Giblet Gravy – Gravy made entirely from scratch with pan drippings and giblets is a game-changer. Enhance Thanksgiving dinner with creamy, flavorful, and aromatic giblet gravy. It’s super easy and makes mashed potatoes, roasted turkey, and holiday stuffing so much better.
It seems like yesterday when I celebrated my first Thanksgiving Day in the States. Decades have passed, and I’ve since hosted several Thanksgivings. Seeing all those happy faces and hearing laughter echoing throughout my house couldn’t make me happier. The sleepless nights before the big day are so worth it!
And, of course, no Thanksgiving would be complete without smothering your turkey and mashed potatoes with giblet gravy. It’s going to be great.
What Are Giblets?
Giblets are the best part of the turkey, IMHO. You usually find them packaged inside a whole bird, whether turkey or chicken. The neck, gizzard, heart, and liver create an incredible giblet broth, the superstar of this quick and easy giblet gravy recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
- Butter – Besides being an essential fat to saute the base ingredients, it adds mouthfeel and pure satisfaction.
- Giblets from turkey and chicken work great. You’ll find them sealed in a bag inside the bird’s cavity. But sometimes, you can find gizzards and hearts packaged separately.
- Seasonings – Celery provides a subtle earthy taste, while garlic, onions, thyme, and bay leaves develop a mouthwatering aroma.
- Roux – Flour and butter thicken the gravy so it pours graciously over mashed potatoes and rice.
- Pan Drippings – Those beautiful juices dripping into the bottom of the pan and caramelizing deliver intense flavor. And bouillon adds more umami.
- Egg – Not only does a hard-boiled egg add more nutrients, but it also adds a lovely texture.
- Half-and-Half – Cream provides a beautiful mouthfeel. Heavy cream, milk, or a mix of both will work fine.
How to Make Giblet Gravy
Make the Broth
- Brown the Giblets – Melt one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the giblets and brown on all sides. (Photo 1)
- Season – Add the celery, garlic, onions, thyme, and bay leaf to the saucepan and saute for 3-5 minutes. (Photos 2-3)
- Simmer – Add water and simmer covered for 1-2 hours. Since turkey giblets are larger, you may want to adjust the water. (Photo 4)
- Strain the stock with a fine-mesh strainer and scoop the giblets out with a slotted spoon. Set the stock aside and finely chop the giblets. (Photos 5-6)
Make the Gravy
- Make the Roux – Using a different skillet (preferably cast iron), melt the remaining three tablespoons of butter. When the butter melts, add the flour and whisk until fully incorporated. (Photos 7-8)
- Simmer – Gradually add the strained broth to the butter-flour mixture while stirring. Then add the pan drippings, chicken bouillon, salt, and pepper to taste. (Start with 2 cups of stock and add more to achieve the desired consistency.) (Photos 9-10)
- Assembly – Add the chopped boiled egg and giblets. Simmer while stirring for 2-3 minutes. Add half-and-half or milk, and adjust seasonings to taste. (Photo 11)
- Serve your giblet gravy warm over chicken or turkey and mashed potatoes. (Photo 12)
Recipe Variations
- Seasoning Swap – Cajun seasoning or taco seasoning spices up gravy. And a dash of cayenne, a diced habanero, or jalapenos will deliver some extra heat.
- Herbylicious Goodness – Add Italian seasonings, basil, rosemary, or sage for a more delicious aroma.
- Gluten-Free – Make a cornstarch slurry to thicken the gravy instead of the traditional roux. Thus, making it gluten-free is no problem. Yay!
Tips and Tricks
- Cook the giblets low and slow for the most flavorful broth, and the tougher fibers will tenderize.
- For a creamy texture, the rule of thumb: a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of fat/butter thickens one cup of liquid.
- Quick fix for lumpy gravy. 🤫 Puree it in the blender for a minute, and no one will know.
Make Ahead Instructions
Reduce stress by making the giblet gravy ahead. Cool it completely. Then, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days or in the freezer for up to six months. Reheat it in a saucepan on the stovetop until it simmers.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve this deliciousness hot over mashed potatoes, turkey dressing, or cornbread stuffing.
Leftover gravy can ramp up soups and stews. I love freezing it in ice cube trays and throwing a cube or two in other sauces. It will last frozen for up to six months. If using it within 3-4 days, it keeps fine in the fridge.
Reheat it in the microwave or stovetop when ready to use it.
FAQs
They taste amazing. And when cooked tender, add so much flavor to your gravy. They taste similar to the thighs with a slightly more gamey taste. Some people prefer leaving the liver out and frying it separately.
The main ingredient is the giblets that come with whole turkey and chicken. This gravy is an excellent way for a no-waste dinner.
There’s an easy fix. Make more roux by toasting a tablespoon of flour in a tablespoon of butter. When your flour is toasted, stir in some of the runny gravy. Then, stir that into your gravy and simmer until thickened.
What to Serve With Giblet Gravy
Gravy is classic over roast garlic mashed potatoes, roasted turkey, green bean casserole, and easy coleslaw. And pumpkin pie for dessert is a winner.
More Amazing Holiday Recipes to Try
Conclusion
Simple giblet gravy provides an easy, flavorful condiment for no-waste goodness. Have you tried this recipe? Please tag me on Instagram! 😍
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”xszrDAgW” upload-date=”2021-10-18T06:36:24.000Z” name=”Giblet Gravy” description=”This classic Southern recipe Giblet Gravy is made entirely from scratch with homemade giblet stock, roasted turkey or chicken pan drippings, roux, chopped giblets, and a boiled egg. This game-changing sauce is guaranteed to please everyone this coming Thanksgiving dinner! It’s a rich, velvety, and insanely flavorful gravy.” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”false”]
This blog post was originally published in November 2019 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Giblet Gravy
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (56g) butter
- giblets from a whole turkey or chicken
- ½ cup (50g) celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- ½ cup (58g) onion, chopped
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 cups (1185ml) or more water
- 4 tablespoons (40g) all-purpose flour
- 2-2½ cup (500-625ml) pan drippings, from turkey or chicken OR use hearty chicken broth
- chicken bouillon to taste (optional)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
- ½ cup (120ml) half-and-half or milk
Instructions
- Melt one tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the giblets and brown on all sides.
- Add the celery, garlic, onion, thyme, and bay leaf to the saucepan and saute for 3-5 minutes.
- Once the ingredients are simmering, add water and cover for 1-2 hours. If using turkey giblets, adjust the amount of water appropriately since they are larger. I used smaller chicken giblets in this recipe.
- Strain the stock with a fine-mesh strainer and scoop the giblets out using a slotted spoon. Set the stock aside and finely chop the giblets.
- Using a different skillet (preferably cast iron), melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Once the butter melts, add in the flour and whisk until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the strained broth into the butter-flour mixture. Once that is fully mixed, add the pan drippings. Start with 2 cups and add more to achieve desired consistency. Add chicken bouillon and salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the chopped boiled egg and giblets and simmer while stirring for 2-3 minutes. Add half and half or milk. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Serve warm over chicken or turkey and mashed potatoes!
Tips & Notes:
- Cook the giblets low and slow for the most flavorful broth, and the tougher fibers will tenderize.
- For a creamy texture, the rule of thumb: a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of fat/butter thickens one cup of liquid.
- Quick fix for lumpy gravy. Puree it in the blender for a minute, and no one will know.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Iris says
How do you know how much gizards and liver to use if making ahead using separate packaed gizzards and liver? Trying today.
.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Iris,
I would do 50/50 or If you particularly enjoy the flavor of either gizzards or liver, you can adjust the ratio to suit your taste. Some people prefer more liver for its distinct flavor, while others might favor gizzards for their texture.
Remember to cook the gizzards and liver thoroughly before adding them to your gravy. Gizzards usually take longer to cook and become tender compared to liver, which cooks quite quickly.
Deborah says
This looks so similar to my mother’s recipe. I know it will be delicious. Cannot wait to try this. So glad to receive your recipes! Thank you!.
Imma says
Yeah, I would love to hear from you once you try. Please let me know how it goes and if it is according to your mother’s recipe how the taste. Thank you!
Deb Wilson says
Hey! My name is Deb Wilson… I have a question…. my grandmother always put chopped hard boiled eggs in her gravy, and I never asked her why … what do they add to gravy … thanks for your time!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Deb! Not only do the eggs add more nutrients to our homemade gravy, but they also add lovely texture and flavor.
Linda Gaskins says
I love your recipes
ImmaculateBites says
Thank you! This is one of my favorite too!