Giblet Gravy is a flavorful, classic Southern-style homemade turkey gravy that can be made without drippings. This old-fashioned giblet gravy recipe is perfect served with roasted turkey, chicken, and dressing.
Looking for more sauce and gravy recipes? I think you’ll love my easy make-ahead classic turkey gravy recipe and my cranberry sauce.
Have you ever wondered what to do with that little packet that comes stuffed inside of your whole chicken or turkey? Friends, don’t toss it! I have good news on how you can use it for old-fashioned, delicious turkey gravy. Make my Grandmother’s easy Giblet Gravy recipe! This was always her Thanksgiving gravy and for other special holiday meals, like Christmas dinner. It is a must-have dish to serve with roast turkey, chicken, and cornbread dressing. Along with my easy turkey gravy, you’ll definitely find this at my family’s Thanksgiving dinner table.
What is Giblet Gravy?
Giblet Gravy is a classic old-fashioned Southern gravy. This gravy recipe is made with the giblets and neck of a turkey, along with hard-boiled eggs. The giblets are the heart, liver, and gizzard of the turkey. Giblets and the neck are usually packaged inside the whole turkey or chicken cavity. They add an additional depth of flavor to this turkey gravy recipe. They make a savory, flavorful homemade gravy recipe.
If you like egg-free gravy, you can omit the eggs from this recipe.
How to Make Giblet Gravy Recipe
Ingredients for Turkey Giblet Gravy
- Turkey giblets and neck – they add a meaty flavor to this amazing gravy
- Butter – Use salted or unsalted butter based on your preference.
- Turkey stock – You can also use turkey broth, chicken stock or chicken broth, or turkey drippings if you have them. I have included how to make your own stock below.
- Cream of chicken soup – I use 1 1/2 cups of my homemade cream of chicken soup, but store-bought is great in this easy gravy recipe.
- Hard-boiled egg – If you prefer without an egg, you can simply omit it.
Optional ingredients:
Additional seasonings: The cream of chicken soup is already seasoned, but you may want additional salt and black pepper based on your tastes. Some people also enjoy adding a pinch of poultry seasoning.
Fresh herbs: You can also add fresh herbs based on your preferences, such as thyme, sage, and rosemary.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this giblet gravy includes a few steps, but it is an easy recipe.
- Remove the giblets and neck from the turkey and place them into a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Pour the turkey stock into the saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover the meat completely. Simmer on mediumlow heat until cooked thoroughly, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove the cooked giblets and neck from the homemade giblet stock with a slotted spoon and place them into a bowl to cool.
4. Add the butter and cream of chicken soup to the drippings. Stir to combine and allow to simmer.
5. Remove the meat from the neck and chop it with the rest of the giblet meat.
6. Chop one boiled egg. Add the egg along with the chopped meat to the gravy.
7. Stir to combine and serve.
Serve the delicious gravy over hot southern cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, turkey, or chicken.
Make Ahead Turkey Giblet Gravy Recipe Instructions
Also can be used for leftover gravy.
- To store: Make the gravy ahead of time according to the recipe. Allow to cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat and serve: Pour the gravy into a saucepan and thoroughly heat.
How to Make Turkey Stock
Place the turkey legs in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Add salt and pepper and cover with water. Cook on a low simmer, covered until the meat is tender and the stock is thick and colorful about 4 hours. Add more water if needed to keep the turkey covered with water while cooking. Remove the turkey legs from the stock and refrigerate them for future recipes.
Common Questions
Can You Freeze Giblet Gravy?
I do not recommend freezing this gravy as it is a cream-based gravy that will separate. I’ve included the instructions for make-ahead giblet gravy above.
How Do You Know if Your Turkey Contains Giblets?
The giblets and neck are usually packaged and inserted inside the whole turkey or chicken cavity. Sometimes they are packaged into multiple bags. Check carefully. You may have to thaw your turkey to be able to remove the giblets.
Lately, I have heard that some processors do not return the package of giblets and the neck to the turkey. I recommend you ask the butcher at your store’s meat department to make sure that the turkey you select includes the giblets and the neck for making the gravy. When you buy directly from a farmer, you can request them as well.
Here’s my family’s classic Giblet Gravy recipe. It is delicious served with your Thanksgiving turkey and as part of your Christmas dinner. I can’t wait to hear how you like it.
Giblet Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- Giblets and neck from Turkey
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 1/2 cups cream of chicken soup
- 1 boiled egg
Instructions
- Remove giblets and neck from turkey. Place in a medium saucepan. Add chicken broth and cover with water. Simmer over low heat until well cooked. Remove giblets and neck from saucepan.
- Add butter and cream of chicken soup into saucepan. Allow to simmer over low heat. Remove meat from neck and chop. Chop giblets and egg. Add back to saucepan and allow to simmer over low heat until hot.
- Serve over dressing.
Notes
Make Ahead Giblet Gravy Instructions
- To store: Prepare the gravy according to the recipe. Allow to cool and then cover tightly and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat and serve: Pour the gravy into a saucepan and thoroughly heat as you are removing the turkey from the oven to rest.
Optional ingredients:
Additional seasonings: The homemade cream of chicken soup used in the gravy is already seasoned, but you may want additional salt and black pepper based on your tastes. Some people also enjoy adding a pinch of poultry seasoning. Fresh herbs: You can also add fresh herbs based on your preferences, such as thyme, sage, and rosemary.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Your gravey is exactly the way my Grandma &my Mom . You just can’t make it any better.
My oldest son always ask for it on the holidays. The rest of the family could care less. So David and I have oour gravey all to ourselves.
Thank you for publishing it so other people can try it,
That’s sweet that you and your son enjoy it together. I hope you have a wonderful holiday, Betty! Thank you so much! xo
Looking forward to trying lots of your recipes this Thanksgiving and Christmas! Always made my giblet gravy the same as yours but instead of using soup to thicken it – I always just add some of the dressing to it.
Thanks for sharing all your great recipes.
I’m a southerner too – From Alabama to Georgia and this year Tennessee!
Wonderful, Ms. Sally! I hope you enjoy the recipes! Giblet gravy is delicious isn’t it?! Have a great holiday season! Thanks! xo
Robyn, the more I read your recipes the more grateful I am to you for sharing our good southern recipes. You are spot on and I would recommend sending people to your site. They are good tasting and simple. The best of both worlds. I am starting to think we may have the same DNA. You never know. Thanks for your site.
Aww, this makes me so happy to hear, Brenda! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipes – I share those that are special to my family, so it’s great to know that you enjoy them too! Thank you so much! I’m happy to have you here! xo
I have always thicken my giblets gravy with a small amount of a cornstarch slurry. My Mom always did this and it is delicious.
This looks just like my grandmothers!! Please if you also have a recipe for the stuffing I’d love if you’d share! I’ll be using this recipe for my Thanksgiving this year 😊
Hi Harley,
How neat that it’s similar to what your grandmother made! I hope you enjoy this!
My southern family loves cornbread dressing with it – we’re not much for stuffing in this family. 😉
Here’s my Southern Cornbread Dressing recipe – it’s what we enjoy every Thanksgiving and it’s amazing with this gravy! Enjoy! xo
I added some bacon cooked crispy and chopped …………..omg !!!!
Sounds tasty, Andrew! I’ve never had it that way! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks!
Unfortunately my mom & grandma r already gone & I really needed THIS RECIPE!! Girl, lol u did not disappoint because it tastes EXACTLY like my momma’s & grandmothers!! 😭 The love & memories came back instantly. THANK YOU SO MUCH & HAPPY THANKSGIVING..
Aww, Sissy, I’m so glad it reminded you of your grandmother’s and your Momma’s! It makes me so happy to see this comment! Happy Thanksgiving to you! xo
My mother always added dressing to gravy and no thickening. Put a chopped boil egg in with the giblets. It is the way I do it because that was the way I was taught. My family loves it.
Deeeelisous!😋
Just like mom used to make.
I use my Mom’s recipe, which is similar, except I place the rinsed giblets and neck in a medium saucepan, with chopped onions and celery and celery leaf, salt, a pinch of Bell’s seasoning, then bring to boil and simmer on stove top while turkey is cooking for 2 -3 hours, adding some chicken/turkey stock as needed. Then I remove meat from neckbone, and process the giblets in food processor, and add it to the pan gravy made from drippings. I now use wondra flour to make my gravy, less lumps. This way finicky eaters, don’t know the giblets are in the gravy and love it.:)
This is the 2nd time I’ve used Robyn’s recipe for easy Giblet Gravy – it’s as good as I remember my mom’s being! Awesome and very easy.
Thanks so much, Kim. That is an honor for my gravy to be compared to your mother’s.