How to Make the Most Delicious Gravy from Turkey Giblets

Making gravy from turkey giblets may sound intimidating but it’s actually quite easy and results in an incredibly rich, flavorful gravy. When done right gravy made with the giblets is far superior to gravy made with just pan drippings.

What Are Turkey Giblets?

Turkey giblets refer to the organs of the turkey that come packaged inside the bird. The package typically includes the neck heart gizzard, and liver. The liver is often excluded from gravy recipes, but the heart, gizzard and neck are used.

Why Use Giblets for Gravy?

There are a few key reasons why giblets result in the best gravy:

  • The giblets add rich flavor from the organs and neck bones. This flavor gets infused into the gravy.

  • Simmering the giblets produces a tasty broth that gets incorporated into the gravy.

  • Chopped giblets add nice texture and bites of turkey flavor to the finished gravy.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make the most flavorful gravy using turkey giblets:

Step 1: Simmer the Giblets

Place the neck, heart and gizzard in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. This will cook the giblets fully while also producing a rich, flavorful broth.

Step 2: Strain and Reserve the Broth

Remove the giblets from the pot and strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve. Reserve the broth for later use in the gravy. Pick any meat off the neck bone and set aside.

Step 3: Finely Chop the Giblets

Once cooled, finely chop the heart and gizzard. You want very small pieces so they distribute nicely throughout the gravy. Any meat picked from the neck should also be chopped.

Step 4: Make a Roux

Make a roux by cooking equal parts fat and flour together. For gravy, you can use drippings from the roasted turkey along with butter or oil. Cook the roux until browned for maximum flavor.

Step 5: Whisk in the Broth and Drippings

Gradually whisk in the giblet broth and turkey drippings from roasting. Whisk continuously to prevent lumps. Let simmer until thickened to your desired consistency.

Step 6: Add the Chopped Giblets

Once thickened, stir in the chopped giblets. They will add nice texture and turkey flavor to the gravy.

Step 7: Finish with Herbs and Seasoning

Finish the gravy by seasoning with salt, pepper and any desired herbs. Thyme, sage and rosemary complement turkey nicely.

Gravy Tips

  • For a smoother gravy, press the chopped giblets through a sieve before adding to the gravy.

  • For extra richness, add 1-2 tablespoons of cream at the end.

  • If the gravy is too thin, mix a slurry of cornstarch and water and whisk in to thicken.

  • Letting the gravy simmer for 10-15 minutes helps develop the flavor.

  • Adding a splash of wine (red or white) boosts the flavor.

  • Fried sage leaves make a nice garnish.

Turkey Giblet Gravy Recipes

There are many takes on giblet gravy. Here are some highly rated recipes to try:

Classic Turkey Giblet Gravy

This recipe from AllRecipes produces a classic giblet gravy using the giblets, neck, pan drippings and just a few additional ingredients. It’s simple and delicious.

Giblet Gravy with Hard Boiled Egg

The Pioneer Woman’s recipe includes chopped hard boiled egg for extra richness and texture. The result is a hearty, old-fashioned gravy.

Turkey Gravy from Giblets

This gravy on AllRecipes uses the giblet broth as the base and doesn’t add the chopped giblets. It’s smooth, full-bodied and less labor intensive.

Is It Worth the Effort?

While making giblet gravy requires some extra steps, the consensus is that the effort pays off in the form of gravy with unbeatable flavor and texture. If you want the absolute best gravy to complement your Thanksgiving turkey, giblets are the way to go. Just be sure to start early, as simmering the giblets takes at least an hour.

how do you make gravy from turkey giblets

Make Ahead Tips for Giblet Gravy

You can make this gravy ahead of time, but unless you also cook the turkey or chicken ahead of time, you wont have the drippings from the turkey to add to it. As a workaround, try one of these two things.

  • To fully make the gravy ahead of time, youll need to use a different type of fat. Remove the giblets from the uncooked bird, and make the gravy as directed. In Step 5, instead of using the drippings from the turkey or chicken, use two tablespoons of bacon fat or two tablespoons of butter and continue.
  • To simply make the stock ahead of time, remove the giblets from the uncooked bird complete Steps 1 to 4 of the recipe. Cool and refrigerate the stock and the minced giblet meat for up to 2 days. Getting this far will save you a lot of time the day of cooking.

How to Make Giblet Gravy

To make the gravy, you first make a stock from the giblets, which cooks on the stovetop while you are cooking your turkey.

When the bird has finished roasting, you combine the stock, along with chopped up cooked giblets, with the roasting pan drippings to make the gravy.

how do you make gravy from turkey giblets

You can also make giblet gravy with a few hard boiled eggs and 3 tablespoons of chopped pimentos thrown in.

Do you make giblet gravy? If you do, what are your variations? Please let us know in the comments.

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FAQ

What do you do with giblets from turkey?

“When cooking giblets for gravy or stuffing, you can simply roast them in the pan with your turkey or simmer them in water with some celery and onions to make a giblet stock. Then, chop the giblets and use in your gravy or stuffing,” Nolan said.

How long does it take to boil turkey giblets?

So while the turkey is roasting the next day, place the neck and giblets into a medium saucepan, cover it with water by about 2 inches, and bring it to a boil. After it boils, reduce the heat to a strong simmer and cook them for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is totally cooked through.

What is the best thing to do with giblets?

Giblet Stock – Simmer the giblets in water with a bay leaf and vegetables such as celery, carrots and onions. After about 2 hours of cooking, this will turn into a tasty stock which can be used in recipes from soups and sauces, to curries and risottos.

What is giblet gravy made of?

Giblets are comprised of the heart, gizzard, liver, and neck of the chicken or turkey. They are often found in a small bundle inside the cavity of the whole bird. You can make gravy from the giblets of either a turkey or a chicken, though I think it’s more usual with a roast turkey.

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