Homemade Turkey Gravy is so easy to make and absolutely delicious, especially when you use the leftover drippings from your Thanksgiving turkey. You can embrace the giblets stored inside your turkey and use the them to make a delicious giblet gravy, or leave them out if you want a turkey gravy recipe without giblets in it.

Turkey gravy in a white gravy boat being poured over turkey slices on a plate with cranberry sauce and broccoli.

We had TWO turkeys at Thanksgiving dinner when I was growing up. My mom usually hosted and we’d always have at least 30-50 people there. Mom would make one turkey and my Grandma would make the other, and they would both use the turkey drippings to make the best homemade turkey gravy!

They say the star of Thanksgiving is the turkey, but I’d argue that the Turkey Gravy and cranberry relish really make or break the meal! I’m all about “sauces” and dips and those two things are top favorites on my entire Thanksgiving plate.

I love to make a big well in my homemade mashed potatoes for the gravy, I love it over my Turkey, and I love it lightly drizzled on stuffing. Everyone always loves a smear of leftover gravy and cranberry sauce on our turkey sandwiches the next day, too.

How to make turkey gravy:

Homemade gravy is so easy and delicious.  Below are steps for making turkey gravy with or without the giblets.

What are giblets?

When you buy a turkey (or chicken), you will find the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards from the bird stored inside its cavity.  Before cooking your turkey, you should remove the giblets and set them aside.  You can use the turkey giblets to make the best homemade turkey giblet gravy!

What are drippings?

Drippings are what’s left in the roasting pan after cooking the turkey.  This includes fat that has melted and any bits of meat that have fallen off.

A saucepan with turkey gravy with giblets and a wire whisk.

How to make turkey gravy with drippings and giblets:

When you remove your giblets from the turkey, rinse them with cold water and store them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them.

When you are ready to make your giblet gravy, place all of the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards of the turkey in a sauce pan, cover them with water and bring it to a boil.  Simmer the giblets 1 hour.

Remove the giblets, save the water, and chop the giblets into small pieces.

Boiled giblets on a cutting board next to another photo of the giblets chopped into small pieces.

When you have taken your turkey out of the oven, pour the drippings into a bowl.  Allow the fat to separate and skim it from the top of the drippings.

Add about one cup of the drippings to the roasting pan or a sauce pan.  Whisk in about ½ cup of flour and make a roux by allowing it to turn to a golden brown color.  Add broth and more drippings, stirring until it thickened, and add the giblet meat.  Season the gravy with salt and pepper and make sure to taste it to be sure it has the flavor you are looking for!

Step-by-step photos for making turkey gravy with turkey drippings, broth, flour and giblets.

 

How to make turkey gravy without giblets:

To make turkey gravy without giblets, throw the giblets from the turkey away and make turkey gravy using the drippings from the pan.

A white plate with slices of turkey covered in gravy, broccoli, and cranberry sauce.

Storing and Making Ahead of Time:

To store:  Store leftover gravy in a sealed container for 2-3 days.

To Make Ahead:  Make the gravy as directed.  Allow it to cool and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  To reheat, pour it into a saucepan and add a couple tablespoons of chicken broth or water to thin it (use your best judgement for how thin/thick you like it).  Heat it on medium low heat until warmed through (about 15 minutes).

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Recipe

Turkey gravy in a white gravy boat being poured over turkey slices on a plate with cranberry sauce and broccoli.
Prep 10 minutes
Cook 10 minutes
Total 20 minutes
Save Recipe

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Place the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards of the turkey inside a medium size sauce pan.  Cover the giblets completely with water and bring the water to a boil.  Once boiling, simmer for 1 hour or until the meat is cooked through.
  • Next, use a slotted spoon to remove the giblets from the water and set them aside. At this point you can decide to discard the liquid from the giblet water or save a little of it to use at the very end of making your gravy if you need to make the gravy thinner. Otherwise you don't need this liquid).
  • Once the giblets have cooled, remove the livers and discard them (they add a really strong taste and flavor not many people like). Use your fingers to remove any meat from the turkey neck. Add the meat to the rest of the giblets and discard what's left of the neck. Then dice the giblets into small pieces and reserve them for the gravy.
  • When you have taken your turkey out of the oven, pour the drippings (what’s left in the roasting pan after cooking the turkey.  This includes fat that has melted and any bits of meat that have fallen off) from your turkey roasting pan into a large bowl.  (Tip the pan away from your body and be careful not to burn your self)!
  • Now let the drippings sit for a minute, allowing the fat to naturally separate from the rest of the drippings.  You will notice that the fat will rise to the top, leaving the drippings and liquid on the bottom.  Use a large spoon or ladle to skim (remove) most of the fat from the top of the the drippings. 
  • To make the gravy, use a large sauce pan and add 1 cup of drippings to the pan. 
  • Add ½ cup flour to the pan and whisk together until it makes a smooth paste. (At this point, you'll need to use a little of your own judgement.  You want a pasty consistency.  If yours seems a little greasy, add more flour).
  • When you have found the right consistency, whisk the mixture slowly over the heat as it begins to brown.  You are creating a roux.  
  • Once you get a nice golden brown color, add 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 additional cup of drippings.
  • Allow the gravy to cook, whisking constantly for about 5 to 8 minutes, or until thickened.  Then add the giblet meat.
  • At this point, decide for yourself if you like the consistency of the gravy. If the gravy is too thick, add giblets broth or drippings liquid.  If gravy is too thin, cook for about 10 minutes. If it's still thin, add a cornstarch slurry (mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and then add to the gravy). Continue heating until gravy thickens to desired consistency.
  • Once your happy with the consistency of your gravy, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and enjoy!
  • Store leftover gravy covered, in the refrigerator.

Notes

Find all THANKSGIVING recipes HERE.
To Store: Keep leftover gravy in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
To Make Ahead:  Make gravy as directed and allow it to cool. Store covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.  To reheat, pour gravy into a saucepan and add a couple tablespoons of chicken broth or water to thin it (use your best judgement for how thin/thick you like it).  Heat it on medium low heat until warmed through (about 15 minutes).
*Gravy recipe adapted from the Pioneer Woman

Nutrition

Calories: 25kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gSodium: 18mgPotassium: 58mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 0.3mg

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’m a 62 year old man and I had never made gravy prior. I was a bit nervous because there were 15 people counting on my turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy.

    I used Lauren’s recipes for all 3 dishes. Everything was excellent, but the one thing everyone kept coming back to was the incredible flavor and texture of the gravy.

    Thanks Lauren!!!

    #TastesBetterFromScratch
    @TastesBetterFromScratch

  2. 3 stars
    You just simmered the giblets & now you’re tossing the liquid away?? What?? You strain & use this liquid for your gravy !!! Always!!

  3. 3 stars
    Luckily I have some experience making gravy, but for a beginner, these instructions would not be specific enough. It still came out thin so I had to add some cornstarch at the end.

  4. 2 stars
    I am making the gravy now. I am a pretty ok cook. I have made gravy before but not often. I was careful to follow instructions exactly. It’s extremely thin. I am going to have to add either more flour, ( I don’t like to do that) or cornstarch to make it gravy and not beige water with a touch of viscosity. I’ll try again at Christmas and add in 3/ 4 cup flour right from the start.

    1. 3 stars
      There is nothing outright wrong with the recipe. As someone who has made giblet gravy for 20 years. COOK MORE. I mean literally boil the liquid on the stove. Im not one to use the flour/cornstarch- it takes longer but I prefer sans flour, plus flour should only be added after some evaporation . You need to evaporate all that liquid. Cook, stirring constantly until it is thick. It should actually change color. Good luck- try to make a roasted chicken gravy be before Christmas to try out the boiling.

  5. 5 stars
    Tried to make homemade gravy at the last minute. I did not have the neck/giblets to use. Used the pan drippings and chicken stock. Worked great. Had to add a little more liquid since the gravy thickened while it sat. Flavor was amazing. Will be my go to for thanksgiving dinner.

  6. 1 star
    This was a disaster, I googled so many recepies and chose this one based on 5 star reviews… so we followed every step beside optional neck and giblets part. My husband and my girlfriend all read instructions and it was the worth thing ever it didn’t get brown and so tick and at the end was nasty
    Thank God I has a store bought packet of Brown Gravy so we did that cause family was already at the table. Please tell me what went wrong, this was simplest stupid recepy 3 ingredients and didn’t worked. Dumb Dumb recepy you almost ruined my party, shame on your parents if you have them.

  7. 5 stars
    Amazing gravey. Made it according to instructions (with giblets) and turned out wonderful. Plenty of gravey for everyone. Delicious. This will be our go to gravey.

  8. 4 stars
    Excellent recipe, great flavor! Only one part where I differ— of the giblets, leave the liver out until the last 15 minutes of the simmering time. The liver cooks very quickly and will be mush if overcooked. I usually toss the neck after the boil, it is just too difficult to get any useful meat off of it. Or, I could freeze it, with the after-dinner bones, to make bone broth later.

  9. 5 stars
    Very excellent tutorial, thank you.
    I am always hesitant on making a rue because of the overwhelming flour taste but I will try this out.
    Any store bought gravy that is excellent? I think I bought Costco gravy and it was okay.

  10. I am making a turkey breast which requires me to put white wine in the bottom on the pan. Do you have a suggestion on how I can still use this turkey gravy recipe?

    1. Glad to hear you’re using white wine for your turkey! For the gravy, simply use the wine-infused drippings as your base. Adjust the flour and seasoning to taste, and if needed, thicken with a cornstarch slurry. This method should give your gravy a rich, delicious flavor that complements your turkey perfectly.

  11. Hi! My husband is planning on smoking a turkey this week and I am in charge of gravy, but we won’t have the typical drippings. Any ideas how to still make it delicious without that?

    1. Hi Caroline, I might’ve missed the time frame but if you put in a drip pan (you can use a disposable one) and add water in the bottom of the pan then you can still collect drippings and it adds a nice smokey flavor to the gravy as well. You might have to adjust the amount of chicken broth used though based on the excess water in the drippings. Good luck!

  12. I have been married for 13 years and have made turkey dinners anywhere from 3 to 7 times a year cause we love it. But I have never been able to make the gravy from scratch…I’ve always struggled with gravy…I can make some but I usually mess up the first time. Well I used this recipe and it was so good! I did it right on the first try! I didn’t use the giblets as I already had thrown them away but it was still delicious..I’ll never go back to the pack!

  13. 5 stars
    This recipe is outstanding. It’s rare that you can find a recipe that has everyday ingredients and such an easy preparation, but also tastes wonderful! This is, by far, the BEST turkey gravy I’ve ever tasted! My family members each have different tastes. They all loved this gravy! I doubled the recipe because we had a lot of drippings and I’m glad I did! We had hot turkey sandwiches with the leftovers and they were amazing because of the gravy!

    The tips were so helpful! Discarding the livers after cooking them added depth of flavor without the bitterness you get when you bite into a piece of liver in the gravy. Pouring the drippings into a bowl and skimming off most of the fat is a great idea, although I wasn’t sure it would work because fat provides flavor but this gravy was rich, smooth, and flavorful. This will be a holiday staple in my family from now on!

    1. 1 star
      Really? Cause we tried and it almost ruined our Thanksgiving party… they paid you to leave this review? My goodness so disappointed supposed to be thankful today the party was great but here I am sitting leaving negative review which they will not approved so my opinion doesn’t count, at least you happy enjoy the crap

  14. 5 stars
    This gravy could not have been any easier. I did add a bit of white wine and a couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce. It was delectable! Would absolutely use this recipe every time. Thank you!

  15. Thank you for sharing this Turkey gravy recipe. The past few years were hit or miss. I was getting discouraged, but this gravy redeemed my and my confidence to make a delicious Thanksgiving gravy! Flavors were spot on, visually was beautiful…great all around! This will be my go to from here on out!

  16. 5 stars
    The roux required a little muscle, but the result was lovely. This was the perfect easy recipe. Will use it in the future.

  17. 5 stars
    So I made your turkey and this. First let me say turkey is something my family dreads me making. Second gravy and I have a rough history. I took the turkey out yesterday and it was THE MOST TENDER turkey I have ever had. It was delicious. My picky five-year old was snatching the meat as I was cutting it. My husband was like so who made it… Because it couldn’t have been you. The gravy I made today and everyone is eating it with mashed potatoes. Again my husband is suspicious about me making it. These two recipes were so simple and easy I will put them in the monthly rotation. Thank you, thank you and God bless you! I look forward to making more of your recipes!

  18. 5 stars
    Made this gravy (including giblets) and everyone loved it! It was my first attempt at gravy and must admit, I was a little frightened. But with your great instruction/video it was almost perfect…my only issue was I had several small lumps after putting the flour in the drippings…my daughter googled it and luckily I have an immersion blender which did the trick! Thanks, I love your style and taste!!

  19. 5 stars
    I made this gravy from the drippings of the No Fuss Turkey, and it was the best!! ( I did not use the giblets) I appreciate the clear instructions, pictures, and helpful information in all of her recipes!!

  20. 5 stars
    This is the best turkey ever and it’s so easy! This will be the 3rd year in a row that I’ve made it. There’s no sense in looking for another recipe cause this one is THAT good! Such great step by instructions!

    1. Turkeys can be really fatty. In my horrible experience, if you leave most of the fat, you’ll get greasy and surprisingly weak and gross tasting gravy. I use a ratio of 1tb/1tb/1cup of fat/flour/liquid. Use the fat/flour as thickener and cook that for flavor, then slowly add drippings of broth while whisky. For a family of seven (with leftovers) I do 6Tb fat and 6Tb flour then 6 cups of drippings (supplemented with broth if needed).

  21. 5 stars
    This was really helpful for me, especially being my only second time cooking a turkey! This was the best and easiest recipe that I found and I’m really excited to make it for Thanksgiving. Making a turkey has always been a huge fear for me. I’ll let you know how it turns out! Keep your fingers crossed. Thanks again!

  22. Hello! Excited to use this recipe this year! Any advice about using bone broth or stock instead of broth? Any chance it makes it even yummier? Thank you!

  23. 5 stars
    This is my new go-to recipe for Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey. I made the turkey and the gravy for our pre-Christmas dinner with the family and it was a hit! Very moist and full of flavor! Thank you so much!

    1. 5 stars
      Great gravy! I had only made sausage gravy before so I was apprehensive, but these instructions were clear. I followed the recipe exactly for the giblet-in version. This produced enough highly-flavored gravy for 8+ people on turkey, potatoes, and dressing.

  24. 5 stars
    I’m a senior citizen, but had never before made gravy or stuffing from scratch.
    This recipe was fantastic! Both the gravy and stuffing got not only compliments but requests for multiple servings as well as carry-home boxes.
    You can’t get a better review than that!

  25. I’m confused about how you can make the gravy ahead of time, since the drippings won’t be available until the turkey is done.

    What can I do without the drippings? Do I just mix 4 cups of chicken broth with 1/2 cup of flour ahead of time? Then on the day of, I reheat it with 2 cups of drippings?

    1. Some people will make the turkey the day before to free the oven up for all the sides and everything everyone else brings. This makes for a less stressful day. So you could make the gravy the day before as well and just thin it out as you heat it up before serving.

    2. Spencer – you need to let the bird rest for 30 to 40 minutes before carving. Remove the bird from your roasting pan and set it on a carving board. You may cover with foil if you wish. While turkey rests, you have time to get the drippings, finish your prep and make the gravy.

    3. Probably too late now, but it sounded like she was suggesting to prep the giblets ahead of time by simmering and chopping. Just one less thing to do the day of!

    4. You Must mix/cook flour with fat first. This makes a roux (thickening agent). If you don’t, horrible lumps will happen and your gravy will taste like raw flour. Always cook the roux first (will look sandy) then slowly add liquid while whisking. Works every time. If gravy needs a bit more flavor, you can add a chicken bullion cube or granules at the end in a pinch. Easy trick and won’t dilute your gravy.

  26. I started cooking by helping my grandmother make the the graveyard in the late 50’s. My family always liked gravy to be “darkish” which was accomplished by adding a little Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce. I have also found that a little left over coffee can do the trick! God Bless!

  27. In step 1 you say to boil the liver. But in step 3 you say to discard the liver. What’s the point of boiling it then?

  28. The flavor was good, but I skimmed all the fat from the drippings, and so my roux never got that toasty golden brown. Next time I’ll include a few tablespoons of the fat.

  29. 5 stars
    First time cooking Thanksgiving dinner. I used this gravy and the Easy No-fuss turkey recipe. Both the Turkey and Gravy were perfect. I left out the giblets and only used dippings from the pan and turned out incredible. So easy. Thanks so much!

  30. 5 stars
    I ama a half Italian half American woman who lives in Italy and started cooking a Thanksgiving turkey only three years ago to honor my American roots. I have always made only corn bread and salads, but since I once cooked a turkey following your recipe I can’t let anyone else do it. Easy and very good! Thank you, my Thanksgivings have become more delicious ever since

  31. I am a 45 year old woman who has never cooked a turkey, much less made an entire Thanksgiving meal (My family are all excellent cooks, so I have been relegated to “salad maker” and “drink bringer”!). My infant daughter and I couldn’t make to see family this year, so I decided this was my time to go for it! I cooked a 15lb turkey using your Easy No Fuss recipe, and made the Turkey Gravy, Sausage Cranberry Pecan Stuffing, and Sauted Brussel Sprouts with Cranberries and Pecans. Everything turned out wonderful! I can cook! Honestly, I think it was the tastiest Thanksgiving meal I’ve ever had (and *I* made it all!). What a fantastic day. Thank you so much for these recipies- easy to follow, lots of pictures, helpful tips, just perfect for this novice cook. I sent pictures to the whole family and have a newfound excitement about cooking from scratch. Truly- thank you.

  32. Question, so do you discard the turkey broth that you made from boiling the neck and giblets? Then when you make the gravy you use the chicken broth/ stock on the roux? Is that right?

    1. Yes, discard the water from cooking the giblets and use the turkey dripping from roasting your turkey and chicken broth.

  33. I am making the gravy for the first time, MIL usually makes, but COVID! Can I use the water from cooking the giblets instead of the broth? I won’t be adding the meat to the gravy tho. Also can you use cornstarch instead of the flour? I’d love to make it ahead, so I can spend more time with family!

    1. Hi Leslie, if you don’t have the broth from the turkey then I would substitute chicken broth. (The water from the giblets wont be flavorful enough on it’s own–you definitely need broth :-).)

  34. Sounds great. Excited to try this. What do you do with the giblet water? Do you use that instead of chix broth? Thank you!

  35. Any tips to get more drippings from the turkey pan? I’ve followed these recipes around 5 times already (and I love them) but I always feel like i rarely get any drippings and when I do it’s mostly fat! I was wondering if you had any advice! Thanks in advance!

    1. The liquid you get is sort of case by case depending on your turkey, vegetable rack at the bottom, etc. Just get as many drippings as you can, use chicken broth and it will be flavorful and yummy!

  36. I am making Thanksgiving dinner for the first time this year, and I am extremely nervous, but also excited to try this gravy recipe and your turkey recipe! I realized I read the gravy recipe wrong the first time. Is it possible to use the water that the neck and giblets are cooked in? I was planning to use the water, but discard the neck and giblets after cooking, or should I just use the broth and drippings with no water?

  37. Quick questions, I’ll be making this gravy for someone who is both gluten free and allergic to corn (ibs). Could I substitute arrowroot or tapioca flour for the regular flour? And if so would the measurements be the same?

    I’m looking forward to using both your turkey and turkey gravy recipes for Thanksgiving this year!

    1. I haven’t tested it but yes it will be around the same! The great thing about gravy is it’s really easy to adjust the consistency as you make it!

  38. I love this recipe! I don’t know how you can make the gravy from drippings a couple days ahead though because then your turkey will be cooked and you obviously don’t wanna reheat the turkey. just a thought that crossed my mind. Thanks for the recipe!

  39. Your recipe isn’t clear what to do with this giblet water. Are you supposed to add this to the drippings. Is this what you mean when you refer to add the liquid? You also don’t specify the typical quantity of this. Thank you.

    1. No, you can discard the giblet water or you can save some of it to use after you’ve made the gravy and want to thin it out at all.

  40. I have a question: does adding the giblet meat back in make the gravy have meat chunks? I love the idea of a deeper flavour but not of a chunky consistency. Thank you!

  41. 5 stars
    This gravy is by FAR…the absolute best EVER…!!!
    It is incredibly quick and easy to make!
    Simply put…there is NO other better..!

  42. 5 stars
    Gravy is always the part of Thanksgiving dinner that I worry about – will it be runny? lumpy? salty? etc… I used this recipe yesterday and got rave reviews! Thank you for a great recipe that I will use year after year!

  43. 5 stars
    Amazing!! This was my first year taking care of the turkey for dinner. Between your steps and this incredible recipe it was a hit with everyone! The skin was a nice warm brown, the meat was juicy and flavor packed, and my house is going to smell delightful for days to come! Thank you so much for taking the time to put this all together and sharing it! Happy Thanksgiving!

  44. 5 stars
    I made the version with no giblets and I used Wondra instead of flour….. it was amazing! This was my first year making gravy from scratch so I bought jarred gravy just in case and I’m excited to say I didnt need it!

  45. 5 stars
    I used this recipe for turkey and gravy for the first time today and everyone was impressed! I’ve never made a turkey before and this was really EASY! It took 4 hrs for an 18lb bird and it came out very moist. Thank you so much. I will definently use this again.

    1. Yes, it is not an even swap. You will use less cornstarch. I would start with 3 Tablespoons stirred into milk to make a slurry.

  46. Is there an adaptation if I don’t have drippings? I will have the giblets but we deep fry our turkey (so no drippings).

  47. Looking forward to making your gravy. Do have a question about making ahead… what do you use in place of the turkey drippings since Turkey won’t be cooked until day of?

    1. If you wont be using turkey drippings in the gravy, just use chicken broth and add 1/2 teaspoon or so of poultry seasoning, for extra flavor. Enjoy!

    2. You can make gravy without chopping up the giblets but still use the giblets to season the water that you’re going to need. Just bring them to a light boil and cook for a while to season the water that you will then use for the gravy. If you have a dog cutting up the giblets is a nice Thanksgiving treat for your furry friend.

    1. I’m afraid the gravy will curdle/separate when frozen. However, it will keep well in refrigerator 3-5 days.

  48. “We had TWO turkey’s at Thanksgiving dinner …” You may note that even Grammarly marked “turkey’s” as incorrect since the plural form would have no apostrophe. It ain’t rocket surgery.

    1. Whoops, an honest mistake, but thanks for the grammar lesson. Also, I believe the expression is “it’s not rocket science”. 😉

      1. @Michael McPherson…you don’t need to be an asshole. And ain’t? How about “isn’t” if you want to be the grammar police? Troll. GTFOH.

  49. If you are boiling the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards of the turkey, does that become the 4 cups of broth or is the 4 cups broth added in addition?

    1. Hi Mark,
      No, I use a separate 4 cups of broth and only use the left over liquid from the giblets if you need to make it thinner near the end of cooking!

  50. 5 stars
    Best gravy I’ve ever made, and it was just as easy as using a packet. Thank you for the clear instructions.

  51. 5 stars
    OKay honestly I never leave comments. Like ever. However, this recipe was simply amazing. If I could give it 10 out of 5 stars I would. Thanks so much for sharing this! I’ll be using this every year from now on!

    1. Thank you so much Layla! I’m so happy to hear that and I really appreciate you taking the time to comment on your experience! Happy holidays 🙂

  52. 4 stars
    Tried the Turkey gravy without giblets and it was a success. Very happy with it. I needed to tweak the flour for more servings which made it a bit hard since I’m not a great chef and have little cooking experience with making things from scratch.

  53. 5 stars
    I made this for yesterday’s meal and we all loved it! I just didn’t tell anyone what the bits were! Thank you for such an easy simple but delicious recipe!

  54. 5 stars
    I followed your recipe and it was really good. I had no trouble at all. It turned out smooth and delicious. I left the liver in because I am a closeted liver lover.lol

  55. I just have a quick question about the turkey gravy.. Since you’re getting the drippings from a hot turkey, do you not need to apply heat to the saucepan when adding the flour and added drippings for thickness? I just wasn’t sure if there was any extra heat there or not. Thank you!

    1. Yes you should still have the heat on, the flour needs the heat to cook and the residual heat won’t cut it. Otherwise it will taste like raw flour! I know this is a year old comment but I figured if someone sees it and has the same question I would respond 🙂

  56. This recipe looks so amazing! I have never, ever in my life had to cook a turkey, ever. To say I am a bit nervous is an understatement. I have a couple questions. I think I need to brine my turkey, what are your directions on that please, because sadly I have never done that either. My mom usually does the cooking of the turkey, but she passed away Sept 2017. Last year no one felt like celebrating so we had it catered. This year I am attempting to fill her shoes. Also I have to cook and carve it at my house then drive it about 10 min way.
    Questions:
    How to brine?
    How to carve the turkey, I do not have an electric knife.
    Is it okay to do the cranberry relish in a blender as I do not have a food processor?
    I have a 12 pound turkey, at what temperature and how long do I need to cook it?
    I am sorry to bother you with this questions, I would give anything to be asking my mom, but I do not have that option, so any insight you could give me would be appreciated. God Bless you and your family!

    1. Hi Jessica, I’m so sorry to hear about your mom’s passing, and I really hope I can help calm your fears about cooking the turkey because it’s actually pretty simple! The most important factors are making sure your turkey is thawed in time and given time to rest at room temperature before going in the oven, and also to make sure not to overcook it (use a good thermometer to test it and take it out of the oven when the thigh meat and breasts reach 160 degrees)! Have you seen my post and recipe for Easy Thanksgiving Turkey? https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/easy-no-fuss-thanksgiving-turkey/
      It’s a great resource, and here is a link to a live video I did on facebook this week walking you through the entire process, and answering questions: https://www.facebook.com/tastesbetterfromscratch/videos/1485697671533369/ !
      I do NOT brine the turkey–it’s very unnecessary if it’s a good-quality store-bought turkey (like butterball)–they are pre-brined these days.
      As you’ll see in my post, turkey’s take about 13-15 minutes to cook per pound and they cook at 325 degrees F, so you should plan on about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to cook your 12 pound turkey.
      Here’s a great video tutorial on how to carve a turkey with just a regular good-quality knife- https://www.allrecipes.com/video/440/how-to-carve-a-turkey/
      Also, Pulsing the cranberry relish in your blender will work really well! Be sure to cut the orange into pieces.
      Your 10 minute travel time will work perfectly for the turkey, which should really rest for at least 20-30 minutes before carving anyways 🙂 Cover it well with tinfoil while it rests to keep it warm.
      Good luck and I would love to hear how it goes!