I should have shared my keto gravy recipe with you long ago. I’ve shared all sorts of other keto thanksgiving recipes, so why have I held back on the gravy?
I promise I was not trying to keep anything from you. It’s just that I’ve never taken the time to formalize it and write it down from start to finish. I am one of those people who makes gravy on the fly, when the turkey is in the oven. I make it slightly differently every time, depending on what I have on hand and how big the bird is.
But you deserve really good keto gravy for your holiday meals, and so I roasted a chicken and spent time working out the ideal ratios. This is a classic recipe that goes perfectly with chicken or turkey. And it’s highly adaptable for any herbs and spices you want to add in.
What readers are saying…
“I cannot thank you enough for this recipe and at the best time of the year when GOOD gravy is one of the highlights of Thanksgiving. I just made this to try before my Turkey day, but used drippings from a pork roast and am blown away by how un-keto the taste of this is. It taste like I’m cheating big time. Amazing mouth feel. 10 out of 10 stars for me.” — Sami
Why you need this recipe
The first thing we need to discuss is how to thicken your gravy. Because no one likes thin, watery gravy!
Traditional gravy is thickened with flour or a starch like cornstarch or tapioca starch. Flour gravies usually start off with a roux, a thick paste of butter and flour cooked until brown, before the broth is slowly whisked in. Whereas starch is usually added to the broth at the end of cooking.
Neither flour nor starch are good options for a keto-friendly gravy. But never fear! There are several possible keto solutions – but I find one of them superior to all the rest.
You can always use gums like xanthan and guar gum, but they tend to give the gravy a slightly slimy quality. I’ve also seen recipes that blend cream cheese into the hot broth. But I don’t want cream cheese in my gravy, thank you very much!
So for the best classic keto gravy, do yourself a favor and get some glucomannan powder. It makes your gravy thick and rich, without any sliminess or cream cheese.
Why it works
Glucomannan is fiber extracted from the konjac root, the same ingredient that’s used in shiritaki noodles. It’s often sold as a dietary supplement, so make sure you aren’t purchasing the capsules, rather than the loose powder.
It’s a great thickener and a little goes a long way. For keto gravy, I experimented and found that 1/4 tsp per 1 cup of liquid was just about right.
One huge advantage over gums like xanthan is that it doesn’t clump up the minute it hits the warm liquid. So you don’t have to work quite so quickly to whisk it into your sauce.
It’s incredibly useful so I promise you it won’t go to waste. I use glucomannan in any number of my recipes, including my Keto Mongolian Beef, Keto Chocolate Pudding, and my updated Keto Rhubarb Crisp.
Ingredients you need
- Butter: Sautéing the giblets and vegetables in a little butter adds more flavor and deepens the rich brown color.
- Turkey neck and giblets: These usually comes inside the cavity of the turkey. Roasting chickens usually contain them as well.
- Vegetables: Onions and celery give the gravy its classic flavor.
- Chicken broth: A few cups of prepared chicken bone broth add volume and additional liquid. You can use homemade broth if you have some.
- Glucomannan: As I explained above, I have found this to be the best thickening agent for keto gravy. And it’s useful in many other keto recipes as well.
- Salt and pepper
- Additional seasonings: Feel free to add some dried thyme or sage to the broth as well.
Step-by-step directions
1. Sauté the neck, giblets, and chopped vegetables in butter, allowing them to cook until the giblets are browned and the butter has deepened in color.
2. Add in chicken or turkey broth and bring the whole mixture to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the neck and giblets.
3. Once your bird has finished roasting, add all the juices and drippings from the roasting pan into the broth. Make sure to scrape up all the browned bits as that’s where much of the flavor is.
4. Bring the pan of broth and juices to a boil again and cook until reduced by about one quarter. Then use a sieve to strain out all the solids. Return the liquids to the pan.
5. Whisk in the glucomannan and season to taste. Start with 1/2 a teaspoon and add more if your gravy isn’t thicker after 10 minutes.
6. Spoon it over roast turkey or chicken, or some delicious mashed cauliflower and enjoy!
Expert tips
The gravy will take a bit to thicken up so don’t overdo the glucomannan. Whisk in half a teaspoon and let the gravy sit for 10 minutes, then check the consistency. Add more if needed.
It’s also easy to thin it out if it gets too thick. Simply whisk in a little more broth and put it back over low heat.
You can easily scale this recipe up for a larger bird or if you just love to drown everything in gravy. For every cup of liquid, you need about 1/4 tsp glucomannan.
Frequently Asked Questions
You have a few options for thickening keto sauces and gravies. Many people use xanthan gum, but it tends to have a slimy quality. It also clumps very quickly so you have to whisk it in quickly. Another possible solution is cream cheese, but this changes the consistency. I recommend using glucomannan as a thickener for this keto gravy recipe.
Gravy of any kind is best made fresh but this does do well in the fridge for several days. So you can enjoy leftover turkey and keto gravy as long as you have the taste for it! It will thicken more as it cools. If it’s very thick, place it in a saucepan and add a few tablespoons of broth. Warm over low heat and whisk frequently until it thins out.
This keto gravy recipe has 1.1g of carbs and 0.3g of fiber per serving. That comes to 0.8g net carbs per ⅓ cup serving.
More delicious Keto Thanksgiving Recipes
Easy Keto Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 pkg turkey neck and giblets, (or chicken neck and giblets)
- 1/4 medium onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme or sage, (optional)
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp glucomannan
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the neck, giblets, onion, and celery. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any addtional herbs. Sauté until nicely browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer 30 to 40 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the neck and giblets.
- When the chicken or turkey is done cooking, remove to a platter and tent with foil. Pour any pan juices and drippings into the stock, scraping up any browned bits for flavor. Spoon off excess any fat from the top.
- Bring to a boil and cook until reduced by about one quarter. Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl to strain out the solids. Discard the solids and return the liquid to the pan.
- Whisk in 1/2 tsp of glucomannan and let sit 10 minutes to thicken. If you like very thick gravy, whisk in the remainging glucomannan. The gravy will continue to thicken up as it cools. If it gets overly thick, add a little chicken broth to thin it out as you re-warm it.
Notes
Storage Instructions
Store the gravy in a glass jar or other covered container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze it for several months. To re-warm, place in a pan and heat over low heat. If you need to thin it out, add more broth a few tablespoons at a time.Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I didn’t make the recipe but I did use the Glucomannan to thicken the too thin gravy my daughter made…what a great product! Thanks for that! I will, however, try the gravy recipe next time I make my own turkey dinner. Or, for that matter, any time I make anything that needs to be thickened…like the chicken pot pie soup I made with egg life “noodles” and thickened with xanthan gum before I bought the Glucomannan.
Thank you for the reminder to bring a small amount of glucomannan to my daughter’s home where I will make the gravy properly!
Can I just use the drippings from the turkey as it cooks? I’m not a fan of the neck or giblets.
Yes, as long as you get enough of them!
I cannot find a recipe for a keto white gravy on your site. Have you created one?
This gravy recipe is the one I came to the site to find. I can always depend upon finding what I need here as an insulin resistant person who pushed back type II; It never disappoints. What a gift Carolyn Ketchum is to those of us who must deal with blood sugar control every day.
Would Guar Gum powder work well?