Sandra This Alton Brown Turkey Gravy is a rich and savory sauce, which features roasted turkey drippings and tender diced giblets. It’s the essential Thanksgiving condiment, ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes (mostly giblet cooking time).
Alton Brown Turkey Gravy Ingredients
- Pan drippings from a roasted turkey
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (or turkey/vegetable broth)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Giblets (neck, heart, gizzards) of the uncooked turkey (optional but recommended)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for emergency thickening)
How To Make Alton Brown Turkey Gravy
- Cook the giblets: Place the turkey neck, heart, and gizzards into a medium saucepan. (Discard the liver as it has a strong, metallic flavor). Cover them completely with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour until the meat is cooked through.
- Prep the giblet meat: Remove the giblets with a slotted spoon. (You can save the cooking liquid to thin the gravy later if needed). Pick the meat off the neck bone. Finely dice the neck meat, heart, and gizzards. Set aside.
- Harvest the drippings: Once your turkey has finished roasting, carefully pour all the liquid from the roasting pan into a large heatproof bowl or fat separator. Scrape up any brown bits if you can.
- Separate the fat: Let the drippings sit for a few minutes. The fat will rise to the top, leaving the dark, flavorful juices at the bottom. Use a ladle to skim off most of the fat into a separate container (don’t throw it away; you need some for the roux!).
- Make the roux: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup of the reserved turkey fat/drippings. Whisk in the ½ cup of flour. Whisk constantly until it forms a smooth paste. If it looks too greasy, add a little more flour; if too dry, add a little more fat. Cook the roux for 2–3 minutes until it turns a golden brown color and smells nutty.
- Build the gravy: Slowly pour in the 4 cups of chicken broth while whisking vigorously to prevent lumps. Add 1 cup of the reserved dark turkey juices (from under the fat layer).
- Simmer and thicken: Bring the gravy to a simmer. Cook, whisking frequently, for 5–8 minutes until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Add giblets: Stir in the reserved diced giblet meat.
- Adjust consistency: If the gravy is too thick, splash in some of the giblet cooking water or extra broth. If it is too thin, simmer for another 10 minutes, or whisk 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp cold water and stir it in.
- Season: Taste the gravy. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Serve hot.
Recipe Tips
- The Roux: The key to smooth gravy is the roux. You must cook the flour and fat together until golden before adding the liquid. This removes the raw flour taste.
- Separating fat: If you don’t have a fat separator jug, putting the drippings in the freezer for 10 minutes helps the fat solidify on top for easy removal.
- Giblet choice: Using the giblets is traditional and adds texture (“giblet gravy”). If you prefer smooth gravy, simply skip steps 1, 2, and 8, and use extra broth if needed.
- Salt warning: Pan drippings can be very salty depending on how you brined or seasoned your bird. Always taste the finished gravy before adding extra salt.
What To Serve With Alton Brown Turkey Gravy
This gravy belongs on everything on the holiday plate.
- Roast Turkey: Obviously.
- Mashed Potatoes: Create a “volcano” for the gravy.
- Stuffing: Moistens dry cornbread dressing.
- Leftover Sandwiches: Dip your “Day After” sandwich in hot gravy.
How To Store Alton Brown Turkey Gravy
- Refrigerate: Store in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will turn into a jelly-like solid when cold but melts when heated.
- Freeze: Gravy freezes very well. Freeze in airtight containers or ice cube trays for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Warm in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water or broth to thin it out as it reheats.
Alton Brown Turkey Gravy Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 25kcal
- Protein: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Fat: 1g
- Saturates: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
- Salt: 0.1g
Nutrition information is estimated per ¼ cup serving.
FAQs
Can I make this ahead?
Yes. You can make a base gravy using butter and chicken broth a day ahead. On Turkey Day, just whisk in the fresh pan drippings to finish it off with authentic flavor.
Why is my gravy lumpy?
Lumps happen if you add hot broth to hot roux too quickly. Whisk constantly. If you have lumps, don’t panic—just pour the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve before serving.
Is this gluten-free?
No, it uses flour. For gluten-free gravy, use a GF all-purpose flour blend for the roux, or use cornstarch to thicken the broth instead (slurry method).
Alton Brown Turkey Gravy Recipe
Description
A rich, traditional pan gravy made from roasted turkey drippings and a golden roux, studded with tender giblet meat.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil giblets in water for 1 hour; dice meat.
- Pour pan drippings into a separator.
- Heat 1 cup fat/drippings in a pan.
- Whisk in flour and cook until golden brown.
- Whisk in broth and remaining juices.
- Simmer 5–8 minutes to thicken.
- Stir in chopped giblets.
- Season and serve.
Notes
- Cooking the roux (flour and fat mixture) until it reaches a “golden brown” nutty stage is essential for flavor depth; a pale roux will taste like paste, while a dark roux adds a toasted savory note.
- Do not discard the liquid settled at the bottom of your fat separator; that dark brown “jelly” is pure concentrated turkey flavor and is the most important ingredient in the gravy.
- If you find the liver flavor too strong, discard it as instructed; however, the heart and gizzards offer a meaty texture similar to dark meat turkey without the metallic taste.
Alton Brown Turkey Gravy Recipe
