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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 must try this one. It sounds very delicious. I usually make this gravy after grilling a steak with onions and other vegetables in a skillet. So I don’t add shallots and sage as the juices from grilling the onions and so on are already in there. I also do the roux. It’s my mom’s recipe for gravy.
Thanks very much for sharing.
Hi there! I hope you enjoy this recipe! xTieghan
Have you come across a delicious looking vegetarian gravy? I have a few recipes on hand but nothing amazing.
Hi there! I’ll have to be on the lookout for that! xTieghan
I don’t see any instruction of when to add the white wine to the mix… when would you add that?
And what would you recommend using if you don’t have any pan drippings from a turkey?
Made this last year and my dad said it’s the best gravy he has ever had. It was a huge hit.
Hi there! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! ? xTieghan
I made this wine gravy for Christmas Day, and it’s got such good flavour. Thank you. x
Hey Kelly-Jane,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
The best gravy. The white wine flavor was amazing and I don’t ever want another gravy without wine. All around great recipe.
Hey Mallory,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This gravy is DELICIOUS!! It was my first time making gravy, and I’m not even a huge gravy fan, but it was sooo good! I made it with a roasted chicken and it turned out perfectly.
Hey Lyndee,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi ! Im french and Id like to make this gravy recipe for Christmas but I will make a Wilington beef, is the white gravy will work with beef ?
Hey Isabelle,
I’ve never made this gravy to serve with beef, but I think it would be great! I hope you love the recipe:) xTieghan
HELO
I didn’t know how To make a good gravy before knew this recipe !! Now i’m so Happy mine was delicious !!
Tks
Vera
Thank you Vera! xTieghan
Incredible!! My New go to Make ahead Gravy!!
I love that! Thank you Keri! xTieghan
Best gravy ever….I made ahead added wine and drippings on day of….worked wonderfully…Had not done white wine gravy….taste is perfect. One of the first recipes i tried from you…looking forward to many more. I read your posts weekly.
Thank you so much Donna! xTieghan
I made the base Thanksgiving day a couple hours before dinner. I doubled the amount except for the shallots and sage. It was so delicious. Even picky little eaters loved it . Will make again and it was so easy. I even made your chai pumpkin pie recipe which was also enjoyable with homemade ice cream.
Thank you so much Carole! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
This gravy was delicious! Made double the recipe with chicken drippings instead of turkey as well as the recommended gluten free substitution and it was insanely good. Thank you so much. Was such a hit.
Thank you so much Julia! xTieghan
This was literally THE BEST gravy I have ever had; and so fun to make. SO DAMN GOOD
Thank you so much Linsey! xTieghan
Fantastic! Best turkey gravy ever.
Thank you so much Jill! I am so happy to hear that! xTieghan