Savory Make-Ahead Turkey Gravy

1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the giblets, neck, turkey drumsticks, carrots, celery, onions, and the halved garlic head into a large roasting pan. Spray everything generously with vegetable oil and toss to coat.

2. Roast Ingredients

Roast these ingredients for about 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, until they are well browned and caramelized.

3. Transfer and Simmer

Transfer all the contents from the roasting pan into a large Dutch oven. Pour in the chicken broth, white wine, and add the thyme sprigs. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently for about 1.5 hours.

4. Strain and Refrigerate

After simmering, strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container, discarding the solids. Cover the container with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the fat congeals on the surface, at least 2 hours.

5. Skim Fat and Prepare Roux

Use a soup spoon to skim the congealed fat from the stock and set it aside. Heat 0.5 cups of the reserved fat in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it's bubbling. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture turns a honey color, about 2 minutes.

6. Thicken Gravy

Gradually whisk in the stock, bringing the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the gravy has slightly thickened, approximately 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

7. Store or Reheat

If not serving immediately, the gravy can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. To reheat, warm the gravy in a saucepan over medium heat until it’s bubbling and ready to serve.