey. It is already salted and seasoned for you, having roasted for hours, rendering the fat down. 

To create the gravy, start with removing your turkey from the oven once it is fully cooked. Use a spoon or a baster to collect as much liquid as possible. You may need to tilt your roasting pan a little bit, but be careful not to let your turkey go sliding anywhere.

Transfer all of the liquid you can collect to a large pyrex glass measuring cup or something similar. Allow to sit out for a few minutes. While it cools, the fat will rise to the top and the stock will separate to the bottom. Measure out 3 tbls. of fat and add it a large saucepan. Melt the fat back down on medium heat and add in 5 tbls. of flour. Whisk together for a minute or two as it thickens and the floury taste cooks off. Take one cup of the defatted turkey stock and begin to slowly add it in, whisking continuously. It will start out pretty thick.

At this point I begin to add in unsalted chicken stock to thin it out the rest of the way. The reason I use this, is that the stock from the turkey drippings can be pretty salty. Taste as you go, and if you feel like it needs more turkey flavor and it’s not overly salty, add in the liquid drippings! Keep adding either liquid until you have reached your desired consistency. 

Get ready for the best gravy of your life.

This recipe can easily be doubled depending on how much gravy you want and how much drippings your bird produces. If you don’t have enough fat, you can add a little butter to supplement. If you are looking for another savory gravy option, try this onion gravy recipe.

These measurements are subject to change based on your turkey, and your personal gravy thickness preferences. Add more or less stock accordingly.