Marcus Wareing's turkey gravy recipe

TV chef Marcus Wareing shares his favourite recipe for Christmas gravy, which can be made with either turkey or goose.

a white gravy boat filled with gravy
Published - 20 Nov 2025
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Sauces are a key element of any dish, and you can’t have Christmas lunch without a beautiful gravy.

My favourite is the one I make at home with my wife. We always make it on Christmas Day, using turkey or goose wings and giblets.

Ingredients

  • The wings and giblets from the goose/turkey
  • 50g butter
  • Cornflour to coat the giblet and wings
  • Pinch of fine salt
  • 1 peeled garlic, crushed
  • 1 shallot, finely sliced
  • 500ml red wine or port
  • 500g liquid chicken stock

Method

  1. Coat the wings and giblets in the cornflour and pinch of salt.
  2. Melt the butter in a medium-sized pan until it foams.
  3. Add the wings and giblets, garlic and shallot.
  4. Add the wine or port and leave to reduce to about half.
  5. Add the liquid chicken stock and reduce again until thickened to your liking.
  6. Check for seasoning – adjust as necessary.
  7. Strain through a sieve and serve.

Notes

We don’t use flour, though we do coat the wings and giblets in cornflour before adding them to a pan of foaming, melted butter with some garlic and shallots.

Alcohol is crucial – either red wine or port. I add that, let it simmer for a while and then add stock – chicken is fine.

Then I reduce it down until I’m happy with the consistency.

(Hero image credit: Shutterstock)

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