I Asked 3 Chefs How To Make the Best Gravy—They All Said the Same Thing
Three chefs say the best way to make gravy, even without homemade stock, is to use drippings from your turkey pan.
Who doesn't love good gravy? The liquid gold can transform mashed potatoes and even a dry turkey into a succulent masterpiece. It’s typically made with a handful of ingredients—flour, fat, stock or broth, and seasonings—and the quality of those ingredients matters.
But I know that, even though most chefs advise it, busy home cooks don't often have the time to make their own stock.
So when I reached out to a handful of chefs, I undoubtedly put them to the test by asking for their best advice for making gravy without homemade stock. Was it a magical incantation whispered over the simmering pot? A special dance performed while whisking? Or perhaps a deal with a culinary demon? Thankfully, they suggested nothing so ominous or quirky!
Their answers were straightforward and, to my surprise, reflected the same simple advice: Pan drippings are the key to gravy glory.
The Chefs I Asked
- Suzanne Pohaizer: Chef and owner of the former farm-to-table restaurant, Salt Café, in Montpelier, Vermont
- Jenni Field: Former pastry chef at Luma on Park and pastry sous chef at The Ravenous Pig in, Winter Park, Florida, and creator of Pastry Chef Online
- Jillian Hillier: Creator of Fare the Well and culinary professor at George Brown College
How To Make the Best Gravy, According to Chefs
When it comes to gravy greatness, our chefs are all about turning your roasting pan into a flavor factory, where every browned bit is a golden ticket to deliciousness. Field, who says she could "talk gravy all day," swears by the drippings from the roasting pan.
Similarly, Pohaizer says that if she doesn't have the time to make turkey stock, "using turkey drippings is enough to give the gravy an excellent turkey flavor." It's like giving your gravy a head start to develop flavor. "Don't just pour the drippings into another pot to make your gravy," cautions Hillier. "Make the gravy right in the roasting pan to get all that stuck-on flavor from the bottom of the pan." Just ensure that your roasting pan is stove-top compatible first!
Aromatics Bring More Flavor
Pohaizer recommends using plenty of aromatics while roasting the turkey for “extra delicious drippings." Hillier places aromatics—leeks, onion, garlic, fresh herbs, celery, carrots —underneath her turkey. It not only enhances the gravy’s flavor but also increases the amount of drippings. Talk about multitasking!
To Roux or Not to Roux
Field and Pohaizer prefer to make a roux to build up the consistency of their gravy. Field recommends pouring off all but three to four tablespoons of turkey fat, then adding three to four tablespoons of flour, and "cooking and scraping up the browned bits” to mix with the roux.
Once it smells fragrant and is a beautiful golden brown, she adds her liquids. She uses a combination of stock—which can be store-bought since she’s already built flavor with the drippings—plus "some of the liquid from cooking the vegetables—sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, whatever" to boost the taste even more. After simmering, she seasons her gravy with salt and pepper. Whether you strain your gravy is "up to you," she says.
Hillier, on the other hand, is more of a flour slurry girl. "Call me old-school, but this is how my grandparents always did it, and I much prefer the consistency," she says. It's important, though, to add cold water to the flour and make sure there aren't any lumps left before adding it to the drippings. For her liquid, she goes big, using a combination of heavy cream and stock. "I know, I know … the calories," she quips." But the holidays aren't the time to be counting them, OK?"
No Homemade Stock? No Problem!
"Where I live, there are farmers that sell chicken stock and others who make locally sourced bone broths, so I'd encourage folks to see if there's something like that in their area," Podhaizer says. "If not, I'd opt for one of the pastured poultry bone broths available in grocery stores, and make sure to season the gravy to taste before serving."
Several food editors bestowed "the best store-bought stock" crown on this brand, but Field affirms, "good old Swanson's works, too." Whatever you use, it's essential to zhuzh it up.
How To Take Your Gravy to the Next Level
To do this, Hillier champions adding some form of umami. Liquid Maggi seasoning is her favorite choice, but alternatives like soy sauce, miso paste, and fish sauce also work. Pohaizer likes to add rosemary and some reduced apple cider to give her gravy more flavor and depth, Field often tries to brighten hers with red wine vinegar or lemon juice.
All of my experts are so passionate about their gravy-making that writing this story makes me feel like gravy is an art form, a way to show love to our dinner guests and, quite possibly, the key to world peace. (OK, that's a stretch, but have you ever seen anyone frowning while eating good gravy?!) So the next time you face a roasting pan full of drippings, don't see it as a mess to clean up; see it as the starting point to the gravy of your dreams.
