Turkey Gravy (with neckbone and giblets)
Inside: Make-ahead turkey gravy uses chicken stock, the turkey neck and giblets. My no-fail trick for making velvety smooth gravy is Wondra flour. Make this gravy in advance to save time and stovetop space on Thanksgiving.
This turkey gravy recipe is fantastic because it can be made a few days ahead and doesn’t require pan drippings. Use your favorite poultry broth, turkey neck, and gizzards to amplify the broth. A splash of sherry, drizzle of maple and fresh sage give the turkey neck gravy tons of flavor in a satiny smooth sauce.
A turkey dinner wouldn’t be complete without gravy, but what if you’re cooking your bird in a method that doesn’t leave you with any pan drippings (i.e. deep-fried, spatchcock grilled turkey or a smoked turkey)? Or what if you don’t want the hassle of making gravy when you’ve already got ten other things to do?
The answer, of course, is to make it three to five days in advance with this simple gravy recipe.
That said, while this turkey gravy doesn’t need drippings, there’s no reason you can’t add some at the last minute if you have some on hand. I’ve got instructions for that, too, in the post.
Why you’ll love turkey neck gravy.
- You can make it several days ahead of time.
- It makes about a quart of delicious homemade giblet turkey gravy.
- You can customize the flavors (and even use leftover meat from the cooked turkey neck in the sauce).
- It’s velvety and smooth with a rich, delicious flavor thanks to a hint of maple syrup and fresh sage.
- It’s excellent with any poultry, from grilled to roasted, smoked to fried.
Ingredients:
- Low-Sodium Chicken or Turkey Broth–You can use store-bought or use a homemade chicken stock or turkey stock
- Giblets–comprises the turkey neck, heart, gizzard and liver. If you’ve defrosted your bird, use the neck and giblets package found in the cavity. Otherwise, ask your butcher for a few turkey necks and giblets (you could also use one or two turkey wings).
- Whole Peppercorns–I use Tellicherry peppercorns to add flavor to the stock without making it overly spiced.
- Fresh Sage Leaves–to season the gravy and reserve a few small leaves for garnish.
- Onions–add aromatics to the stock. There is no need for fine chopping; they will be strained out.
- Celery–you can use the whole stalk, even the leaves. A rough chop works fine.
- Butter–melted butter coats the flour to ensure a smooth gravy with no lumps.
- Wondra Flour –For lump-free gravy, I prefer Wondra. It doesn’t clump like all-purpose flour.
- Kosher Salt–or sea salt.
- Sherry–fortified wine will add a hint of acidity and depth of flavor that takes your turkey neck gravy from good to great. (you can also use dry vermouth or Marsala wine)
- Maple Syrup–you don’t need much, but it softens the flavors of the sauce without making it sweet. If you like things more savory, you can leave it out.
- Ground Black Pepper–is used to season the sauce.
- Browning Liquid gives the turkey gravy a darker, richer look. I recommend Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master. It’s optional, but it adds deeper color.
Step-by-step instructions:
- Combine the turkey neck, giblets, celery, onions, sage, peppercorns, and broth in a large saucepan.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft, the turkey neck is cooked and the liquid has reduced slightly.
3. Strain the infused stock through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl or quart-sized measuring cup. Press on the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to get every bit of moisture and flavor from them. Discard the solids.
4. Add butter to a saucepan and melt it over medium-high heat. Whisk the flour into the melted butter until it forms a roux (paste). Cook for a minute, letting the roux bubble and cook away any flour taste, stirring constantly so it doesn’t stick to the bottom or sides of the saucepan.
5. Over medium-high heat, whisk in the strained stock a little at a time; bring the gravy to a boil and cook for one minute, whisking constantly until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the sherry (or vermouth or Marsala wine), maple syrup, chopped sage and black pepper.
6. Add ½ teaspoon of browning sauce (Kitchen Bouquet or Gravy Master) to make the gravy darker and richer-looking. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate—reheat before serving.
Pro-Tips:
- Use a low-sodium (or homemade broth/stock) to simmer the neck and giblets, otherwise the sauce can become too salty.
- If you’ve had trouble with lumpy gravy, I recommend Wondra flour. It practically guarantees a smooth sauce.
- Taste the gravy before you add the fortified wine, maple syrup, and sage to get a sense of the flavors. Taste again after each addition to ensure the flavors suit your tastes.
Swaps and Variations:
- Pick the meat off the cooked turkey neck and add it back to the gravy for a heartier sauce.
- Maple syrup gives the gravy a faint sweetness. If you crave a more savory one, you can skip it, altogether.
- Sherry (or other fortified wines) add acidity to round out the flavors in a sauce. Without it, the flavors can fall flat. If you don’t want to use alcohol, substitute vinegar (though you won’t need as much)–try balsamic, cider or malt vinegar. Add vinegar one teaspoon at a time–up to 3 or 4 teaspoons—and taste the turkey neck gravy after each addition to ensure it tastes how you want it.
- Add chopped fresh herbs for more flavor; marjoram, a few sprigs of thyme and parsley are good additions. Rosemary tends to be a little sharp, so if you use it, please do so sparingly.
FAQs
Simmering the turkey neck and giblets in a low—or no-sodium broth intensifies the turkey flavor, which is why I prefer it. However, if you don’t have broth handy, you can use water to simmer the neck, giblets and vegetables for a lighter broth.
Here’s how: Use 6 cups of fresh water with the giblets, turkey neck, peppercorns and vegetables. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat to a moderate simmer and cook, uncovered, for at least 1 to 1½ hours or until the liquid reduces by ⅓. Strain the broth, then continue with the rest of the recipe.
Up to 3-5 days ahead of time if you’re storing it in the refrigerator. If you’re freezing it, it should keep for 2 months.
Turkey gravy is naturally a pale blonde color. Adding just ½ teaspoon of Gravy Master or Kitchen Bouquet will give the sauce a heartier, more robust appearance, and since we eat first with our eyes, I’m an advocate.
Make Ahead
- Make the turkey neck gravy 3-5 days ahead of time.
Storage:
- Store turkey gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I use a quart-sized canning jar with a resealable lid.
Freezing:
- You can freeze the sauce for up to 2 months in an airtight container. Thaw fully before reheating.
Last Minute Additions:
Since this is a make-ahead gravy, it’s made without the traditional turkey drippings. However, if you find yourself with some drippings the day you’re serving it, you can add them to the gravy. Here’s how:
- Pour the drippings into a glass measuring cup. The fat will rise to the top, and the turkey jus (pronounced zhou) will sink to the bottom.
- Skim off the fat layer with a spoon and discard (but don’t put it down your sink, as it can cause clogs when it hardens).
- Stir in up to 1 cup of turkey jus to gravy and heat through.
- If the sauce seems too thin, add a little beurre manie by mashing together one tablespoon of flour with one tablespoon of butter until no dry bits are left. Whisk the paste into the hot gravy and bring to a gentle boil. The sauce will thicken in a minute or two.
When you want a delicious, all purpose turkey giblet gravy to ladle over turkey or pool in a mound of mashed potatoes, this is the best and it makes a lot, so there’s enough for everyone at your table.
Sides that pair well:
- Browned Butter Sea Salt Mashed Potatoes (like classic smashed spuds, but better).
- Apple Sausage Stuffing (a classic holiday stuffing recipe).
- Holiday Green Beans (no cream of mushroom soup in sight).
- Anadama Rolls (for sopping up the turkey neck gravy).
- Soft Parmesan Dinner Rolls (soft and spongy).
Try some of our favorite turkey recipes:
- Whole Smoked Turkey
- Roasted Turkey with Bourbon Turkey Brine
- Parmesan Apple Stuffed Turkey Tenderloin
- Spatchcock Grilled Turkey
- Simple Herb Roasted Chicken
More easy gravy recipes:
- Mushroom Gravy
- Eye of Round Roast with Brown Onion Gravy
- Cider Gravy
- Chicken Pan Gravy
- Dijon Pan Sauce from this Pork Loin Roast recipe
Turkey Gravy (with neckbone and giblets)
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 cups turkey stock (or low sodium chicken broth)
- turkey neck, giblets, heart (not liver) optional
- 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
- 6 sage leaves
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup + 1 tablespoon Wondra flour (or all purpose flour)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 – 2 tablespoons dry Sherry can use dry vermouth or marsala wine
- 1½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1½ teaspoons finely chopped sage
- ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon browning sauce (Gravy Master) optional
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large saucepan combine 4 cups turkey stock, turkey neck, giblets, heart (not liver), 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns, 6 sage leaves, 1 medium onion, and 1 stalk celery. Heat to just below boiling, place the lid ¾ on the pan (so that steam may escape) and reduce heat to low. Simmer stock for 20 minutes.
- Remove the turkey neck with a pair of tongs and set aside. Place a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl or 1-quart measuring cup and pour the broth through the strainer. Press down on the solids with the back of a wooden spoon to release as much of the liquid as possible. Discard solids.
- Add 6 tablespoons unsalted butter to the pan and melt it over medium-high heat. Whisk in ⅔ cup + 1 tablespoon Wondra flour until a thick paste forms and the mixture is bubbly. Add 1 teaspoon kosher salt and whisk to combine.
- Slowly add the strained broth, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth and velvety. Heat to a boil, stirring and scraping the sides of the pan constantly. Cook for one minute until mixture thickens and remove from heat.
- Stir in 1 – 2 tablespoons dry Sherry (or vermouth or marsala wine), 1½ tablespoons maple syrup, 1½ teaspoons finely chopped sage, ¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper and½ teaspoon browning sauce .
- Taste for seasoning and adjust to your tastes. This can be made a day or two ahead of time and reheated just before serving. Makes 4 cups of turkey gravy.
NOTES:
- Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and set aside to rest.
- Place the roasting pan on your stovetop so that it covers two burners.
- Turn the burners on to medium-high heat.
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to the pan and cook, scraping the bottom to loosen any fond or stuck-on flavorings.
- Add the gravy to the roasting pan and stir until heated through. Taste for seasonings and adjust as needed.
- If the sauce thins out after adding pan drippings, you can thicken it again with a beurre manie–i.e., equal parts flour and butter mashed together in a thick paste and whisked into the hot gravy until it thickens.
- OR make a cornstarch slurry by adding two teaspoons of cornstarch to 4 teaspoons of cool water and stirring until smooth. Add the slurry to the hot gravy and boil, stirring constantly until it thickens, about one minute.
NUTRITION:
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My family loved the hint of sweetness in this gravy. The sage is definitely there, too. Highly recommend.
Totally my opinion: but I found the maple syrup in my batch not very subtle. I used 100% pure grade A maple syrup if that makes a difference.
Not to knock the recipe at all – I did still enjoyed how it turned out. Just in the future I will cut the syrup to about 1/2 tsp if I add it at all. The added sweetness and maple flavor along side the normal sage made it start to taste too much like a country breakfast if that makes sense.
Excellent recipe, though – and I’m sure many others will enjoy the unique flavor profile the syrup brings to this. Thank you!
Yes, gravy was delicious not only did Simmer the neck, but I also simmer the back bone too.. I was very happy that I had fresh sage growing in my herb garden being that the beginning of November, and a couple of freezes it’s still survived. It’s another three weeks to Thanksgiving, but I was hungry for turkey now. I’ll think of something else to have for Thanksgiving maybe burgers on the grill. Thank you.
Yum! This sounds delicious!
I love do-ahead recipes. Especially on the busiest cooking day of the year! A winning one for turkey day !
I adore all of the step by step instructions here. This looks absolutely delicious!
This gravy looks absolutely delicious and so inviting! Love all the flavors used in this gravy! I cannot wait to make this for our Thanksgiving feast! YUM!!!!
So many times I skip making gravy because I just don’t feel like making it but this one sounds amazing! Love your tips by the way :)!
I love the idea of having maple in gravy.
It’s not overpowering at all. Subtle.
This make ahead gravy would be perfect with my make ahead mashed potatoes. The flavor of this gravy sounds amazing and these ingredients are definitely going on my Thanksgiving shopping list.
I don’t think I have ever had a gravy with sweet added to it. I absolutely love this idea and will be trying it the next time I make turkey!
It’s not overly sweet, Lauren — actually, it just balances everything else.