Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy From Roasted Wings and Drippings

Make the gravy before Thanksgiving, from roasted turkey wings, and the hardest job of the day disappears. You roast the wings until deep brown, simmer them into a rich stock, thicken it with a butter and flour roux, then refrigerate or freeze it. On the day, you reheat it and whisk in the drippings from your roast turkey for the last layer of flavour.

Makes: about 6 cups (1.4 L), enough for 12 to 16 people Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: about 4 hours, mostly hands-off (75 minutes roasting, 2½ hours simmering, 20 minutes for the gravy) Contains: gluten (flour), dairy (butter). Swaps below.

Why wings

Wings are mostly skin, bone and connective tissue, which is exactly what makes a stock full-bodied: the collagen turns into gelatin as it simmers, so the gravy coats a spoon and has a silky feel. They are also cheap and easy to find in November. Add the neck from your turkey if you have it by the time you cook.

Ingredients

For the stock:

• 3 to 4 lb (1.4 to 1.8 kg) turkey wings, cut at the joints if large
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil
• 1 large onion (about 10 oz / 280 g), quartered, skin on
• 2 medium carrots (about 7 oz / 200 g), cut in chunks
• 2 celery ribs (about 4 oz / 110 g), cut in chunks
• 10 cups (2.4 L) cold water, plus 1 cup (240 ml) for the pan
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns

For the gravy:

• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, or the fat skimmed from the chilled stock
• ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
• 6 cups (1.4 L) of the turkey wing stock
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce, optional, for depth (contains soy and usually wheat)

On the day:

• The defatted drippings from your roast turkey

Steps

1. Roast the wings. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the wings, onion, carrots and celery with the oil in a roasting pan or on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 60 to 75 minutes, turning once, until the wings are deep brown all over. Colour is flavour here: pale wings make pale, thin-tasting gravy.
2. Deglaze the pan. Move the wings and vegetables to a large stockpot. Pour 1 cup (240 ml) water into the hot pan and scrape up every browned bit with a wooden spoon. Pour it all into the pot.
3. Simmer. Add the 10 cups (2.4 L) of water, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Bring just to a boil, then turn it down so only a few bubbles break the surface. Simmer uncovered for 2½ hours. A hard boil churns the fat into the liquid and makes the stock cloudy and greasy.
4. Strain and chill. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing gently on the solids. You should have about 6 cups (1.4 L); if you have less, top up with water, and if more, simmer it down. Cool it quickly by setting the pot in a sink of iced water, then refrigerate. Once cold, the fat sets on top; lift it off and save it if you want to use it in place of butter.
5. Make the roux. Melt the butter (or turkey fat) in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, for 4 to 5 minutes, until it smells nutty and turns the colour of peanut butter. This is a blond roux; the full method, and why cooking the flour matters, is in our guide to making a roux.
6. Add the stock. Pour in about 1 cup (240 ml) of stock and whisk hard until smooth and thick. Keep adding stock a cup at a time, whisking each one in before the next. Adding it gradually is what keeps the gravy free of lumps.
7. Simmer and season. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until it coats the back of a spoon. Add the soy sauce if using, then salt and pepper. Season lightly: the drippings you add on the day are salty, especially from a brined bird.

Storing the gravy

Cool the gravy quickly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. FoodSafety.gov's storage chart gives gravy and meat broth 1 to 2 days in the fridge and 2 to 3 months in the freezer for best quality. So:

• Making it on Tuesday or Wednesday of Thanksgiving week: refrigerate it.
• Making it any earlier: freeze it, in freezer bags laid flat or in containers with a little headspace. Move it to the fridge on Tuesday night to thaw.

Gravy that has been frozen can look separated or grainy when it thaws. Whisking it as it reheats brings it back together.

On Thanksgiving Day

1. While the turkey roasts, put the gravy in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a rolling boil, as the USDA recommends for reheating gravy, whisking now and then. Then turn it down to the lowest heat to stay warm.
2. When the turkey comes out to rest, pour the pan drippings into a heatproof jug and let the fat rise for a few minutes. Spoon or pour off the fat.
3. Set the empty roasting pan over a burner on medium heat, add ½ cup (120 ml) of the hot gravy and scrape up the browned bits. Pour that and the defatted drippings into the gravy. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, taste and adjust the salt.

If you are new to the roast itself, our guide to roasting a turkey covers timing by weight and where the thermometer goes.

Swaps

• Gluten-free: skip the roux. Bring the stock to a simmer and whisk in 6 tablespoons (48 g) cornstarch stirred into ½ cup (120 ml) cold water. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes until thick; cornstarch thins again if boiled for long. Leave out the soy sauce or use a gluten-free tamari.
• Dairy-free: use the fat skimmed from the chilled stock, or a neutral oil, in place of the butter.
• Thinner or thicker: whisk in more hot stock to thin it. To thicken, simmer it down, or whisk in 1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water.
• No turkey drippings (cooking a breast, or smoking the bird): the gravy is good on its own. Simmer a few extra minutes to concentrate it.

Fixing problems

• Lumpy: pour it through a fine sieve, or blend it briefly.
• Greasy: let it settle off the heat for a minute and skim the fat from the top.
• Bland: it usually needs salt. A splash of the soy sauce, or a little more reduction, helps too.