Giblet Gravy

No Thanksgiving table is complete without a gravy boat filled to the brim with a savory, meaty sauce, For many Southerners, that gravy simply must be giblet gravy.

Rich, savory, and meaty, giblet gravy is made with turkey giblets, the odds and ends of a turkey after it's been prepped for purchase. Most turkey growers and farmers still include the bag of giblets with their birds, but if your turkey comes without its giblets, ask the butcher for some just so you can make this Southern classic.

Giblet gravy really should be cooked the same day as the turkey, not ahead of time. You need the pan dripping from the roasted turkey itself to complete the dish. But we've got some tips for getting ahead a bit so your Thanksgiving Day isn't so hectic. Plus, see step-by-step photos of how to make giblet gravy so yours will turn out rich and perfect.

Giblet Gravy: An Old-Fashioned Southern Favorite

Southerners are industrious cooks. Waste not, want not, as the old saying goes. And while many cooks overlook the sack of giblets inside the turkey cavity, Southerners know the secret of giblets: They make the best gravy.

Boiled until tender, cooked giblets are chopped up and added back to a gravy that's made with pan drippings, rich turkey stock, and loads of seasonings. Many people also add a hard-boiled egg or two. If you're boiling a dozen for deviled eggs, you can spare some for this gravy.

What Are Giblets?

Giblets generally include the liver, gizzard, kidneys, and heart. They come in a paper or plastic packet tucked inside the cavity of most whole turkeys, whether fresh or frozen, along with the neck.

Not everyone enjoys the strong, distinctive taste of turkey liver in their giblet gravy, so don’t use it if you don’t like it.

If you do want to use the liver, don’t add it to the broth when you cook the other giblets because it can turn the broth bitter. Instead, you should simmer the liver separately in a little salted water until tender, mash it with a fork, and stir it into the gravy right before serving.

Giblet Gravy Ingredients

Besides the giblets themselves, most of the ingredients for this gravy are already in your fridge or pantry if you're prepped for Thanksgiving. You'll use some of the turkey's drippings for the final ingredient. Here's what you'll need:

• Giblets: Check that your turkey has them included. If not, ask the butcher if they have any you can buy. One set is usually enough for a family (this recipe makes about 3 cups). If you're serving a bigger crew, get extra.
• Turkey broth: Have some leftover from last year? Here's a good chance to use it, or buy store-bought.
• Onion, carrot, and celery: Seasoning ingredients that add a backbone of flavor to the broth while they simmer with the giblets.
• Bay leaf and dried thyme; These herbs don't overwhelm the gravy's other flavors.
• Pan drippings: You'll need the turkey's drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan.
• Butter: If your turkey doesn't make enough drippings, supplement with butter.
• All-purpose flour: This creates the roux, the part of the gravy that makes it thick and rich.
• Hard-cooked eggs: Ultimately, these are optional, but they're classic.
• Salt and pepper: For final seasoning.

How To Make Giblet Gravy

Most of the work of making giblet gravy is in the boiling, which is all hands-off time. But there are a few important steps to get it right. Here's a brief outline of the process. The full recipe with step-by-step photos is below:

1. Combine the giblets in a saucepan with broth, celery, onion, carrot, and seasonings. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 1 hour.
2. Strain the giblets over a bowl, reserving the turkey broth. Don't dispose of it. Pour the broth back into the saucepan, and keep warm.
3. Chop the giblets, and remove as much meat as possible from the neck. Discard remaining solids. Set meat aside.
4. Transfer about 4 tablespoons of pan drippings from the roasting pan into a separate saucepan. If you don't have enough, add butter to get to 4 tablespoons.
5. Pour some of the broth into the turkey roasting pan, and loosen up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Strain the broth through a sieve, adding the broth back to the saucepan with the other broth. Discard any solids.
6. Add flour to the pan drippings and/or butter, and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes to cook the flour. Add the broth to the flour-fat mixture, and cook until it's become thicker.
7. When the gravy's thickness nears the right consistency for you, add the giblets, eggs, and salt and pepper to the gravy, and stir.
   

Variations

For the most flavorful gravy, use homemade broth that has reduced until it’s golden brown and tastes like turkey. That can be made ahead (even frozen up to three months in advance) with separately purchased turkey wings. Bony pieces add the most body to the broth.

If you want a gravy that is even more rich and creamy, stir some heavy cream into the gravy just before serving. While the gravy on its own is thick and savory, the added cream will put it over the top.

For extra flavor, stir some minced shallots into the saucepan with the pan drippings and butter, and sauté until translucent before adding the flour to make the roux.

Make-Ahead Tips

Make-ahead gravy is a great timesaver, but you really can't make giblet gravy too far in advance because you need the pan drippings from the turkey (unless you also cook the turkey in advance). But we have a few tips if you want to get ahead on some of the recipe:

• Complete the recipe through Step 5 (cooking and chopping the giblets). Store the broth and giblets in the fridge until ready to use. Then, when you have the turkey drippings, you can pick up at Step 6 to complete the recipe.
• If you really need to get ahead, you can use all butter or butter and bacon fat or drippings from a roasted chicken in place of the turkey drippings.

How To Serve Giblet Gravy

Giblet gravy belongs on the Thanksgiving table beside the roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, and cornbread dressing.

More Southern Thanksgiving Favorites

Finish out the Thanksgiving selections with the favorite dishes Southerners know and love:

• Hashbrown Casserole
• Pineapple Casserole
• Cranberry Fluff
• Buttermilk Spoon Bread
• Candied Sweet Potatoes