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Make Ahead Cider and Sage Gravy

Make Ahead Cider and Sage Gravy with a glossy, thick pan-drip style texture. Roasted turkey aromatics simmer into stock, then butter-and-flour roux thickens it with cider, sage, and thyme.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 195
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Turkey wings or drumsticks
  • 2 lb Turkey wings or drumsticks Use for rich stock and turkey drippings flavor.
Onion
  • 1 onion Quarter for roasting.
Carrots
  • 2 carrots Chop into bite-size pieces.
Celery stalks
  • 2 celery stalks Chop into bite-size pieces.
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
Chicken broth
  • 6 cup chicken broth For simmering stock and for thinning the roux.
Apple cider
  • 1 cup apple cider Adds a mild sweetness and cider tang.
Butter
  • 6 tbsp butter Used to build the roux for thickness.
All-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour Cook until golden for a nutty roux flavor.
Fresh sage
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage Chopped.
Fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar Brightens the finished gravy.
Salt
  • 1 salt To taste.
Black pepper
  • 1 pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Roast and make the stock
  1. Preheat oven to 425F, then toss turkey wings, onion, carrots, and celery with olive oil. Spread on a sheet pan and roast 45 minutes until deeply browned.
  2. Transfer the roasted turkey and vegetables to a pot and add the chicken broth and apple cider. Simmer 30 minutes, then strain and keep the stock.
Make the cider-sage gravy
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add sage and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Stir until fragrant, without browning the herbs.
  2. Whisk in all-purpose flour and cook 3-4 minutes until the roux turns golden brown. Whisk constantly to prevent scorching.
  3. Gradually whisk the strained stock into the roux, then simmer 8-10 minutes until thick and smooth. Keep whisking as it bubbles to remove lumps.
  4. Stir in apple cider vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust before cooling.
Cool, refrigerate, and reheat
  1. Cool the gravy to room temperature, then refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat over medium heat, whisking in pan drippings if you have them.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, strain the simmered stock well before whisking into the roux, and keep whisking during the 8-10 minute simmer so it thickens evenly. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended because flour-thickened gravies can separate after thawing. For a dairy-light swap, use an equal amount of olive-oil based butter alternative in place of butter (the flavor will be slightly less rich).