Does anyone else feel kind of stressed out when it’s time to make the gravy at the last minute? The turkey’s out of the oven, but you have to keep an eye on the rolls, and somehow find oven space to reheat the stuffing… you know the drill. It’s that end-game crunch time that always makes me a little frantic, which is why I like to make whatever I possibly can ahead of time. And did you know you can make your gravy ahead of time? It’s true. This Make-Ahead White Wine Gravy isn’t only delicious; it’s also super easy and can be made up to three days ahead with only a little reheating on the stove. That certainly simplifies matters!

You are probably wondering How do you make gravy ahead of time if you don’t have any drippings yet? And that’s an excellent question. Basically, you’re going to rely on storebought (or homemade, if you have it!) stock for the pre-made portion and then you’re going to really bring in the flavor at the end with the white wine and whatever drippings have accumulated from your turkey (or chicken or whatever it is that you’re making).

You’re just going to start by melting a stick of butter in a saucepan and whisking in a third cup of flour. Let that flour cook (while you keep whisking) until it starts to smell toasty…

… and then gradually whisk in two cups of whatever broth you decide to use.

Bring it to a boil (and keep whisking, at least pretty often) and let it cook for a few minutes and you’ll have a very thick gravy. But that’s okay, that’s how you want it.

It’s too thick to pour at this stage, but you’re going to remedy that later. At this point, you can let it cool, cover it, and keep it in the fridge for up to three days.

When it’s turkey time (or chicken or whatever it is that you’re making), you’ll take whatever drippings you have from your roasting pan and stir some of them into that gravy over medium-low heat.

But that’s not all you’re adding. You’re also adding a half cup of white wine, which isn’t a ton, but it transforms the flavor into something unlike any other gravy I’ve had before. It adds some acidity and brightness that lifts up the savory nature of the gravy and I think it’s positively delicious.

The amount of drippings you add in the end just depends on how thick or thin you like your gravy, so add gradually and adjust as needed once it’s come up to a bubble again. And there you have it — easy, make-ahead gravy!