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Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

Make-ahead turkey gravy starts with roasted turkey wings and homemade stock, then simmers with a butter-and-flour roux until smooth and spoon-coating. Make it ahead, refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 1 minute
Total Time 3 hours 21 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the turkey stock
  • 3 lb turkey wings
  • 1 yellow onion medium, quartered
  • 1 carrot large, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 celery ribs, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic smashed
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 8 cups water plus more as needed to make 6 cups stock
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 thyme sprigs, fresh
For the gravy
  • 9 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 9 tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups turkey stock strained
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • 1 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet
  • 1 8-quart stockpot
  • 1 4-quart saucepan

Method
 

Make the turkey stock
  1. Heat the oven to 425°F.
  2. On an 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheet, toss the turkey wings, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic with the oil.
  3. Roast for 45 to 55 minutes, turning the wings once, until deeply browned.
  4. Pour 2 cups of the measured water onto the baking sheet and scrape up the browned bits.
  5. Transfer the wings, vegetables, and liquid to an 8-quart stockpot; add the remaining 6 cups water, bay leaves, and thyme.
  6. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 2 hours.
  7. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a 3-quart heatproof bowl and discard the solids.
  8. Measure 6 cups of stock, adding water if there is less or simmering the stock to reduce it if there is more.
Make the gravy
  1. Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Whisk in the flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until smooth and pale golden.
  3. Gradually whisk in the 6 cups stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  4. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, whisking often, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
  5. Stir in the salt and pepper.
Store and reheat
  1. Transfer the gravy to shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.
  2. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
  3. Thaw frozen gravy overnight in the refrigerator.
  4. Reheat the gravy in a saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking often, for 8 to 12 minutes or until it reaches 165°F.

Notes

For the best texture, measure the strained stock and adjust it to exactly 6 cups before making the roux. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For a gluten-free option, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.