This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
Stressed over upcoming holiday meals? This Make-Ahead Gravy is the real deal! Made with roasted chicken wings, carrots, onions, fresh herbs and broth, it's not only super delicious, it makes entertaining so much easier!
This make-ahead gravy is a lifesaver, and I'll be the first one to testify!
You might think, being a food blogger, that I'm an expert Thanksgiving cooker. Not so. Years ago, when my children were young, I made a deal with my mother-in-law. Since our children, Cait and Nick, both had birthdays at the end of November, I asked if she (Nanny) would "do" Thanksgiving each year and, in return, I would be the Christmas chef.
It worked like a charm, with her being responsible annually for the Thanksgiving turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes. I had fun coming up with a few sides and dessert and the joint effort produced a wonderful meal.
The problem came many years later when Nanny got too old to take on all the stress of a big dinner. By that time, the kids had grown up, so I didn't think it would be a big deal for me to take over Thanksgiving. Was I ever wrong!
My first attempt to "do" it all was quite a frenzy. I had no idea about all the timing that was involved, getting the turkey done just right, the mashed potatoes perfectly timed and that darn gravy. I didn't understand how tricky it was to prepare it at the very last minute when so many other things needed attention too. I survived, but my gratitude to Nanny was greater than ever!
Make-ahead is the best-kept secret
I'm still not an expert when it comes to Thanksgiving but I've learned a few tricks over the years that make it much easier. Anything that can be made ahead is a huge bonus and, if it tastes just as good as when it's done at the last minute, that's even better!
Our Slow Cooker Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes have become quite beloved with many Café readers who love this, not only for the convenience but the fact that this recipe can be made a day or two in advance and warmed up while the turkey finishes roasting.
This make-ahead gravy is another one of those Thanksgiving Day stress relievers. Trying to make gravy from pan drippings while making sure the turkey doesn't get cold and all the other sides are timed perfectly can set even the best cook's head spinning.
Before Anthony Bourdain (the world-renowned chef) passed away, I heard one of his podcasts. He shared that it was easier for him to cook dinner for 300 at his restaurant than to get it all together for a Thanksgiving dinner at home. That made me feel a little better about not being a super pro when it comes to Thanksgiving!
Make the gravy a day or two in advance
This make-ahead gravy is the antithesis of stress. Prepare the gravy a day or two in advance, or a week before and freeze it till the big day. Just warm it up before serving and then; act cool, calm and collected, like you do this every day!
The gravy's made with chicken wings, carrots and onions, all roasted to golden deliciousness and then simmered in chicken broth with fresh herbs to draw out all the wonderful "real deal" flavor. It can be made anytime you have a few hours at home. Almost all of it is "hands-off" time, so you can just enjoy the wonderful aroma that fills your home as you tend to other things.
This make-ahead gravy not only reduces stress but it's also great for grilled or deep-fried turkeys
Our daughter, Cait, and her family lived in London for 8 years. During this adventure overseas, she was (in a way) forced to start a new Thanksgiving tradition which has turned out to be a keeper. The ovens in most British homes are too small for a big American-size turkey, so for their first Thanksgiving overseas, she decided to grill the turkey. It turned out so delicious, she never turned back. Now that the family is back in the States (yay!) and Cait has a large oven, the tradition of grilled turkey still lives on!
Which is another wonderful reason for make-ahead gravy. When you grill, smoke or deep fry a turkey you don't get the good turkey drippings, which make for delicious gravy. Sure, you can purchase gravy in a jar at the grocery store or make a quick gravy from chicken broth, but it's nothing like the real thing. This make-ahead gravy is loaded with delicious, real-deal flavor and (if you don't tell), I have a feeling, not a soul will know you didn't labor over the hot turkey pan!
Café Tips for preparing this Make-Ahead Gravy
- Don't use a deep-sided pan to roast the chicken wings. You want the oven heat to be able to get at the wings and work its caramelization magic. A deep pan will cause the wings to steam rather than roast. A heavy-duty sheet pan (I love these Oxo sheet pans) or a shallow-sided roasting pan will work best.
- In lots of recipes I like to line the pan I'm using with foil for easy cleanup. Not with this make-ahead gravy recipe. You want to be able to scrape up all the delicious fond (the brown stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pan) after the chicken wings and veggies are roasted to give that wonderful (real-deal) flavor to your gravy.
- Be sure to purchase whole chicken wings for this Make-Ahead Gravy. Wings are sold either whole or separately as drummettes, wingettes and/or tips. You want the whole wings, as the smaller parts will tend to roast too fast and you won't get the wonderful fond.
- If you don't have both fresh rosemary and sage, it's fine to just use one or the other. Although fresh herbs add great flavor, you could also use a teaspoon of poultry seasoning when simmering the wings, in lieu of the rosemary and sage.
- The recipe makes a quart of gravy, so there should be plenty for everyone. If you're serving a huge crowd, you might want to double the recipe. If you do make a double batch, use two sheet pans or roasting pans, so the wings can still brown nicely.
- I like Wondra flour for gravy and sauces. It's just ground finer and helps prevent lumps. All-purpose flour will work fine though, just follow the tip below.
- At the very end of the recipe, be sure to add the flour mixture slowly. This will thicken the gravy to your desired consistency but can cause lumping, if it's added too fast. If you get impatient and end up with small lumps, you can put the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve. Just push on any lumps at the end to get all the good gravy through the sieve.
Scroll Down for the Recipe - or Save It to Your Inbox
We’ll email you the recipe so it’s easy to save, print, or share.
Make-Ahead Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds chicken wings
- 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 medium carrots, scrubbed (no need to peel) and cut into approximately 2-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 8 cups chicken broth, divided
- 1 large bay leaf
- 4 medium size fresh sage leaves
- 2 4- inch sprigs fresh rosemary
- 6 tablespoons flour (preferably Wondra flour but all-purpose will also work).
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Arrange wings, onions and carrots on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread everything out to a single layer.
- Roast wings and veggies 1- 1 ¼ hours until wings are golden brown.
- Transfer wings and vegetables to a large Dutch oven or stockpot.
- Add 1 cup of the broth to roasting (sheet) pan and let sit for 10 minutes, then stir to scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom. Transfer this liquid to the Dutch oven.
- Add 6 ½ cups of the broth (reserve ½ cup), bay leaf, sage and rosemary to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Reduce to a slow but steady simmer and cook, uncovered 1 hour.
- Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days.
- When ready to use, skim the fat off broth and discard. Transfer broth to a large saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer.
- Whisk flour into the remaining ½ cup of broth until smooth and lump-free. To avoid lumpy gravy, SLOWLY pour flour mixture into simmering broth, WHILE WHISKING CONTINUOUSLY, until desired consistency is reached (you might not use all of the flour mixture). Simmer for 2-3 minutes longer. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately or keep warm till ready to serve. Gravy can also be frozen for up to 4 months.
Notes
Nutrition
Shop Our Café Loves
We’ve gathered our favorite kitchen tools, tableware, and entertaining treasures in one place, the Café Loves store. It’s a wonderful spot to find something special for yourself or the cooks and hosts you love!
Can I freeze the broth/gravy after I strain it for a month? Thanks for your help.
Hi Jane, yes, that will work!
Turned out delicious! Great way to lessen the last minute chores of getting dinner on the table. Thank you! I love your recipes!
Awesome! Thank you for the review, Sarah!
My go to for several years. Delicious and it gets raves at the table! Love that it's make ahead. I use Wondra flour to help avoid lumping.
Wonderful! Thank you for the review, Linda!
I have gluten free guests... can I use cornstarch for this gravy recipe and, if so, how much in lieu of flour?
Thank you!
Hi Linda, yes, cornstarch will work. You'll need a little less cornstarch (it has more thickening ability) but I haven't tested this recipe with cornstarch so I can't give you and exact amount.
Can't wait to try this recipe!
Two questions please:
- Can I make this a week or so before Thanksgiving and freeze it?
- We have a guest to Thanksgiving dinner who is gluten intolerant. Do you think this recipe would be okay using a high quality GF flour?
Hi Judy, yes, this can be made ahead of time and frozen. There are directions for that in the post.
Regarding the GF flour, you will have better success with cornstarch as GF flour doesn't have the same thickening ability as AP flour.
Chris. I am getting ready to make this today, due to time constraints next weekend. I will freeze the broth/stock.
After I put it in the fridge, should I skim off the fat on top to freeze?
Obviously, I will make the gravy itself on Thanksgiving day.
Thank you in advance for your help. Love the new website. HappyThanksgiving.
Hi JK, you could skim off some of the fat if there’s a lot,but don’t skim all of it because that adds a lot of flavor
Rice flour works great and gluten-free gravy and does not lump like wheat flour. You can probably use the same measurements.
Loved this recipe. Everything went well on day 1 making the broth. I had chicken legs and it worked great. On the second day, I ran into a problem where I added the flour a table spoon at a time and after 2 T. it was clear it was clumping, even after adding the flour through a sifter. Maybe still to fast? After straining through cheesecloth I had nice broth, but too thin. So I made a roux with some butter and the remaining flour. And added some white wine. It tastes so good!!! And I'll definitely make it again, just with the roux method. I'm now looking for other meals to add this to as it tastes so great! Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Alex, so sorry you had trouble with this recipe. Did you combine the flour with the chicken broth before adding it to the gravy? Whisking that until it’s nice and smooth should prevent any lumping.
I’m glad you were still able to enjoy it!
I cannot thank you enough for your recipe for Make-Ahead Gravy!!! Cooking a Thanksgiving meal for my family is a joy for me with one exception…..gravy! Just way too stressful to be making it with turkey drippings at a busy busy time in the kitchen. Your recipe truly is the real deal and filled with complex flavors. My son- in-law is an executive chef and I always felt like hiding the pre-made gravy container from the store. Not this year! I impressed the professional chef! Thanks for making me proud of my entire meal!!!
Patti R.
Awesome! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, Patti!
I'm surprised and a little nervous that the flour goes into the broth without cooking it first. Is the warm broth enough to cook the raw taste out of it?
Hi Vicki, simmering the gravy for 2-3 minutes takes care of the raw flour taste.
Can I use chicken necks instead of wings?
Yes, chicken necks will work fine!
I'm sending you a great big HUG! Gravy has always been my nemesis. I did not change a thing and it turned out great. It's in my freezer waiting on Thanksgiving. You saved me a load of stress and work on Thanksgiving day. Thank you!
That's great, Polly! Thank you for letting us know!
I finished making gravy according to your make ahead recipe this afternoon, and just threw out the recipe I have been using for the last few years. Yours is delicious and superior by far! I did use my homemade chicken stock, which never hurts, and I cut back on the fresh rosemary by half as sometimes it overpowers.
Thank you, thank you.
Wonderful! Thank you for letting us know, Martha!
Hi I made my list of ingredients as I want to make this make-ahead gravy for Christmas. Since I don't have the energy I used to have everything I make for Christmas Dinner, except the turkey and cole slaw, needs to be made ahead of time and freezing does not alter the flavor of any recipe. Question: I roast my turkey in the oven and I would like to add the drippings to the made-ahead gravy. Does this make sense to you? Thanks.
Yes, that would work great and would be delicious, Josephine!
I hate to buck the trend of very positive ratings here, but I made this gravy for Thanksgiving, and followed the recipe precisely. Unfortunately, although it looked like a nice gravy, the result was bland and not good at all. I was very unimpressed, especially since it took quite a bit of effort to produce.
So sorry, you didn't enjoy it, Susan. You're right, so many others have loved it.
Chris, I had already purchased turkey thighs, wings and necks by the time I found this recipe. However, I did follow your directions. My question is: did you get much liquid from roasting the chicken wings (that can be skimmed), before you finished broth in the Dutch oven?
I didn't have much liquid from roasting the turkey parts and wondered if I used chicken wings if I would have that to be able to get more flavor. Thank you.
Hi Jk, you don't get a ton of liquid when you roast the wings but it's the fond in the pan that you scrape up with some broth that gives the delicious flavor.
Thanks Chris, sounds good
Chris, here we are a year later... I have just completed taking down shutters from hurricane Nicole, we were very fortunate in south Florida due to her turning north at the last minute. Between the prep for Nicole and Ian it's been a busy few weeks. The prep is very time consuming as is the undoing. With that said I am a bit behind in my T-day prep work.'
My question is: can the meat be roasted and broth made be done any earlier than 2 days before completing the actual gravy?
I realize I could freeze the broth, however, I am not one to freezes food, never happy with outcome. Thanks Chris and Happy Thanksgiving
Bless Your heart! Having to go through these storms is a nightmare sometimes. No wonder you are not up to your normal schedule. I hope you and your home are now all right.
Hi JK, I think you could safely make the broth 4-5 days ahead and refrigerate it.
Absolutely wonderful and a life-saver the last 2 years! This is my go-to. Thank you!
Yay! Thanks so much, Carol!
This was excellent, thanks for the idea! My daughter stole part of the broth for ramen before I got a chance to make it into gravy and we still had enough. Next time I’m making two batches and freezing it for later. It has a lot of possibilities. 😊
Awesome! Thanks for your review, Meg!
Happy Thanksgiving Chris,
I took your suggestion & used chicken legs & thighs as wings were not available. Made the broth yesterday but will complete the gravy tomorrow. Can't wait to taste the finished gravy. The broth itself is delicious. I've tried many variations of make ahead gravy over the years but this is the best by far. It will be my "go to" from now on. I could not bear to waste all that yummy chicken so I was able to save what I needed for another chili recipe
Yay! Thanks for letting us know, Candace!
This gravy was delicious--very flavorful and a smooth texture. I made half a recipe this week to try it out with your make ahead mashed potatoes---equally yummy! I am going to make another batch to freeze for Thanksgiving. I am also making your brioche rolls for the freezer.
Now I will only have to worry about the turkey on Thanksgiving morning. I am wondering if I can cook the wings and veggies in a roaster with the lid on instead of roasting on a sheet pan. My oven was a mess afterwards! Thanks!
Hi Chris,
I want to make the "make-ahead gravy" for Thanksgiving but I am having trouble finding whole chicken wings in my area. Could I use the drumettes or chicken thighs or a leg/thigh combination? Help! Thanks for any suggestions you may have.
Yes, you definitely could use a combination of legs and thighs.
Hi, my question is in regards to the chicken, veg, herb leftovers from the stock pot. I noticed one poster used those to make a risotto. Do you have other suggestions for these? Thanks.
Hi Virginia, you could definitely try making risotto but, in my experience, the leftovers have given off much of their flavor.
I first used this recipe for Thanksgiving two years ago. I failed to make a comment then, but I just made it again for this Thanksgiving and I really wanted to let you know how much I liked it. I actually used turkey wings and legs and doubled the recipe. Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly as written. I got two beautiful quarts (plus one cup) of turkey gravy. And it is delicious! There are many make ahead gravy recipes out there, but trust me, this is the one you want to use. I usually make gravy from turkey drippings after the bird comes out of the oven, but I like having “back up” gravy…just in case of an unforeseen disaster on the day of. In our house, you can’t have Thanksgiving dinner or leftovers without the gravy!
Thank you so much for sharing your review, Sandi!
Hi Chris, Just want to clarify...Can I make the gravy all the way (add flour and thicken) before freezing, or does that need to be done on the day or maybe day before? Thanks!!!
Hi DC, you can actually do it either way although I prefer to thicken it on the day of or a day before.
Hi Chris. I am so excited to find this recipe and can't wait to try it. My only problem is my hubby is a huge fan of giblet gravy... Any suggestions as to how I might include them? I'm thinking I might roast the giblets with the turkey then just cut them up and add them when I heat the gravy up. Thoughts?
Hi Stephanie, I think that it would work well exactly the way you suggested! Hope you have a happy and delicious Thanksgiving!
I am very interested in trying this gravy recipe!! If I make it and freeze it one month ahead, how do you recommend thawing and re-heating it? Thank You!
Hi Christine, you can thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and then warm it on low heat until it's nice and hot.
Hello,
Do you use homemade chicken broth or store bought chicken broth? If you do use store bought, would you kindly share what brand? Thank you so much.
Hi Candice, I use Trader Joe's low sodium organic chicken broth. I really like the flavor and the pretty color but honestly, I think any good chicken broth would work well here as you're kind of making your own delicious homemade broth with this recipe.
Hi Chris,
I’ve been making my gravy ahead for many years
I use the same technique but I buy turkey wings or legs and use turkey broth (kitchen basics)
Sounds delish!
Thank you for all of your great recipes! I've been making this gravy for years with great results. The only thing I do differently is pay the high price for turkey wings because the recipe I've been following all these years called for them. Next year I'll go with the chicken wings. Thanks!
Thanks so much, Joanne. It's wonderful to have the gravy done ahead!
I love your recipes. I have made this but use a combination of Turkey wings and necks. Everything else is the same, delicious!
Thanks, Liz! Sounds wonderful!
Hi Chris-- I love your recipes and this sounds like another winner. I have just one question. Can you use cornstarch instead of the flour? My traditional turkey gravy I use cornstarch and never have issues with lumps at all.
Thanks in advancce,
Priscilla
Yes, you could definitely use cornstarch, Priscilla! They both work!
If you use corn starch instead of flour, would you use the same amount? I'm interested in subbing the cornstarch because my husband has Celiac...thanks in advance, I have yet to be disappointed by a single recipe of yours!
Hi Lucy, thanks so much!
You won't need as much cornstarch. I would mix up about 4 tablespoons of cornstarch in the ½ cup of broth. You may not need all of the mixture. Add it slowly and stir well until you reach your desired consistency!
Happy Thanksgiving!
This sounds like a great recipe that I think I will try for Thursday! I, too, can’t eat wheat. There is a great article on realsimple.com about how to use various thickeners including cornstarch, arrowroot, and various other gluten-free options.
Hi Chris I am in the process of making this amazing recipe and I just thought I would mention that you omitted the bay leaves out of your ingredients. I am so excited to see the end result. It smells amazing already xoxo
Thanks so much, Beverly! I will amend the recipe to include the bay leaves! I appreciate you letting me know 🙂
Am so happy I stumbled onto your website and made the delicious “make ahead gravy”. It is a great find and thank you so much for
sharing your information about the recipes. NEXT for my grandchildren will be making the Christmas cookies.
That's awesome, Mary. I just made the make-ahead gravy myself! Have fun with those kiddies!
Hi Scott and Chris!!! Yippee kye oooooooooh!!!! You guys rock! This was one of the best gravy recipes PERIOD! A deliciously velvet gift for the palate! Making this was a pure joy, and the house was filled with the most amazing aroma of herbs and magic! Using a braising pot is absolutely necessary to make the wings cook evenly. The wing meat, carrots, and onions were used to make an awesome risotto afterwards.
When you stop to think about it, making this ahead of time was perfect, in that you have the gift of time and you can be relaxed, and really enjoy the process of putting love and joy into an important part of the meal..........besides, naked mashed potatoes? Nev-va!!!! Christmas blessings to you and your family!
Great recipe and similar to what I do each year, but with some great tips that make it better. During the year I buy rotisserie chickens that are all natural to use the meat in casseroles, etc. I freeze the bones, skin, etc. from these in a big bag. When it’s gravy time, I roast all these “extras” until deep brown so I have my own chicken broth for this recipe. I love making big batches of gravy so I can send everyone home a container with their leftover dressing and turkey. Thanks for this great recipe. My thanksgiving dinners are pretty much all done ahead of time and frozen including dressing, cranberries, gravy, and mashed potatoes.
Bravo to you, sounds like you having Thanksgiving all figured out!
We always smoke a turkey and rarely have gravy. One year we had friends over and he was carving the turkey. There were some drippings and he so helpfully poured them into a golden colored container that he thought contained gravy. Well, it was caramel sauce. Now I always let them bring the gravy, but from now on I may have to try this.
Chris, this recipe sounds delicious. What makes the gravy so dark? I make ours ahead too, using frozen stock I make from chicken, turkey carcuses cooked during the past summer. It is usually light, however. I love the rich dark look.
We went out for Thanksgiving but I did make a Thanksgiving dinner yesterday. The gravy was awesome. I roasted the wings on Tuesday, made the gravy Wednesday and served it Friday. I put the meat from the turkey wings and put it in the gravy along with the additional pan drippings from yesterday’s roasted turkey. This is now my go to holiday gravy.
Thanks so much Margaret, for taking the time to let us know your results. I'm pretty sold on this gravy too, it sure beats all that craziness at the last minute!
This gravy was delicious. Everyone raved about it. Only complaint was that I should've made more!
Haha! I love it!
Made this for Thanksgiving. Delicious, rich flavor. One recipe made more gravy than I could use, so leftovers! I will be making this gravy for years to come. Nothing beats getting a side ready days ahead of the event. It was easy to add the flour at the end and get the gravy on the table.
Thanks for this recipe. I intend to make this for Christmas so am going to try this recipe this wekend as a dry run. Could I use turkey backs instead of chicken wings? Also can I add celery to thr vegetables?
Hi Gloria, I've never worked with turkey backs so I don't want to advise you on this one. Let us know if it works!
p.s. celery would be fine!
I've been making similar for years using turkey necks. It's a delicious gravy and could not be easier! All the friends I have shared it with have been very "thankful" too --
Anything that can be done ahead of time is definitely a boon for the cook. This gravy looks fantastic and small bowl to sip on sounds good. Habe a blessed and happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your family.
I've never thought of making sauce ahead, I suppose I've always assumed it has to be made with the juices of the roasted bird. But what a great idea to use chicken wings instead, they are easily available and so cheap, I buy them sometimes to add to the pot when making bone broth. I shall keep this in mind, although we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas is just around the corner as well.
There is a beautiful batch of gravy sitting in my fridge, thanks to you! I added a little white wine, used Swanson organic chicken broth, and used some of the fat towards my roux...then added a little Better than bouillon roasted chicken base....the result was fantastic! Just to know that container of gravy is there has me humming away, and thanksgiving will be stress free!!!!!!!!
My two pups thank you for the meat from the wings! Happy Thanksgiving to all!
Make ahead is such a great secret - your gravy looks perfect!
Chris,
Just finished making this gravy and put it in the fridge. It smells awesome, and I am so excited to have this done ahead of time.
Tomorrow , do I go ahead and thicken it, and then freeze?
Also wanted to thank you so much for all your wonderful recipes and ideas. I have just discovered your blog, and look forward to getting your newsletter. I made the banana bundt cake with toffee sea salt icing for our church bazaar, and they were a hit!
I made small bundts and they were so pretty and delicious. Thanks again and have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!
Hi Lynda, thanks so much for your kind and encouraging words. I really appreciate them!
As for the gravy, I would just freeze it tomorrow after you skim off the excess fat. Then thaw on the day you want use it and bring it to a simmer and add the flour mixture. You could do that early in the day if you want and stick it in the fridge and just rewarm it on low OR you could thicken it right before using. Either way will work.
I just printedthis off so I can make it. I already bought turkey wings but it should work just fine. Gravy looks great so I hope mine turns out as well.
A terrific idea to make gravy ahead! It looks and sounds terrific. This year is the first time since 1991 that I won't be making Thanksgiving dinner for my family. I am actually pretty sad about it which is odd because it is so much work. Anyway - hope you have a terrific Thanksgiving in Memphis with your whole gang!
Hi.. would you have a gravy recipe that’s for vegetarian?
Hi NJ, so sorry, I don't.
I have friends who do this every year! I'm not sure I could track down their recipe, so I'm happy to have your recipe for reference! One less thing to worry about at that chaotic last hour 🙂 Hope you and your beautiful family have a most wonderful Thanksgiving!! xoxo
I have used a similar recipe from ATK, however this one looks better/simpler. The ATK recipe uses turkey wings and/or thighs, which can be difficult to find. It also seems a bit more complicated, although the resulting gravy is very flavorful. I think I’ll try yours this year - thank you for making things easy!
I use a very similar recipe to make my turkey stock for gravy, Chris! It's been a delicious life-saver as I have cooked Thanksgiving dinner for many years. I try to do as much as I can the week and two days before and if it's a real big group I'll even make the turkey a day ahead and use the turkey stock to pour over the sliced meat before I reheat it. Have a Happy Thanksgiving with your family in Memphis, Chris!
Love this Chris ~ I've never really been in charge of Thanksgiving in our family either, so I'm a total novice when it comes to roasting a giant bird. This gravy looks absolutely perfect! Have a wonderful holiday with the gang 🙂
The gravy is what always holds up our meal. I pinned this for future use just in case gravy is my assignment. I really appreciate all the notes and cautions, I tend to want to use foil or parchment for an easy cleanup.
It looks as though Thanksgiving with your family is every parent's dream and I'm truly happy for you.
I printed this recipe for future use as I have for many others you've offered and I always appreciate any make-ahead recipes and ideas; however, I do have a request. If it's possible for you to do this, I would love to see the box with the nutrition facts in the space to the right of the ingredients so printing wouldn't involve using 2 sheets of paper and retaining it would also be a bit easier.
Thanks-a-million.........
Thanks so much Beverly! Hope you have a lovely Thanksgiving too!
Regarding the nutritional information, the recipe template is set up to have the nutritional facts on the bottom but I will talk to my designer and see if it's possible to not have an option that that information would not be printed. Thanks for bringing that up. I don't ever print my own recipes 🙂
What an incredible recipe! I can smell & taste it as I read!
Can the gravy be frozen, to be pulled out at different events this season? I have a number of pot lucks & dinners this year.
Thanks
Hi Marilynn, yes you can definitely freeze it and thaw it out whenever you want to use it.
WOW. I can't WAIT to give this a shot. We have celebrated our Thanksgiving already (Canadians) but I am helping with the Christmas dinner at my daughter's new home (Yes, I have passed the baton) and will be in charge of the turkey and gravy. I have never had great luck before so this could be another recipe to pass on for future celebrations. Thanks so much. Oh, and I will also be doing the slow cooker mashed potatoes - another tough dish to time perfectly. THanks for always coming up with such helpful and delicious recipes. You are taking the stress out of the family dinners that we all love.
The gravy looks so great! Have a wonderful time in Memphis with your family, Chris.
This is a wonderful idea. Do you also have a make ahead gravy for beef?
Hi Patsy, I haven't done it for beef but now you're giving me an idea... 🙂
Such a great idea..I saw a story on IG about make ahead also..
I am so happy you will all be in Memphis..all of you together..especially since it has been such a long time..all the little cousins:) All your children.
That..is..C'est la belle vie!