How To Make the Best-Ever Gravy, According to a 4th-Generation Turkey Farmer

Lots of people have strong feelings about what's on the Thanksgiving table . There's much debate about turkey-cooking techniques (dry-brined or wet-brined , spatchcocked , grilled, deep-fried ), must-make sides ( sweet potatoes , white potatoes or both; is Jell-O salad a side…and is it even a salad?) and even the best time of day to eat Thanksgiving dinner . But one thing seems to be universal: You've gotta have gravy .

Much like mac and cheese and peanut butter and jelly, you really can't have turkey without gravy. I mean, you can , but why would you? Gravy is a magical thing. It's mashed potatoes' BFF and has saved many a dry slice of turkey. It's rich and savory and packed with deep umami flavors and pulls everything on the plate together. 

Gravy can also be a little tricky. If you don't make it very often, whipping up a pan of the rich, thick sauce on the biggest cooking day of the year can feel a little intimidating. And what if it ends up lumpy, thin or bland? 

Luckily, we have an expert who can walk you through how to make turkey gravy, how to make it taste great—and how to fix it if things go sideways. We chatted with Heidi Diestel, a 4th-generation turkey farmer at Diestel Family Ranch in Sonora, CA, to get her top tips and advice.

Diestel and her family live and breathe all things turkey and roast a 30-pound bird (for real!) every year for the holiday. Diestel is often on gravy duty and takes that job seriously, so she's the perfect person to walk you through the process. Before you stick the turkey in the oven this year, read through her advice and grab a whisk. You've got this!

Related: The Genius Gravy Trick We Wish We'd Known About Sooner

6 Pro Tips for Making Great Turkey Gravy

1. It's All About the Base

A great gravy starts in the roasting pan. First, buy the best bird you can for maximum flavor, and then load up the bird and the roasting pan with delicious things that will become the foundation of your gravy. "A really successful gravy is full of flavor imparted from the bird and the aromatics and spices you put on the turkey," Diestel tells Parade . "When you're making your gravy with the drippings, you're ideally just thickening it up and tweaking it with a little bit of salt and pepper."

The specific flavor profile depends on what you enjoy, but you can add citrus, onions, herbs and garlic to the cavity of the bird, use spiced salt rubs and/or flavored butter on top of and under the turkey skin and add the giblets (that stuff in the bag inside the bird) and turkey neck to the roasting pan. All of those goodies, plus the juices from the turkey, will mix and mingle in the roasting pan to build a next-level gravy base. 

2. Add Some Wine

Diestel and her family don't typically baste the bird because it can impact the cooking time and make the skin less crispy, but they do goose the pan drippings partway through roasting. "About halfway through the roasting time, I like to add a cup or half a cup of white wine in and around the bird," shares Diestel. "You want to use something that's nutty and earthy, like a Chardonnay, versus something grassy like a Sauvignon Blanc. It's another flavor builder for making gravy that's super exceptional."

3. Separate Before You Start

To make sure you don't have greasy gravy, you need to separate the fat from the pan juices. The easiest way to do that is to pour the liquid from the roasting pan into a fat separator. The specially designed measuring cup helps you pour off the fat while keeping the leaner but flavor-packed drippings that are the heart of your gravy. If you don't have a gravy separator, you can carefully spoon the fat off the top of the dripping using a large spoon or ladle. 

4. Choose Your Thickener

Diestel says that gravy makers fall into two camps: those who like to use cornstarch and those who prefer a roux (a mix of fat and flour). Either method for thickening gravy will work; it really comes down to personal preference. 

Diestel prefers to use a roux, but is happy to advise on both methods. If you're looking for ratio advice, she suggests using 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon of fat to 1 cup of liquid for a roux and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch to a cup of water. She likes to shake the cornstarch and water in a mason jar to make sure the mixture is fully dissolved.

Related: We Tried 17 Different Kinds of Store-Bought Gravy, and You Can Buy the Winner at Walmart

5. Take Your Time

For Diestel, this is the true key to good gravy. "My number one gravy tip is patience ," she says. "People will turn up that heat on the gravy to really actively boil it to get it to thicken more quickly and you can taste that in the finished gravy." Instead of boiling the gravy mixture, you need to take a deep breath and settle in. 

"Someone needs to be on gravy duty," she says. "Just grab your glass of wine or sparkling water and stand there for a good half an hour reducing your gravy. This is good for you. The bird has to rest, so there's no rush. Just finish your gravy nice and slowly." In the midst of the Thanksgiving madness, a little gravy meditation might be just what the doctor ordered. 

6. Consider Cast-Iron

Many people make their gravy in the roasting pan set over the stove or in a saucepan, but Diestel likes to make her roux in a cast-iron skillet, then add her pan drippings. "I love reducing my gravy in a cast iron skillet," she shares. "I feel like it holds its flavor and helps deepen the flavor better than making it in a saucepan or a non-stick pan." No matter what pan you use, it's important to have a whisk in hand and stir the mixture constantly to avoid hot spots. 

Related: How To Make Cornbread 10x Better, According to the 'Cast Iron Cowboy'

4 Common Gravy Mistakes—And How To Fix Them

Diestel's tips should help you build a gravy you'll be proud of, but there are always times when things don't go according to plan. Luckily, there's almost always a way to fix (or at least improve) less-than-stellar gravy. Here are some of Diestel's fast fixes for common gravy grievances. 

It's too salty. 

"Add more drippings," she says. "If you don't have any more, you can add some chicken broth or correct with some type of acid. Lemon juice is a good choice and you can also use a little vinegar, but be careful of the type of vinegar and how much you add. Start with a dash of red wine vinegar and see how it goes."

It's lumpy.

"Whisk it some more," she says. "You can also strain it through a fine mesh sieve, but depending on the thickness of your gravy, that might take a while."

It's burnt.

"Immediately pull the gravy off the heat, and pour it into a clean pan. Make sure you don't scrape the bottom of the pan or the bunt flavor will ruin the whole batch."

It's meh.

"Add something with a lot of flavor, like some bouillon powder. Just be careful because they can be very salty, so add a little bit at a time," she shares. "You can also whisk in something with a lot of umami, like a mild miso paste. Again, add a little bit, mix it in, and give it a taste. Chopping up some mushrooms and steeping them in the gravy can also help. It will impart a lot of flavor."

Related: The Grandma-Approved Way To Make Jiffy Cornbread Mix 10x Better

Source

• Heidi Diestel, fourth-generation turkey farmer at Northern California's  Diestel Family Ranch .

This story was originally published by Parade on Nov 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Food & Drink section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.