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Southerners don’t consider it Thanksgiving without giblet gravy. My version starts with a homemade turkey stock, chopped giblets and neck meat, and finishes with a splash of cream and Granny’s secret: a spoonful of unbaked cornbread dressing. Stir in a chopped hard-boiled egg, and you have the traditional Southern version.
I must confess I’ve never been successful at making regular gravy. I successfully make a pot of homemade glue every time I attempt it! Giblet gravy, however, is a little more forgiving.
I’ve always been an avid reader of food magazines, and about 30 years ago, I came across a recipe for giblet gravy with cream in Bon Appétit magazine. I tried it and was hooked. Just 1/4 cup of cream gives this gravy a flavor lift, and it still has the traditional giblets, turkey stock, and drippings.
Testing results for giblet gravy
- I’ve tested this gravy as gluten-free, with gluten-free flour and gluten-free cornbread dressing, and it was just as good as the original.
- I’ve also made it the quick way, simmering the giblets for about 45 minutes and using canned stock in the gravy. It was ok, but the gravy wasn’t nearly as rich or flavorful as the version made with the homemade stock.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Giblet gravy starts with a homemade stock
Start the stock while the turkey roasts. The neck and giblets simmer with vegetables and a bay leaf for about two hours, until the pot cooks down to about 3 cups. That long simmer gives the gravy a deeper turkey flavor than canned broth can.
Short on time or stove space? Simmer the giblets for about 45 minutes, until they’re cooked through, and use store-bought stock in the gravy. It won’t be quite as rich, but nobody at the table will send it back.
Once the stock is strained, you pull the meat off the neck and chop it, along with the heart and gizzard, into small pieces. Add those pieces back into the gravy at the very end.
Related 📖 ➡️ How to cook a turkey
Pin this now to save it for laterMeasure everything before the roux
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card.
Have the cream measured, the giblet meat chopped, and the flour, stock, and turkey pan juices ready before you start. Once the butter and flour hit the pot, there’s no time to look for anything, and the gravy can turn to glue while you hunt for the cream.
With everything lined up, the gravy is quick: a couple of minutes for the roux and about 5 more to simmer.
You’ll cook the butter and flour together for a couple of minutes, then slowly whisk in the stock, the cream, and up to a cup of drippings from the roasting pan. I spread my herb butter with sage, thyme, and rosemary on the turkey and use those drippings in the gravy, which adds even more flavor.
And because this is the way Granny did it, I also save a couple of tablespoons of my cornbread dressing, made with cornbread and biscuits, before it goes in the oven and whisk it into the gravy. Then you simmer the gravy about 5 minutes, until it’s as thick as you like it, and add the chopped meat and season with pepper. You probably won’t need salt if you’re using turkey drippings.
Southern giblet gravy with egg
For traditional Southern giblet gravy, stir in a chopped hard-boiled egg at the end. The egg is optional on the recipe card, so make it the way your family expects it.
Not everyone loves hard-boiled egg (of course, not everyone loves giblet gravy anyway), so you can also split the gravy into two camps: one bowl with egg and one without.
If someone at your table can’t eat gluten, use gluten-free flour and gluten-free cornbread dressing. My mother has to eat gluten-free, so I made it that way for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago and no one knew the difference. It was perfect.
Make the stock ahead, finish on the day
If your turkey is thawed enough to reach the giblets or you’re using a fresh turkey, you can make the stock and chop the giblets in advance, then finish the gravy with the turkey drippings on the day. I always finish the gravy while the turkey roasts so I can get the drippings.
Store your stock in the refrigerator for 2-3 days if you make it ahead of time. You can also freeze the stock.
Pour it over everything on the plate
What do you serve with giblet gravy? Um, everything. To some, the gravy is what Thanksgiving is all about, and it’s the one day you have full rein to douse everything on your plate. Set the gravy boat in the middle of the table and let it make the rounds, starting with a whole roast turkey with crispy skin.
Cooking for two to four? I make an oven-roasted turkey breast with a maple cayenne glaze and still make the full pot of gravy. Ladle the rest over Southern mashed potatoes made with sour cream and heavy cream and the cornbread dressing.
Teach the stock-making to whoever helps you in the kitchen on Thanksgiving morning. It’s a recipe worth handing down.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
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Giblet Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
For the stock:
- reserved turkey neck, heart, and gizzard
- 6 cups water
- 3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 large celery stalk, chopped
- 1 small bay leaf
Gravy:
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 cups turkey stock
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- 1 cup turkey pan dripping add in increments to taste
- 2 tablespoons pre-baked cornbread dressing
- cooked, chopped meat from turkey neck and giblets
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (optional)
- black pepper and salt to taste (likely will not need salt)
Instructions
To make the stock:
- Place turkey neck and giblets in a large saucepan; add 6 cups water and 3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 2 carrots, coarsely chopped, 1 onion, halved, 1 large celery stalk, chopped and 1 small bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer over medium heat for about 2 hours. Stock should be reduced to about 3 cups.
- Strain stock into a bowl and chop the neck meat and giblets.
To make the gravy:
- Melt 5 tablespoons unsalted butter in large saucepan. Whisk in 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour and continue whisking for 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in 3 cups turkey stock, 1/4 cup whipping cream, up to 1 cup reserved turkey pan juices and 2 tablespoons pre-baked cornbread dressing.
- Simmer gravy for 5 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency, whisking frequently.
- Add cooked, chopped meat from turkey neck and giblets and 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped (optional) and season to taste with pepper.
