Quick Pressure Cooker Gravy

Mastering a rich, flavorful gravy is a cornerstone of any memorable holiday meal, whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas. This year, free up valuable stovetop space and streamline your holiday cooking with our incredibly easy pressure cooker gravy recipe, perfect for your Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot. The secret lies in leveraging the savory drippings left after cooking your pressure cooker turkey, creating a depth of flavor that’s simply unmatched. In just minutes, you’ll have a luscious gravy, thick to your liking, ready to elevate your mashed potatoes, turkey, and all your favorite holiday sides.

For many, gravy is an absolute essential, a warm, comforting blanket poured over almost everything on their plate. While I may not be the biggest gravy enthusiast myself, I understand its importance, especially when hosting festive dinners. Traditionally, we might opt for a stovetop onion gravy, but the convenience and incredible flavor achieved by making it directly in the same pot used for your turkey is truly a game-changer. After expertly cooking our turkey in the pressure cooker, we’re left with an abundance of precious drippings – the perfect foundation for this beloved holiday sauce.

You might be surprised at what your pressure cooker can handle. We’ve even cooked an Instant Pot frozen turkey breast to perfection, and the resulting drippings were just as magnificent for making gravy. The beauty of these rich, flavorful juices is that they transform into something truly wonderful, saving you from discarding them and adding incredible value to your meal with minimal effort.

Why Make Gravy in Your Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot?

The multi-cooker has revolutionized holiday cooking, and gravy is no exception. Here’s why using your Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot for gravy is a brilliant idea:

• Unbeatable Flavor: By utilizing the rich turkey drippings directly from the pot, you capture all the savory goodness infused during the cooking process. This provides a deep, authentic flavor that is hard to replicate with just store-bought broth.
• Saves Stovetop Space: Holiday meals often involve juggling multiple pots and pans. Making gravy in your pressure cooker frees up burner space, allowing you to focus on other dishes.
• Quick and Efficient: The sauté function on these appliances heats liquids rapidly, bringing them to a boil and thickening them in a fraction of the time compared to traditional methods.
• Convenient Keep Warm Function: Your multi-cooker can keep the gravy perfectly warm throughout your meal, ensuring everyone enjoys a hot, fresh serving without it thickening too much or cooling down.
• Easy Clean-Up: If you cooked your turkey in the same pot, you avoid transferring drippings to another pan, reducing the number of dishes to wash.

Essential Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Gravy

The magic of this gravy begins with the incredible juices left after cooking your turkey. These flavorful pan drippings are the heart and soul of your homemade gravy. Do NOT discard them! They form the deeply savory base for your Instant Pot turkey gravy. The same principle applies if you’re making chicken dripping gravy – those leftover juices are pure liquid gold.

If you’ve cooked your turkey directly in your Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi, there’s no need to transfer the juices. Simply proceed with the gravy in the same pot, saving you an extra step and a dirty dish. This truly is all you need for an incredibly flavorful base.

Thickening Agents: Cornstarch vs. Flour vs. Arrowroot

To achieve that perfect, velvety consistency, you’ll need a thickening agent. My preferred choice is cornstarch, which creates a glossy, smooth gravy. To use cornstarch, always create a “slurry” by whisking it into an equal amount of cold water until completely smooth before adding it to your hot drippings. This prevents lumps and ensures even thickening.

• Cornstarch: Produces a very clear, glossy gravy. It’s gluten-free and has twice the thickening power of flour. Always mix with cold liquid first.
• All-Purpose Flour: A classic choice, flour creates an opaque, slightly cloudy gravy. It requires cooking for a few minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste. For a richer flavor, you can make a roux by cooking flour with fat before adding liquid.
• Arrowroot Powder: An excellent gluten-free alternative to cornstarch, arrowroot also creates a clear, glossy finish. Like cornstarch, it should be mixed with cold liquid before adding to hot gravy and is best added at the very end of cooking as it can lose its thickening power if overcooked.

For seasoning, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste is usually sufficient, as turkey drippings are already incredibly flavorful. It’s best to taste the gravy after it’s thickened and then adjust seasonings to your preference, as some drippings can be saltier than others.

How to Make Pressure Cooker Gravy: Step-by-Step

This recipe focuses on using the sauté function of your pressure cooker, which means no lid is attached or sealed. You’ll simply be using your multi-cooker as a very efficient stovetop pot. Here’s how to make perfect, rich gravy:

Equipment

• 1 pressure cooker (e.g., Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi)
• Small bowl for slurry
• Whisk

Ingredients

• 4 cups turkey drippings (or chicken broth)
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1/2 cup cornstarch (to thicken, if desired)
• 1 pinch salt, to taste
• 1 pinch pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare Drippings: If your turkey drippings have a significant amount of fat, you can skim some of it off for a lighter gravy, or leave it for a richer flavor. If you want to add small bits of pre-cooked meat (like turkey neck meat) or sauté aromatics like finely diced onions or mushrooms, add a bit of olive oil into your pot and set it to sauté. Brown any aromatics or meat bits first until softened.
2. Simmer Drippings: Add the turkey drippings (or chicken/turkey broth if not using drippings) to your pressure cooker. Set the pot to the “Sauté” function on high. Bring the drippings to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. This typically takes about 2-3 minutes.
3. Create Cornstarch Slurry: While the drippings are heating, combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Whisk thoroughly until the mixture is completely smooth and no lumps remain. This step is crucial for lump-free gravy.
4. Thicken the Gravy: Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the boiling drippings in the pressure cooker while continuously whisking. Keep whisking for 1-2 minutes until the gravy reaches your desired thickness. If it’s not thick enough, you can mix another small batch of slurry (e.g., 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water) and slowly whisk it in until perfect.
5. Season to Taste: Once the gravy is smooth and thick, taste it before adding any additional seasonings. Turkey drippings often have plenty of inherent flavor. Add salt and pepper gradually, adjusting to your liking. Remember, you can always add more, but you can’t take it away!

Nutrition (Approximation)

Serving: 2oz, Calories: 25kcal, Carbohydrates: 6g, Sodium: 401mg, Vitamin A: 215IU

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

How to Make Gravy without Drippings

No turkey drippings on hand, or just craving gravy on a regular weeknight? You can absolutely make this delicious gravy using turkey or chicken broth as your base. The process is identical: simply use 4 cups of good quality broth instead of drippings. When using broth, you might need to add a bit more salt or herbs (like a pinch of dried thyme or sage) to boost the flavor, as broth can be less concentrated than drippings. Again, taste as you go to achieve your perfect balance.

As mentioned, I typically hold back on adding a lot of salt during the sauté step because drippings can vary greatly in their sodium content and overall flavor. It’s genuinely challenging to gauge the saltiness until the gravy has fully thickened and cooled slightly. It’s always better to undersalt and allow individual diners to add more at the table than to overseason the entire batch. Everyone has their preference when it comes to seasoning, so empowering them to customize is often the best approach. And believe me, those rich drippings alone pack a powerful flavor punch! This flexible approach also works well for a slow cooker gravy.

Tips for the Best Pressure Cooker Gravy

• Skim the Fat (Optional): For a lighter gravy, carefully skim some of the fat from the top of your drippings before starting. For a richer, more traditional gravy, leave some of the fat in.
• Whisk, Whisk, Whisk: Constant whisking, especially when adding the slurry, is key to preventing lumps and achieving a silky-smooth texture.
• Adjust Thickness Gradually: Always add the thickening slurry slowly and in stages. It’s easier to add more thickener than to thin out an overly thick gravy. If your gravy becomes too thick, you can whisk in a little more warm broth or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Taste Before Seasoning: Drippings already contain a lot of flavor and often salt. Always taste your gravy after it has thickened before adding salt and pepper.
• Add Herbs: For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a sprig of fresh thyme, rosemary, or a pinch of dried sage to the drippings while they simmer. Remove fresh herbs before serving.

How to Save and Reheat Leftover Gravy

Properly storing and reheating your homemade gravy ensures you can enjoy its deliciousness for days to come. After your meal, allow the gravy to cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This gravy is fantastic for drizzling over leftover turkey, mashed potatoes, or even serving with pressure cooker cornbread to add moisture and a burst of flavor when reheating your holiday leftovers.

Reheating Leftover Gravy

Gravy tends to thicken considerably in the fridge, so don’t be alarmed if it looks like a solid mass. It will loosen up beautifully upon reheating. You have a couple of excellent options for bringing it back to life:

• Microwave Method: For a quick reheat, transfer the desired amount of gravy to a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on medium power for about 1 minute, then stir thoroughly. Continue heating in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until it’s hot and smooth. You will likely need to whisk in a splash of chicken or turkey broth (or water) to thin it out to your preferred consistency.
• Stovetop Method: For the most even warmth and best control over consistency, reheat your gravy in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir frequently with a whisk. As it heats, it will start to loosen. Gradually whisk in additional broth or water until the gravy is smooth and reaches your ideal thickness and temperature. This method allows you to precisely adjust the consistency as it reheats.

If you find yourself craving a hearty, flavorful gravy outside of turkey season, but without the drippings from a holiday bird, I highly recommend trying our Instant Pot sausage gravy recipe. It’s a year-round favorite that’s equally delicious and satisfying!

Whether you’re preparing for a grand holiday feast or simply want to elevate a weeknight meal, learning how to make gravy in your pressure cooker is a skill you won’t regret. It’s fast, incredibly flavorful, and simplifies your kitchen duties, allowing you more time to enjoy with your loved ones. Give this recipe a try and transform your ordinary meals into extraordinary culinary experiences!