Perfect Gravy

During the holidays, the Delish team can't get enough of our all-time favorite condiment: gravy. Full of umami—one of our favorite food enhancers—it's delicious drizzled over almost every single component of your holiday dinner: meats, veggies, and all of the classic sides. Since it's such a staple, we think that your Thanksgiving only deserves the very best, which is why perfecting gravy is worth it — and so easy!

What is gravy?

At its most basic, gravy is a thickened sauce made of meat drippings + stock + seasonings. But, we do have a gravy without drippings if you need it in a pinch.

What does the flour do?

Gravy starts off with a classic roux: equal parts fat (in this case butter) and flour are cooked in a skillet until it becomes golden and bubbly. This creates a base for your sauce’s texture. Without the flour, it will lack the coveted thickness and body.

How do I save turkey drippings?

The essential ingredient to perfect gravy? Fat! As your turkey bakes, it renders a ton of fat that'll be leftover in the roasting pan. Don’t — we repeat, don’t — pour that fat into the garbage. Those drippings are packed with flavor, all of which you want in your Thanksgiving gravy. After you take the turkey out of the roasting pan, set a colander or sieve over a large bowl or another pan. Pour the contents of the roasting pan through the colander — the drippings you want to keep will end up in the large bowl. You can discard the bits left in the colander. 

Any other ingredients I can add for flavor?

Roasted garlic is a no-brainer and requires basically no effort: Simply lop off the top of a head of garlic, place in foil, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap it up. Throw into your already-full oven alongside the turkey and stuffing until it caramelizes into sweet, tender cloves. Roughly chop once cool and stir into the gravy with the herbs. If you're not a fresh herbs person, you can totally use dried, or swap out the thyme and sage for the same amount of poultry seasoning, rosemary, or even Italian seasoning. 

My gravy is too thin—how do I thicken it?

If you're whisking away at the stove and the gravy isn't taking on the texture you want, no fear. Stir a little cornstarch (a couple teaspoons) into a small bowl of cold water until a thick paste forms. Slowly whisk into your gravy a little bit at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

How long does gravy last?

Gravy is perishable, so it will only last 2 days in the refrigerator. However, you can freeze leftover gravy up to 3 months in an airtight container or plastic bag. Thaw the mixture in the fridge the day before you plan to reheat it.  

Looking for more classics to complete your holiday menu? Check out our favorite Thanksgiving appetizers to get your holiday started off right. 

Have you made this recipe? Let us know you liked it in the comments below!