Make Ahead Turkey Gravy
Rich, flavorful turkey gravy made from a deeply browned chicken wing stock, ready for your holiday table.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken wings cut into 3 pieces each, 680 g
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 30 ml
- 1 large onion quartered
- 1 large carrot cut into large chunks
- 2 celery stalks cut into large chunks
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 fresh sage leaves
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/4 cup dry red wine 60 ml
- 6 cups water 1.4 L
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 42 g
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 25 g
- 1 teaspoon brown miso paste
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add the chicken wing pieces in a single layer and cook until deeply browned on all sides. Remove the wings to a plate and set aside.
- Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are well-browned, about 8-10 minutes. Getting a dark color on the onions is key for a rich flavor.
- Return the chicken wings to the pot. Add the thyme, sage, and whole peppercorns. Pour in the red wine to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Add the 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 1 hour. After an hour, turn off the heat and let the stock rest, still covered, for 30 minutes.
- Strain the stock through a colander or coarse-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, discarding the solids. Bring the strained stock to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until it has reduced to about 3 cups, which takes about 30 minutes. This concentrates the flavor.
- In a separate medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour to form a paste, or roux. Cook, whisking constantly, for 3-5 minutes until the roux is a light golden brown and smells nutty.
- Take 2 cups of your warm, reduced stock. Whisk the miso paste, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and ground black pepper into the stock until smooth.
- While whisking the roux constantly, slowly pour the seasoned stock into the saucepan. Continue whisking to prevent lumps.
- Increase the heat to medium and bring the gravy to a gentle simmer. Cook, whisking often, for about 5 minutes, until the gravy has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Taste and season with salt as needed. For an extra-smooth finish, strain the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve before serving or storing.
Notes
Using a heavy-bottomed pot like a Dutch oven is important for browning the ingredients without scorching.
For even more turkey flavor on the day of serving, you can whisk in a few tablespoons of defatted pan drippings from your roasted turkey.
The stock can be made and frozen on its own. Just complete steps 1-5, then cool and freeze the stock for up to 3 months. Thaw it before proceeding with the recipe.
For the smoothest possible gravy, don't skip the final strain through a fine-mesh sieve. It removes any small bits of herbs or potential lumps.