Smoky Turkey Gravy Recipe for Thanksgiving & Leftovers

This smoked turkey gravy is the perfect accompaniment to your Thanksgiving turkey—or any time you want a rich, from-scratch turkey gravy. Made entirely from basic ingredients, it’s full of savory flavor and surprisingly simple to prepare.

Smoked Turkey Gravy

Gravy made from scratch will always beat a can or packet. When you smoke a turkey, traditional pan drippings can be hard to capture, and smoky cooking methods vary, so the best approach is to build flavor with stock made from turkey parts like the neck, giblets, and backbone. That creates a deep, authentic turkey flavor without having to rely on whatever dripped into a drip pan during the smoke.

Be aware: if your turkey was brined, the stock and any drippings can be saltier than usual. I generally recommend avoiding using drippings from a brined bird, but you can still extract great flavor from the neck and giblets when making stock.

If you’re spatchcocking your turkey, save the backbone you remove—roasting or smoking that backbone is a simple way to add extra turkey flavor to your stock and gravy.

Ingredients

This recipe uses just a few common ingredients. If you have homemade turkey stock, you’re already most of the way there. Optional turkey drippings can be added for extra richness if desired.

How to Make Gravy from Smoked Turkey

Because smoked turkeys are often cooked on grates, collecting drippings during the smoke can be difficult. Instead, focus on extracting turkey flavor by making stock from the neck, giblets, and backbone (if you have it). You can also capture juices when carving: slice the cooked turkey on a board with a lip so juices collect, strain them, and add to the gravy if you want that extra boost.

To make the gravy: melt butter in a large saucepan, whisk in the flour to form a roux, then slowly whisk in strained drippings (if using) and the stock. Simmer until it thickens and season to taste with salt and pepper, finishing with a splash of apple cider vinegar to brighten the flavor.

How to Make Turkey Stock

Turkey stock is the foundation of good gravy. If you don’t have turkey stock, you can use low-sodium chicken stock, but making smoked turkey stock from the neck, tails, or drumsticks really enhances the gravy’s depth.

Simple smoked turkey stock method:

Making stock a day ahead gives you time to focus on the turkey and sides on the big day. Extra stock freezes well in zip-top bags for future use in soups, stews, or gravies.

Giblet Gravy Option

Yes—you can make giblet gravy. The giblet packet typically includes the neck, heart, liver, and gizzards. I like to use the neck, heart, and gizzards to make stock; simmer them for about an hour to extract flavor. If you prefer a textured gravy, finely chop cooked giblets and stir them into the finished gravy before serving. The liver can be strong, so many cooks omit it from the final chopped-giblet mix.

Smoked Turkey Recipes to Pair with This Gravy

These smoked turkey recipes pair beautifully with this gravy: a classic whole smoked turkey, a marinated smoked turkey breast, a simple smoked turkey breast, or a spatchcock smoked turkey. Any smoked turkey will benefit from a well-made stock and this gravy.

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Marinated Smoked Turkey Breast

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Spatchcock Smoked Turkey

Smoked Turkey Gravy Recipe

This recipe is written for backyard grillers who want simple, reliable results. It yields about 8 servings and takes roughly 25 minutes total time. Use homemade smoked turkey stock for the best flavor.