Bobby Flay's Tip For Making Gravy Before Thanksgiving Day

Even the most experienced hosts, those of us who absolutely love cooking Thanksgiving dinner, can feel a bit frazzled in the moments just before it all comes together. The table is set. The turkey is done. The sides are ready. Now it's time for what should be a well-choreographed presentation with everything hitting the table right on cue, hot and delicious. In real life, for many of us, it's more like this: The table is set. The turkey is done. The potatoes are getting cold. The squash needs another few minutes. And the gravy. Where's the gravy?

The fix? One of the most common bits of advice we hear from the experts is to plan ahead, but sometimes that's easier said than done. Not all sides are created equal and it's risky to mess with tried-and-true family favorites. But during a pre-Thanksgiving appearance on "Today," Bobby Flay shared a tip we can get behind: make-ahead gravy.

Before you balk, consider the messy process of making turkey gravy. The first caller in the queue had this question, "Hey, Bobby Flay. Big fan here. I have a question for you: Gravy is my nemesis. Is there some way we can create gravy the day before so I don't spill the grease all over my shirt that I'm wearing for Thanksgiving Day?"

Without missing a beat, Flay suggested making the gravy the day before Thanksgiving. How, you may ask? If the turkey's not even cooked, where are we getting the stock?

"A lot of times we use the bones and stuff in the turkey, or the giblets and all that, but you can make it with just some chicken stock and flour," Flay said on "Today." "A good tip is to use Wondra flour, which actually cooks out very easily, and then salt and pepper and just let it cook down until you get the concentrated flavor of that stock. That's what's really key. And then finish with a little butter, of course."

"Today" co-host Dylan Dreyer appeared a tad skeptical at first but got on board with Flay's suggestion once she confirmed it's okay to add turkey drippings to the pre-made gravy the following day. 

Southern Living is also pro-make-ahead gravy, telling readers the sauce can actually be made up to three days in advance with additives including mushrooms, sherry, and herbs.