Thanksgiving is unimaginable without gravy. For some, gravy is in the pantheon of recipes shrouded in mystery, seemingly unattainable to mere mortals. But that’s a myth.
Gravy is the most basic of sauces with three ingredients (plus salt and pepper): fat, often the meat drippings; starch, such as flour or cornstarch; and stock.
We assume gravy is an artery-clogging fat bomb, but it doesn’t have to be. You can have gravy that is good and good for you, too. The secret? Make it ahead of Thanksgiving.
My pro tip is to make the gravy up to 5 days in advance and add the flavorful pan drippings and cooking juices when reheating, which allows for better control over the fat content. It also lightens up the workload on Thanksgiving Day since you won’t have to worry about the timing of cooking and resting the turkey, or managing a roasting pan on a crowded stovetop.
Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy