This turkey neck gravy recipe turns the turkey neck (plus your pan drippings, if you have them) into rich, homemade gravy — no giblets required and no store-bought packet needed. Being a mom of 8, there is no way my kids would let me forget the gravy, so I make a big batch every year using leftover turkey drippings and turkey neck.
Being a mom of 8, there is no way my kids would let me forget the gravy. My favorite is this Turkey Neck Gravy because it is made with chopped veggies, turkey drippings and turkey neck. The combination of these ingredients makes this gravy taste amazing and easy to make.
Gravy completes are holiday meal and is so delicious poured over Slow Cooker Whole Turkey and Cornbread Sausage Stuffing Recipe.
Why This Gravy Works
Turkey Neck Gravy is packed with amazing flavor. The fact that it is made from scratch allows me to adjust the ingredients and add in fresh herbs if we have them.
Prepare your taste buds for this rich and creamy gravy that is sure to impress your entire family.
Can You Make This Ahead of Time? Yes! Make the turkey neck broth up to 3 days in advance and store it in the fridge. On the day you’re serving, all you need to do is make the roux and whisk in the broth — one less thing to juggle on Thanksgiving Day.
Ingredients
- Uncooked Turkey Neck and Backbone – We used the one from our whole turkey but you can buy separately at the grocery store
- Carrots, Onion, and Celery – Chop in bite size pieces
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth – See Chicken broth substitutes if you are out
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe in the recipe card.
How to Make Turkey Neck Gravy
Step 1 – Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan (dutch oven or large saucepan) over medium heat. Once melted, add in the turkey neck and backbone and brown all sides.
Step 2 РAdd in the onions, carrots and celery. Saut̩ until softened (3-5 minutes).
Step 3 – Season with salt, pepper and bay leaves.
Step 4 – Stir in the broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the broth is reduced to approximately half of the original amount.
Step 5 – Remove from heat, remove the neck, backbone and vegetables from the mixture and let cook slightly.
Step 6 – Strain the remaining mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids and set aside.
Step 7 – Melt the butter for the gravy in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Then whisk in the flour for approximately 1 minute.
Step 8 – Gradually whisk in the reserved broth. Bring the mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer (whisking constantly) until the mixture has thickened (approximately 5-10 minutes).
Step 9 – Season with the salt and pepper and serve warm.
Step 10 – Pour over your turkey and your favorite sides and enjoy!
Using Real Turkey Drippings – If you have drippings saved from your roasted turkey, whisk in up to 1 cup along with the broth in step 8. This adds even more roasted flavor and stretches the gravy further, so you’re never short on Thanksgiving Day.
Why Make Your Own? A jar of store-bought turkey gravy runs you a few dollars and tastes like it came from a can. This homemade version costs about $0.73 a serving and tastes like you spent all day on it — because the turkey neck is doing all the work.
Feeding a Crowd?
This recipe doubles easily — just use two turkey necks and double the broth and roux ingredients. It’s an easy way to make sure there’s plenty of gravy for a full table without buying extra jars.
Expert Tips
- Gravy Consistency – The gravy may thicken some as it sits. Warming the gravy backup will help to thin it out and you can also stir in more drippings or broth if needed.
- Combining Ingredients – As the gravy is cooking, stir constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious gravy is a must for all of our holiday dinners. Preparing the gravy with the turkey drippings and the turkey neck makes the best gravy and even better drizzled over these Thanksgiving recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
We love to hear from you. If you make Turkey Neck Gravy Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Common thickeners for gravy is cornstarch or flour. You can even make a Roux to help change the consistency of the gravy.
Turkey necks are loaded with flavor and are dark meat. They are located in the cavity of a whole turkey with the giblets and gizzard. These are removed before the turkey is roasted.
If your turkey didn’t come with one, you can usually buy turkey necks separately at the butcher counter or in the frozen section near the other turkey parts.
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can freeze turkey gravy in a freezer safe container or divide it in ice cube trays. This allows your freeze small portions to easily use for soups or stew recipes.
Reheat the leftover turkey on the stovetop or in the microwave in a microwave safe bow until gravy has been reheated through.
Yes! Pour the gravy through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the lumps, or blend it briefly with an immersion blender until smooth.
Turkey Neck Gravy
Ingredients
For the Drippings/Broth:
- Uncooked Turkey Neck and Backbone
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 3 Carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 stalks Celery chopped
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 4 cups Chicken Broth
For the Gravy:
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter
- ¼ cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
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Instructions
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey neck and backbone and brown on all sides.
- Add the carrots, onion, and celery. Sauté for 3–5 minutes, until slightly softened.
- Add the bay leaves, salt, pepper, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20–30 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about half.
- Remove from the heat. Discard the turkey neck, backbone, vegetables, and bay leaves.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt ¼ cup butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in the reserved broth until smooth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5–10 minutes, whisking frequently, until the gravy thickens.
- Season with the remaining salt and pepper.
- Serve warm with turkey and your favorite sides.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
More Easy Gravy Recipes
Five stars all the way! It was delicious, satisfying, and simple enough to make on a busy weeknight.
I made this for Thanksgiving last year and it was a hit!
5 star
WOW AMAZING
Recipe was so easy to follow! The gravy turned out perfectly!
This is my favorite way to make Turkey Gravy!