Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

Save time on Thanksgiving Day by making your gravy in advance. This make-ahead turkey gravy is just as delicious as its day-of counterparts, but it's far more convenient.

Make-Ahead Gravy Ingredients

This make-ahead gravy starts with turkey wings roasted with quartered onions. The wings and onions are combined with other ingredients (water, broth, carrots, and thyme) to make a flavorful stock, which is thickened with flour and butter. The make-ahead gravy is finished with a pinch of ground black pepper.

How to Make Gravy Ahead of Time

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below – but here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this make-ahead turkey gravy:

1. Roast the turkey: Arrange the turkey wings in a roasting pan and scatter quartered onions on top. Roast until the meat is brown, then transfer the wings and onions to a large stockpot.
2. Make stock: Add water to the pan and scrape up the browned bits. Pour the water (with the browned bits) into the pot along with six cups of broth, carrots, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 90 minutes. Discard and/or save meat and cooked vegetables.
3. Make gravy: Skim and discard the fat. Bring to a gentle boil. Whisk the flour into the reserved broth, then whisk the mixture into the simmering broth. Continue to simmer until the gravy thickens. Add the butter and pepper.

How to Reheat Make-Ahead Gravy

When you're ready to serve, transfer the gravy to a skillet and reheat slowly over low heat on the stove. Stir frequently until the gravy is simmering.

Can You Freeze Make-Ahead Gravy?

Spoon the cooled gravy into zip-top bags. Label the bags with the date and lay flat in the freezer. Freeze for up to four months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stove.

If you plan to reheat the gravy in smaller amounts, consider freezing it in ice cube trays. Once it's frozen, transfer the cubes to zip-top bags and freeze flat.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"We always deep fry our turkeys, so this recipe is great for us," says dockgirl. "And even if you don't, it's sure nice not to be in the kitchen making gravy at the last minute before serving dinner!"

"This is the best gravy," according to LuvYankee46. "I saved the fat from the top and used cornstarch instead of flour at the end. This is going to save so much time and reduce the stress of making gravy after the turkey is done."

"This recipe saves me every Thanksgiving," says JODI. "It's fabulous, and I love that I can make it a couple weeks before and freeze. It's almost impossible to mess up and consistently delicious. It saves me the gravy drama on Thanksgiving Day."

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams