Overnight Giblet Gravy

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Dream sweet dreams of the Thanksgiving feast while your gravy comes together in the slow cooker.

Overnight Giblet Gravy
Photo: FOOD STYLING: RUTH BLACKBURN; PROP STYLING: CHRISTINE KEELY
Active Time:
30 mins
Slow Cook Time:
8 hrs
Total Time:
8 hrs 30 mins
Servings:
16

You can’t have mashed potatoes without gravy, and the best gravy starts the night before—trust us.

While gravy is typically one of the last things you pull together for Thanksgiving dinner, our Overnight Giblet Gravy uses the turkey neck and innards from our Butter-Basted Turkey , along with plenty of aromatics, to create a flavorful stock that simmers low and slow overnight the day before Thanksgiving.

This method adds just as much flavor as using the pan drippings, without the annoying task of siphoning off the excess grease. The slow-cooker stock is thickened with a roux and flavored with fresh parsley, thyme, and sage.

We add the gizzards and shredded turkey neck back in before serving for an extra rich and meaty sauce, but you can also leave them out if you prefer a super smooth gravy.

Ingredients

  • 1 (4 1/2-oz.) pkg. fresh turkey giblets, reserved from 1 (14- to 16-lb.) fresh or thawed, frozen whole turkey

  • 1 (5- to 6-oz.) turkey neck, reserved from 1 (14- to 16-lb.) fresh or thawed, frozen whole turkey

  • 6 cups lower-sodium turkey or chicken broth

  • 4 cups chopped yellow onions (from 2 large onions)

  • 2 cups chopped celery (from 4 large stalks)

  • 2 cups chopped, peeled carrots (from 2 large carrots)

  • ½ cup unsalted butter

  • ½ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste

  • 1 tsp. black pepper, plus more to taste

  • ÂĽ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage

  • 2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

Directions

  1. Add turkey giblets, turkey neck, lower-sodium broth, yellow onions, celery, and carrots to a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 12 hours.

  2. Gently remove turkey giblets and neck, and reserve for gravy. Carefully pour broth mixture in slow cooker through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl or pot to equal 6 cups broth. Discard solids, and set broth aside.

  3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, and cook, whisking constantly, until butter mixture is well combined and turns golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly and carefully add reserved broth to butter mixture in saucepan, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Bring broth mixture to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to low. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until broth mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 15 minutes.

  4. While broth mixture simmers, pick meat from reserved turkey neck, and transfer meat to a cutting board, discarding bones. Cut away and discard any silver skin or tendons from gizzards and heart, if necessary. Roughly chop turkey neck meat and cooked giblets, and add to thickened gravy in saucepan; whisk in salt and pepper. Cook gravy over low, whisking occasionally, until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chopped fresh parsley, sage, and thyme, and add more salt and pepper to taste. Keep gravy hot before serving it with turkey.

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