Classic Turkey Giblet Gravy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, or more as needed
• 1 serving giblets (turkey neck, heart, and gizzard)
• 1/2 unpeeled yellow onion, rinsed
• 7 cups water, divided
• 1 cup turkey drippings, or as much is produced
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; cook and stir giblets and onion until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add 6 cups water to onion mixture and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover saucepan, and simmer until liquid is reduced by 1/3 and meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.

Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup to measure 4 cups. Add more water if needed to make 4 cups.

Place the turkey roasting pan with drippings over 2 burners on low heat; add 1 cup water and stir to release brown bits of food.

Pour drippings into a fat separator or a small bowl and allow fat to rise to the top; skim off excess fat and transfer to a 1-cup measuring cup. Fat should equal 3/4 cup; add butter if needed to get to 3/4 cup fat. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-cup measuring cup, adding more water to equal 2 cups if needed.

Combine the 2 cups drippings liquid and 4 cups broth in a bowl and cool.

Heat fat in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour until mixture is smooth and light brown, about 2 minutes. Gradually mix broth mixture into fat mixture using a whisk until smooth; bring to a boil and cook at a full boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until gravy is thickened about 15 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper.