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Make Ahead Cider and Sage Gravy

Make ahead cider and sage gravy with turkey-wing stock for a glossy, thick finish. Roasted aromatics, strained stock, and a smooth butter-flour roux create rich flavor that reheats cleanly.
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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: 260
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

turkey wings or drumsticks
  • 2 lb turkey wings or drumsticks
onion
  • 1 onion large
carrots
  • 2 carrots
celery stalks
  • 2 celery stalks
olive oil
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
chicken broth
  • 6 cup chicken broth
apple cider
  • 1 cup apple cider
butter
  • 6 tbsp butter
all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 cup all-purpose flour If measuring by weight: about 3 oz
fresh sage
  • 2 tbsp fresh sage chopped
fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Roast turkey and aromatics
  1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Toss the turkey wings or drumsticks, onion, carrots, and celery with the olive oil on a sheet pan.
  2. Roast at 425F for 45 minutes until deeply browned. Scrape up any browned bits from the pan as they develop.
Simmer and strain stock
  1. Transfer the roasted turkey, onion, carrots, and celery to a pot. Add the chicken broth and apple cider.
  2. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and keep the stock for the gravy.
Build the sage roux and finish
  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sage and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
  2. Whisk in the all-purpose flour and cook for 3-4 minutes until golden brown. Keep whisking to prevent scorching.
  3. Gradually whisk in the stock. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until thick and smooth.
  4. Stir in the apple cider vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Make ahead and reheat
  1. Cool the gravy and refrigerate up to 3 days. Keep it covered while it chills.
  2. Reheat over medium heat, whisking as it warms. Whisk in pan drippings if you have them.

Notes

For the smoothest texture, strain the stock well before making the roux, then keep whisking during both the flour-cooking and stock-simmer stages so the gravy thickens without lumps. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; freeze is not recommended because the gravy can separate when thawed. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend designed for thickening.