Did you know that is possible to make your gravy recipe early and freeze it for the holidays. This gravy hack can be done by using turkey (or chicken) wings for your base. You won’t believe how delicious this recipe!
I’m back with another make-ahead recipe for Thanksgiving Day today.
This week I am sharing a fantastic Make-Ahead Gravy recipe that you can have waiting in your freezer for the big day.
I am excited about this recipe because it provides, yet again, one more dish that you can create to make your day as stress-free as possible.
To begin this recipe and create the base, without the turkey, you can use chicken or turkey wings and add onions that you roast in your oven to make those magical drippings that you need to create the base of this gravy recipe.
I was not able to locate turkey wings at our market so I substituted with the always available chicken wings.
Don’t be surprised if your kitchen already smells like Thanksgiving with just the base of this recipe!
Be sure to scrap those delicious pan drippings up from your dutch oven or roasting pan. These stuck on bits are what make your dressing so rich and flavorful. They also add a rich golden brown hue to your gravy.
Add chopped carrots, celery, fresh herbs, turkey or chicken stock, and a little poultry seasoning, salt, and ground pepper. All these additions really help to round out the flavorings in this make-ahead dish.
Allow this to simmer, stirring occasionally, for one-and-a-half hours. Add the flour mixture to the gravy to thicken. After straining, you can whisk in the flour and cook whisking constantly.
When reheating, simply warm in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until warmed. I like to put mine in saucepan over medium high heat.
There you have it, an easy make-ahead gravy that makes eight cups of delicious gravy for the big day!
Note: This should yield approximately five cups of gravy!
Make-Ahead Gravy
Recipe Type: Side
Author: Adapted Slightly from AllRecipes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 15-20
Don’t panic about the gravy this year! Try this easy make-ahead gravy recipe that makes eight cups of gravy for your Thanksgiving feast.
- 6 turkey or chicken wings
- 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
- 2 tablespooons olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 2 quarts chicken broth, divided
- 3/4 cup chopped carrot
- 1-2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme (leave on the stem and add to the pot)
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange a single layer of turkey or chicken wings in a large roasting pan. Scatter the onions over the top of the wings. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the preheated oven for 1-1/4 hours or until wings are browned.
- Place browned wings and onions in a 5 quart stockpot. Add water to roasting pan and stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour the the water from the pan into the stockpot. Stir in 6 cups broth, carrot, thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper (to taste). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.
- Remove wings from the pot and place on a cutting board. When the wings are cool, pull off the skin and meat. Discard the skin and save the meat for another use. Strain contents of stockpot through a large strainer into a 3 quart saucepan. Press on the vegetables to extract any remaining liquid. Discard the vegetables and skim the fat off the liquid. Bring the contents of the pot to a gentle boil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour into the remaining 2 cups chicken broth until smooth. Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the simmering turkey broth; simmer 3-4 minutes or until the gravy has thickened. Stir in the butter and pepper. Serve immediately or pour into containers and refrigerate or freeze.
3.2.2124
Looking for more Thanksgiving Make-Ahead Dishes? Here are a few of my favorites!
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This post contains affiliate links.
Pin It