Left over pan drippings from your roast turkey can be poured off into a separate container and used later to flavour a host of dishes such as soups, stews and mashed potatoes. You can freeze them in ice cube size quantities and store them for months, adding a few to a casserole to lift the flavour.

Save the pan drippings: The best time to make a gravy is after you’ve taken your fully cooked turkey out of the oven to let it rest. Allowing your turkey to rest for at least 20 minutes gives it time to reabsorb the juices for tender results. Using a turkey baster, pull up at least two cups of the turkey drippings.

To separate fat from drippings or gravy, first put a large resealable plastic bag in a large bowl. Pour in the drippings or gravy; seal the bag and let it stand for several minutes, until the fat rises to the top. Then, carefully lift the bag over a cup or bowl.

You can boil turkey giblets and then use them in a stew or add them to gravy to spread over turkey meat. A popular way to cook turkey giblets is to boil them, which prepares them for use in gravy or just to eat plain. These pieces of meat need to be cooked properly to keep you safe from foodborne illnesses.

Just skim the fat off with a ladle. Don’t worry, you’ll pick up some of the broth as well, but losing a little of the good broth is well worth removing the fat and calories. If you’re like me and determined not to lose a bit of the good stuff, the bowl of hot skimmings can be cooled and chilled.

Here’s how to clarify stocks and broths at home….4 Steps to Clarifying Stock

1. Strain your stock or broth.
2. Make an egg white-water mixture.
3. Stir the water mixture into the hot, strained stock.
4. Repeat the straining process.

This gravy is great with or without them! Combine broth, turkey neck, giblets, onion, celery, salt, and pepper in a large pot. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Strain broth; you should have close to 4 cups. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add turkey drippings. Stir in flour until smooth. Add broth and giblets.

Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer it for 1 hour to both to cook the meat and to make a giblet broth for the gravy. Remove the giblets and neck from the water (don’t worry; they’re supposed to look really grody) and set them aside.

Ingredients 1 1/4 cup turkey drippings (fat and juices from roasted turkey) 2 1/4 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 3 2 cups liquid (juices from roasted turkey, broth, water) 4 1/2 teaspoon salt, or less, if using turkey drippings 5 1/2 teaspoon pepper More

So while the turkey is roasting the next day, place the neck and giblets into a medium saucepan, cover it with water by about 2 inches, and bring it to a boil. After it boils, reduce the heat to a strong simmer and cook them for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the meat is totally cooked through.