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This make ahead white wine gravy is my secret to a stress free and delicious Thanksgiving meal. Rich, smooth, and so incredibly easy, this gravy recipe can’t be beat. Made with a base of butter, shallots, fresh sage, and turkey stock, and finished with the drippings form your Thanksgiving turkey.
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Did I ever tell you about that time that I throughly failed at making the gravy for the Thanksgiving meal? It was just last year, and I was serving not just my immediate family, but my grandpa, aunts, uncles, and cousins. So over thirty people.
I was cooking out of my grandma’s kitchen, which in my defense was not anywhere near set up to cook a Thanksgiving dinner for thirty plus people. Somehow, someway, we did, but the gravy? I messed that up, and bad. It was greasy and lumpy and I still cringe thinking about it.
This year, my gravy is going to be perfect. No lumpy, greasy gravy. I’m serving the same amount of people, but cooking in my kitchen at the new studio barn. It’s going to be great, I’m so excited. I perfected the best make-ahead turkey gravy, that’s truly so delicious. It’s true, my family has already approved…because we’ve now had Thanksgiving dinner three times this past week…
Here are the details.
Start by making the gravy base. This is really just a simple mix of butter, shallots (the secret), sage, flour, and high quality broth (I use low-sodium chicken broth or turkey stock). It’s your basic roux, but it makes for the perfect gravy “base”. You can keep the base stored in the fridge for a few days, so it’s perfect to make-ahead.
When it’s ready to serve, and you’ve roasted up your holiday turkey, take the roasting pan or medium saucepan and place it on the stove. Add a splash of white wine and scrape up all those delicious browned bits from the roasting pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce slightly, then add the gravy base, whisking until smooth. Adding the base right to the roasting pan with all the turkey drippings gives you the rich flavors that your gravy needs. But without any of the stress of making the gravy from scratch. Trust me, making this gravy ahead will relieve so much stress on Thanksgiving Day. It’s a game changer. It is perfect over potatoes and stuffing.
Check out our full 2018 Thanksgiving menu here.
If you make this gravy please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Make Ahead White Wine Gravy
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
- kosher salt and black pepper
- pan drippings from herb roasted turkey, (optional)
- 1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio
Instructions
- 1. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened and fragrant. Add the sage and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the shallots, stirring for 1-2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil, boil 5 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from the heat. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Strain, if desired. 2. Allow the gravy to cool, then store the gravy base in the fridge for up to 3 days. 3. To finish the gravy. Option 1: warm on the stove adding additional broth to think and a 1 tablespoon worcheshire or soy sauce. Optional 2: Once your turkey has finished roasting, remove the turkey from the roasting pan and strain the liquid into a glass measuring cup. Place the roasting pan over two burners. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3-4 minutes or until the wine has reduced slightly. Reduce the heat to low and slowly whisk in the gravy base. Simmer until the gravy is smooth and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. If needed, thin the gravy with the reserve broth from the roasting pan. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
I made this for Thanksgiving and it was fantastic! Thanks, this helped to make things easier for me, as this was my first time cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner, and it also tasted fantastic!
That is so great! Thank you Amy! xTieghan
Making the base ahead of time helped this gravy come together quickly. Stress free and delicious!
Thank you!! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan
Could I puree this instead of straining?
Hi Larissa, I am sure pureeing will work great! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
Hello!!!! I have a vegetarian coming to Thanksgiving, so I’m going to try one with veggie broth. How many day’s do you think it will keep once made? I want to do the veggie one a few days ahead if possible. Only if you think it will keep. That way I’m not trying to put two gravy’s together the day of.
Thanks!
HI Lisa! You can make this 4-5 days ahead of time. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
Hi there, one quick question. I think I may have to use an aluminum roasting pan to accommodate my turkey. If I do have to use this, I will not be able to put it on my stove burner. What would be your suggestion in this case?
Hi Colleen! Just simply transfer your turkey drippings to a large pot and then make the gravy in that. This will work great!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
Hello, just a question — i have an electric stove top. Would the part of scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan still work on electric?
Hey Claudia! Yes, it will work just the same! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!! xTieghan
Hi! I am wondering if you think this would work without the turkey drippings? We always smoke/grill our turkey and there are never drippings that are usable. Your insight and thoughts would be appreciated! Thank you!!
Hey Kristen! Yes, it works, but it’s a little less flavorful. I would add 1 tablespoon soy sauce to the gravy for an additional flavor boost. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
I plan on making this gravy recipe this year! Do you have a favorite white wine for this? I’m also going to purchase the gluten free flour you recommended!
Hi Colleen! I love using Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Could please tell me how many batches of this wonderful gravy you would make for 70 people?
It is a mixture of 2/3rds adult and 1/3 children.
Thank you.
Hi Pam! I would make 3 batches to serve 70 people. If you want to place it really safe, make 4. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Hi Teighan! Long time listener, first time caller. Would this still work if using beef broth? Or would the white wine clash with the beef flavor? I have some beef bones from the butcher and would like to use homemade stock for this.
Thank you! Love the blog.
Hey Rose! I think beef broth will be great and pairs nicely with the wine. Fun idea!! Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
Do you think Gluten free flour would be OK as a sub?
hi! Yes! I would recommend cup4cup GF flour. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
The recipe is amazing. the best part is the video. Thank you very much I will cook this for my family.
Thank you so much Ema! I am so glad you love this recipe and the video! xTieghan
This was the BEST gravy I have ever had and love that the base could be made ahead of time. Do you have one for beef as well?
HI! No beef gravy, but I would thin you could just swap the chicken broth with beef broth. Please let me know if you have any other questions. So glad you love this recipe. Thanks so much and happy Holidays!! xTieghan ?
This recipe totally saved me…I had these glorious plans of making my turkey in this stunning copper roasting pan but of course the one I ordered turned out to be on backorder and I had to settle for a rack in one of those single use aluminum trays. It turned out but I knew I wouldn’t be able to put the aluminum on a stove top and scrape up all those flavorful bits. This gravy made it possible for me to have gravy! I made it a couple days ahead and just added a little of the broth/drippings after the turkey came out. I would definitely use this base again but I would cut down on the shallots. (Maybe mine were on the larger side but I found it to be a little too strong)
Hi Beata! I am so glad you loved this recipe so much and it turned out amazing for you!
I used this for Thanksgiving and we had exceptional gravy this year…and so easy!made ahead, stored in the frig, when time came, I put in a saute pan and added drippings. Because we had so many drippings, I actually added a little flour. So, so good.I never care about the color of gravy, just how it tastes!
Thank you for such an excellent recipe and a really great idea!
I am so glad you loved this Liz! Thank you!