How to make Southern giblet gravy

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many Americans will be looking forward to a traditional roast turkey dinner with all the fixings. And nothing completes a classic Thanksgiving turkey feast like a hearty, savory Thanksgiving gravy covering both the turkey and the side dishes.

While you can make gravy from a packet, the depth of flavor you’ll get simply doesn’t compare to gravy made from scratch. While there are many types of turkey gravy, a great option is Southern giblet gravy. Giblet is the culinary term for the edible innards of a bird. This usually means the gizzards, heart, and liver. Conveniently, these giblets come in that mysterious bag stuffed in the cavity of a whole turkey. When properly made, giblet gravy is a delicious way to utilize every part of the turkey, leaving nothing to waste.

Giblet gravy tips and tricks

To start, any great gravy requires an excellent broth or stock as its base. This ingredient needs to be high-quality since it forms the foundation of the gravy’s flavor. If you can, try making homemade chicken or turkey stock. While it’s time-consuming, the result is worth the effort. However, if time is an issue, a good quality store-bought chicken broth, preferably one without too many flavor additives, is a suitable option. Another great way to boost the flavor of the gravy is to incorporate the drippings from the roasted turkey.

There are actually many variations of Southern gravy using different ingredients and methods (some classic recipes call for the addition of chopped hardboiled eggs mixed directly into the gravy). For those who like a thicker gravy, simply cook it longer. On the other hand, if your gravy is too thick, add a bit of stock to thin out the consistency. The great thing about giblet gravy is that it can be stored in the freezer (up to six months) for future use.

Many people also look forward to the classic leftover Thanksgiving sandwich, which tastes great with a healthy serving of giblet gravy. But besides a sandwich, giblet gravy is also great for a Thanksgiving hash made from potatoes, onions, and leftover turkey. For a creative recipe, ladle giblet gravy over french fries for a Southern take on Canadian poutine.

Spicy giblet gravy recipe

(Recipe from Chef DuVal Warner of Ranch 45, Solana Beach, California)

Ingredients

• 1 bag giblets
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 white onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeno, sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken or turkey stock to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce

Method

1. Remove the giblet package from the turkey.
2. Rinse under cold water, then pat dry.
3. Place canola oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. Add giblets and cook until the outsides are crisp.
4. Remove giblets from pan, dice and return to the pan, reduce to medium heat.
5. Add diced onions and jalapeno slices. Cook until translucent onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
6. Add flour and stock into a medium-sized bowl and stir until combined.
7. Raise the heat to high, add the stock mixture, and bring it to a boil, stirring often.
8. Reduce heat to simmer, then cook for 20 minutes, stirring often.
9. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir.
10. Add a few shakes of Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce to taste. Serve immediately and enjoy!

This interesting, spicy Southern giblet gravy recipe comes from Ranch 45, a restaurant, coffee shop, and butcher shop specializing in all-natural, hormone and antibiotic-free meat. More than just a restaurant, Ranch 45 also offers cooking demonstrations and classes. This recipe is courtesy of their executive chef, DuVal Warner. Originally from southern Virginia, Warner is a fan of highlighting his southern roots through his food. This is Warner’s family recipe for giblet gravy.

Traditional Southern-style giblet gravy

While that spicy Southern giblet gravy recipe sounds delicious to us, we know that not everyone is a fan of spice. So here’s a traditional Southern-style giblet gravy recipe (it even has the chopped hard-boiled eggs we talked about earlier) that you can use if your Thanksgiving dinner guests like things on the milder side. You can always have a bottle of hot sauce handy to allow people to spice things up if they want to. The recipe is from Allrecipes.

Ingredients

• 1 quart water
• Giblet bag from a turkey
• Turkey neck
• 1/4 medium yellow onion
• 1 stalk celery, cut in half
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 14.5-ounce cans chicken broth
• 4 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Method:

1. Simmer water, giblets, onion, celery, bouillon, salt, and pepper in a 2-quart saucepan for 40 to 50 minutes.
2. Transfer the liver and neck to a cutting board, chop the meat, and set it aside. Discard the celery, onion, neck muscle, and any other giblets.
3. Return the chopped liver and neck meat to the saucepan, add chicken broth and chopped eggs, and cook over medium heat.
4. Mix milk and cornstarch in a small bowl and slowly add to the saucepan.
5. Reduce heat to low; cook and stir until gravy has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.
6. Once the gravy has thickened, transfer it to a gravy bowl and serve hot.