Learn how to make turkey gravy from drippings the easy way. Don’t let all the seasonings and juicy pan drippings from your turkey go to waste!.
Don’t let all the seasonings and juicy pan drippings from your turkey go to waste. This is the best turkey gravy recipe ever! Use all the tasty brown bits at the bottom of your roasting pan.
If there’s good gravy at the dinner table, I love pouring it all over my plate, not just on the meat. What about you? When there’s gravy on the mashed potatoes, green beans, Brussels sprouts, and everything else, you know it’s good.
It’s easy and tastes great when you make turkey gravy from the turkey drippings. It brings out the flavor of the Thanksgiving turkey you worked so hard to make. Plus, you can make it while your turkey rests and cools down so you can carve it.
The holiday season just wouldn’t be the same without a beautifully roasted turkey as the centerpiece of the table As wonderful as turkey is, it does create a lot of leftover drippings and juices Instead of simply tossing them out, there are many creative ways you can repurpose those flavorful turkey juices.
After spending hours preparing the perfect turkey it would be a shame to waste all of that delicious flavor left behind in the pan. By getting creative you can transform your turkey remnants into tasty soups, gravies, casseroles, and more.
Here are 5 clever ways to put those turkey juices to use:
1. Make Flavorful Gravy
One of the most popular uses for leftover turkey juices is gravy. Gravy is a staple alongside holiday roasts. The drippings left behind in the pan after cooking turkey provide an incredible base for gravy.
Making turkey gravy is simple. First, separate the fat from the juices by chilling the drippings until the fat solidifies on top. Scoop off and reserve the fat. Add the remaining juices along with chicken or turkey stock to a saucepan. Thicken it up with a roux made of butter and flour. Season with salt, pepper and any desired herbs.
The result is a rich, savory gravy that captures all the flavors of the roasted turkey. Drizzle it over mashed potatoes, stuffing, or even turkey sandwiches. Homemade gravy from the turkey juices takes your holiday meal to the next level.
2. Use as a Base for Soups
Another great way to utilize those post-roast turkey juices is in soups. The juices add tremendous turkey flavor as a base for hearty soups.
Try making a turkey noodle soup. Sauté aromatics like onion, celery and carrots. Add the turkey juices along with chicken or turkey stock. Simmer and then add egg noodles, turkey meat, and vegetables. Season to taste.
You can also make a lovely turkey rice soup. Cook rice in the turkey juices instead of water for extra flavor. Add diced turkey, carrots, peas and seasonings. Garnish with parsley.
3. Cook Grains and Beans
Cooking grains and beans in turkey juice imparts more flavor than just using plain water. The savory turkey flavor will seep into the rice, quinoa, farro or beans as they absorb the liquid.
Try making a turkey stuffed pepper by cooking rice in turkey juices. Sauté onions and garlic in turkey fat, then add rice and juices. You’ll end up with perfectly seasoned rice to stuff peppers or use in casseroles.
For a protein punch, cook beans like chickpeas or lentils in the turkey juices. They’ll be infused with delicious flavor. Add beans cooked this way to salads, rice bowls and more.
4. Give Casseroles a Flavor Boost
Casseroles are a great way to use up holiday turkey leftovers. Add turkey juices to give your casserole even more flavor.
In your classic turkey and stuffing casserole, use turkey juices along with chicken or turkey stock in place of plain water or milk. You’ll get incredible roasted turkey flavor in every bite.
For a cheesy turkey pasta bake, make a creamy cheese sauce with milk and turkey juices as the base. Toss with cooked pasta, turkey meat and vegetables. Top with breadcrumbs and bake.
5. Transform into Sauces and Marinades
Turkey juices can be transformed into delicious sauces and marinades for leftovers. Mix pan juices with barbecue sauce, ketchup or hoisin sauce for tasty leftover turkey sandwiches.
You can also marinate remaining turkey pieces in the juices. Combine with oil, spices and herbs in a Ziploc bag. Let turkey marinate for a few hours to overnight. Then roast, grill or sauté for amazing flavor.
Creative Uses for Those Turkey Juices
As you can see, there are so many ways to utilize the leftover juices and drippings from your holiday turkey. With a little creativity, you can give new life to those remnants.
-
Make rich, savory gravy by thickening with a roux. Use for potatoes, stuffing and more.
-
Create flavorful soup broths by simmering with vegetables and noodles or rice.
-
Cook delicious seasoned grains, beans and legumes in the juices.
-
Give casseroles a new depth of flavor by incorporating the juices.
-
Transform into bold marinades and sauces for leftovers.
So next time you roast a turkey, don’t discard those flavorful juices. With these clever repurposing ideas, you can continue enjoying the fruits of your turkey labor even after the main meal is over. Those juices are liquid gold, so put them to delicious use!
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/really-good-turkey-jus-and-homemade-turkey-stock-FT-RECIPE1120-c9a4257d6b4341409f18aabc10d7ab0e.jpg)
What to Serve with Turkey Gravy
If you’re making this gravy for an upcoming Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration, here are a few serving suggestions:
- Medium saucepan. Perfect for making the gravy. This pot spreads heat out evenly and makes it less likely that something will catch fire.
- Strainer. It’s helpful to strain the drippings to get a smoother gravy. This one comes in three different sizes.
- Whisk. Essential for ensuring a smooth and lump-free gravy. This comes in a set of three different sizes.
Leftover gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
To reheat, heat the gravy in a saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes until warmed. You may need to whisk in a splash of broth or water to thin it out. You can also reheat it in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute.
How to make turkey gravy from drippings
- Put the turkey juices through a strainer and into one or two large glass containers. For 15 minutes, put them in the fridge to let the fat rise to the top and set.
- Take the drippings out of the fridge and take out 2 tablespoons of the fat. You can either throw away the rest of the fat or put it in a container to use later. You should now have only the liquid turkey drippings remaining.
- Heat the all-purpose flour and 2 tablespoons of the fat you saved in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk the ingredients together until they are smooth. Keep whisking for one to two minutes, or until it bubbles and turns light to golden brown.
- First, add 1 cup of the turkey fat and 1 cup of stock. Mix everything together until it’s completely smooth. If you want the gravy to be thicker, turn down the heat and let it cook for a while longer. Taste and season with salt and black pepper as needed.
- If the turkey fat doesn’t give you two tablespoons of fat, you can use two tablespoons of butter instead.
- Use unsalted, low-sodium turkey or chicken broth if possible. If you can find low-sodium or unsalted stock, use that instead of the pan drippings, which may already be salty. After that, you can check the gravy and add more salt and black pepper if needed.
- This gravy has become too thick. To thin it out, add more turkey or chicken stock one tablespoon at a time while whisking.
- A quick fix for gravy that isn’t thickening is to whisk in a little cornstarch.
- When you season your turkey, the spices and herbs you use can change the color of your gravy from light brown to dark brown.
How to Make Gravy from Turkey Drippings | Thanksgiving Turkey Gravy | Turkey with Gravy | Easy Gravy
FAQ
What to do with turkey juice after cooking?
Should I drain juices from turkey?
What can you do with turkey drippings besides gravy?
What are the pink juices coming from turkey?