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Make Ahead Cider and Sage Gravy

Make ahead cider and sage gravy with roasted turkey stock for a glossy, thick finish. Roast then simmer wings, strain, and build the gravy with sage-butter roux for smooth, pourable texture.
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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: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Turkey wings or drumsticks
  • 2 lb Turkey wings or drumsticks Roast until deeply browned for best stock flavor.
Onion
  • 1 Onion Quarter for roasting and deeper flavor extraction.
Carrots
  • 2 Carrots Chop into rough pieces.
Celery stalks
  • 2 Celery stalks Chop into rough pieces.
Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
Chicken broth
  • 6 cup Chicken broth Use in the stock simmer, then whisk into the roux.
Apple cider
  • 1 cup Apple cider Adds sweetness and aroma to the stock.
Butter
  • 6 tbsp Butter For sage-thyme roux base.
All-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup All-purpose flour Cooked into a golden roux to thicken the gravy.
Fresh sage
  • 2 tbsp Fresh sage Chopped; sautéed briefly to bloom flavor.
Fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp Fresh thyme leaves Leaves only, stirred into the butter.
Apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar Added at the end for brightness.
Salt and pepper
  • 1 Salt and pepper Season to taste after the gravy thickens.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 saucepan

Method
 

Roast for turkey stock
  1. Preheat oven to 425F, then toss turkey wings, onion, carrots, and celery with olive oil on a sheet pan. Roast for 45 minutes until deeply browned, using a quick glance for dark caramelized edges.
Simmer and strain stock
  1. Transfer the roasted turkey and vegetables to a Dutch oven with chicken broth and apple cider. Simmer for 30 minutes, then strain and keep the stock for the gravy.
Make the sage-butter roux
  1. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then add sage and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Look for the herbs to smell fragrant without browning too much.
Thicken the gravy
  1. Whisk in all-purpose flour and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown, whisking constantly. The roux should look smooth and slightly deeper in color.
Cook to a smooth, thick finish
  1. Gradually whisk the strained stock into the roux, then simmer for 8-10 minutes until thick and smooth. Keep whisking so it stays lump-free and glossy.
Finish, cool, and reheat
  1. Stir in apple cider vinegar, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Cool, refrigerate up to 3 days, and reheat over medium heat, whisking in pan drippings if you have them.

Notes

Pro tip: strain the stock well before whisking to avoid any bits that can make the gravy grainy. Store refrigerated in a covered container up to 3 days and reheat gently over medium heat while whisking; freezer: no (texture may break). For a dairy-light swap, use half the butter and replace the rest with a neutral oil, then adjust seasoning since flavor may mellow slightly.