Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same without a rich, flavorful gravy to accompany the turkey. But did you know you can make a delicious gravy using the turkey giblets? It’s a simple and affordable way to add extra flavor to your Thanksgiving feast.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Turkey giblets: These include the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards of the turkey. You’ll find them tucked inside the turkey cavity.
- Chicken broth: This will be the base of your gravy.
- Onion and celery: These add flavor and depth to the gravy.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
- Turkey drippings: These add richness and depth to the gravy.
- All-purpose flour: This will thicken the gravy.
Here’s how to make it:
- Simmer the giblets: Combine the giblets, chicken broth, onion, celery, salt, and pepper in a large pot. Cover and simmer for 2 hours.
- Strain the broth: Strain the broth into a clean pot. You should have about 4 cups of broth.
- Make the roux: Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the turkey drippings and stir in the flour until smooth.
- Thicken the gravy: Add the broth to the roux and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. This should take about 15-20 minutes.
- Season to taste: Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
Tips:
- If you don’t have time to simmer the giblets for 2 hours, you can use a pressure cooker to speed up the process.
- If you want a thicker gravy, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water) to the gravy while it’s cooking.
- If you don’t have turkey drippings, you can use butter or olive oil instead.
Variations:
- For a richer gravy, add a few tablespoons of heavy cream to the finished gravy.
- For a spicier gravy, add a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- For a more savory gravy, add a few tablespoons of soy sauce.
Serving suggestions:
- Serve the gravy over roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, or green bean casserole.
- You can also use the gravy as a dipping sauce for bread or vegetables.
Making turkey gravy from giblets is a simple and affordable way to add extra flavor to your Thanksgiving feast. With a few simple ingredients and a little time, you can create a delicious gravy that will impress your guests. So grab those giblets and get cooking!
Make Ahead Tips for Giblet Gravy
This gravy can be prepared ahead of time, but you won’t have the turkey drippings to add to it unless you also cook the chicken or turkey beforehand. As a workaround, try one of these two things.
- You’ll need to use a different kind of fat if you want to prepare the gravy completely in advance. After removing the giblets from the raw bird, prepare the gravy according to the recipe. Step 5: Use two tablespoons of bacon fat or two tablespoons of butter in place of the turkey or chicken drippings, and proceed.
- To prepare the stock in advance, just take out the giblets from the raw bird and follow Steps 1 through 4 of the recipe. The stock and the minced giblet meat can be kept cold for up to two days. Making it this far will help you save a ton of time on cooking day.
How to Make Giblet Gravy
While cooking your turkey, you prepare a stock from the giblets for the gravy, which simmers on the stovetop.
Once the bird is done roasting, you make the gravy by combining the stock, cooked giblets that have been chopped up, and the roasting pan drippings.
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Additionally, giblet gravy can be made by adding three tablespoons of chopped pimentos and a few hard-boiled eggs.
If you prepare giblet gravy, please share your variations in the comments section.
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FAQ
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