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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.
Hello, where can I find the video on how to make this?
Thank you!
What gravy would compliment a smoked gravy?
My love a red wine second a blush what do you recommend for Thanksgiving?
Hey there,
Sorry I have never made a smoked gravy, I like to serve Cabernet Sauvignon. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
We are frying a turkey and won’t have drippings. Anything we could use to up the flavor and color?
Thanks!
Hey Nicki,
I would just follow the recipe as is and omit the drippings part:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This sounds great! I have a pre-made recipe where I roast turkey 4 turkey wings up to 3 days before, along with carrots, celery, and onion. Then I simmer in 8 c chicken of turkey broth, cool and thicken with flour, add white wine seasonings etc. Having the gravy pre-made makes my Thanksgiving pretty carefree! I’m definitely adding fresh sage this year! Love your recipes! Can’t wait to try the cranberry and brie pastry bites. I know those will be amazing, Great ideas, I especially have enjoyed the squash and prosciutto combination on pizza. I haven’ been able to find Burrata around here, but I am going to try making it myself. Food and Wine Magazine has an article on making it at home. Sounds a little fussy, but worth it for Christmas Eve or New years eve! Sounds like its inexpensive to make.
Hi Linda! I am really glad you like this gravy and I hope it turns out well for you if you try it! I love that you are going to try making burrata yourself! That is amazing! Thank you! xTieghan
Would you do anything different if you’re just roasting a chicken, much smaller than a turkey? It’s just two of us this year, hence the chicken. But we can’t miss out on gravy!
Hey Sarah,
Nope, I would follow the recipe as it:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Made this last year! Best gravy I ever made. And love it was done just needing to warm the next day! It will be my go to every year
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you Bernadette! xTieghan
Is there any non-alcoholic substitute for the white wine?
Hey Mouada,
You can use additional turkey broth. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I just made this to prep for Friendsgiving on Saturday. Oh my goodness, it is delicious!! It will be even better after adding the drippings and white wine! I almost feel like I need to make another batch since it was so good! Thank you for the recipe!!
I am really glad this turned out so amazing for you, Kelsey! Thank you so much for trying this! xTieghan
If I get some turkey parts to roast a day or so before Thanksgiving, can I make this even more “make ahead?”
Hey Martina,
Sure that would work! I hope you enjoy the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Is there a way to make this into a vegetarian gravy?
Hey Tiffany,
I would sub vegetarian broth and omit the turkey drippings. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Could you freeze this a week ahead?
Hey Meg,
Yes that would be fine to do. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I’m making a ham instead of a turkey. Is there something I can substitute for the turkey drippings? Would bacon fat work?
Hey Rebecca,
I haven’t tried that and worry the bacon would be too overwhelming, I would just skip it:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Fantastic! Making the base ahead of time really helped on Thanksgiving.
Thank you Andrew! I am so glad this turned out so well for you! xTieghan
So good, I made it twice! We had two thanksgiving celebrations this year, and it was so good for the first one that my dad requested I take it to the second one! I omitted the wine for one, because of religious reasons for that side of the family and it still turned out great!
I am so happy to hear that Sarah! Thank you for trying it! xTieghan
This was the easiest gravy I’ve ever made. I love the make ahead base. All food was served hot due to the quickness of gravy coming together. My family couldn’t stop ooing and awing? THANK YOU!
That is so amazing to hear! Thank you so much Cecelia! xTieghan