Why you’ll love this dairy free gravy
A few years ago, we started making our Thanksgiving turkey on the pellet grill so that we could have more room in the oven, and that meant we needed to make our gravy ahead of time, and I’m so glad I did because it’s a total game changer for Thanksgiving prep.
It’s way less stressful, and it yields a consistently good gravy with tons of flavor from the veggie-simmered stock and roasted turkey wing drippings.
It might feel like an extra step, but it’s totally worth the effort. Plus, it’s great for alternative methods of making turkey, like grilling or deep frying.
More Thanksgiving recipes you’ll love: homemade stuffing / dairy free green bean casserole / dairy free pumpkin pie / easy cranberry bars
Ingredient notes:
- Turkey wings – I like to use turkey wings becuase they’re readily available at most stores, and they have enough fat/skin to get you the drippings we need for gravy. If you can’t find wings, turkey legs, drumsticks and even turkey necks can work. Feel free to use any combination of these and you’ll get exactly what you need.
- Turkey stock – if you can’t find turkey stock, you can use chicken stock. I would recommend stock over broth because it has more flavor.
- Vegetables – I use a onion, carrot, celery combo in this recipe to add flavor to the stock. You could potentially skip them, but I’d recommend at least doing the onion.
- Dairy free butter – If you don’t have dairy free butter, you can use additional olive oil.
- All-purpose flour – We are using this as our thickener. If you want to use make this gluten free, I would recommend this gluten free gravy recipe with dairy free butter.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Melissa’s tips + tricks:
- Don’t skip the roasting. The color and flavor come from those beautifully browned turkey wings. The goals is to get lots of brown bits and reduced fat (which will look like oil in the pan). This will give you the most flavor.
- Simmer on low – The stock in this recipe gets simmer the whole time the turkey wings are roasting. It should reduce to about 6 cups total, so I recommend measuring it before adding it to the gravy. If yours is too low, you can always add water back to it.
- Lumpy gravy? See my troubleshooting tips below.
- Reheat low and slow. Warm your up slowly on the stovetop, stirring as need to prevent it from burning, and whisk in a splash of stock if it gets too thick.
How to fix lumpy gravy:
If you find your gravy lumpy, there are a few way so to fix it. I recommend starting with the first and then working your way down the list until you get smooth gravy.
- Whisk it. For just a few lumps, I recommend just whisking the lumps out. Sometimes a little extra whisking is all that your gravy needs.
- Strain it. If you still have lumps, you can pass the gravy through a fine mesh strainer. This will hold back and large lumps.
- Blend it. If you don’t have a strainer, an immersion or high-speed blender will get those lumps right out.
Frequently asked questions
How long does make ahead turkey gravy last in the fridge?
You can make this gravy up to 5 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge or freeze it for up to 6 months.
Can I freeze this gravy?
Absolutely. Let it cool completely, then freeze it in a mason jar, plastic container or zip-top bag for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
More dairy free Thanksgiving recipes
Ingredients
- 4 turkey wings - bone-in, skin-on
- 1 onion - cut into chunks
- 2 celery stalks - cut into chunks
- 2 carrots - peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 32-ounce containers turkey or chicken stock
- 1 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons dairy free butter
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Roast the wings. Preheat oven to 400˚F and season the turkey wings liberally with salt & pepper. Place them in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons). When the oven is hot, roast the wings for 50 – 60 minutes, or until the wings are golden brown and there is a decent amount of drippings in the pan.
- Simmer the stock. While the turkey wings are roasting, add the turkey or chicken stock to a large pot and bring to a simmer. Submerge the onion, celery, carrots and herbs and keep the stock at a low simmer for up to 1 hour. Strain the herbs and vegetables before moving to the next step.
- Make the gravy. Transfer the pan to your stovetop and remove the turkey wings from the pan. Add the flour to the pan and whisk with the drippings to form a roux. Then, slowly whisk in the stock. Allow the gravy to simmer until it reaches your desired consistency. If needed, adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.
- Store until needed. Transfer the gravy to a container and refrigerate until ready to use. The gravy will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge, and it can be frozen for up to 6 months.
