Gravy is usually made at the last moment, when you’re trying to get a lot of other Thanksgiving dishes on the table. The good news is you can get the bulk of the gravy making done ahead of time, reducing your predinner stress. And you’ll end up with a delicious sauce to moisten the turkey (even resuscitate a dry bird or a crumbly stuffing) and elevate mashed potatoes to the sublime.

Here are tips:

-The turkey stock can be made days or even months ahead (just freeze until needed). You can use the turkey neck, heart and giblets that come inside the turkey (not the liver, which would make the stock bitter). Or buy turkey necks or wings in advance of purchasing the bird.

-A roasting pan with a heavy bottom is best for deglazing, which is done over two stovetop burners. If using a disposable foil pan, skip that step and strain and defat the pan drippings before adding to the gravy in the saucepan.

-Don’t let the turkey drippings burn. You won’t have a problem if you use a heavy-based roasting pan that’s just large enough to hold the turkey. If your pan is lightweight or oversized, coarsely chop an onion or two and sprinkle it around the turkey in the pan to act as a heat absorber. (Leave the onion out of the giblet broth.)

-A little fat in the pan drippings adds flavor, but remove the excess, which floats to the top, with a spoon. A fat separator (it looks like a measuring cup with a spout that pours from the bottom) simplifies this step.

-Gravy, by definition, is thickened. Use no more than 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour to every cup of liquid. The gravy will thicken a bit when taken off the heat.

-Lumps result when you introduce the flour too quickly into the hot liquid or neglect to stir sufficiently. Make a classic roux by stirring flour into hot butter to form a paste, then whisk in the stock.

-Use an instant flour like Wondra or Shake and Blend. These are formulated to dissolve more quickly and easily than all-purpose flour in either hot or cold liquids.

-If you still end up with lumps, zap them with an immersion blender right in the pan.

Rich turkey gravy

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Reserved turkey gizzard, heart, neck and tail

1 unpeeled onion, rinsed and chopped (the skin gives the broth a golden color)

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth plus 2 cups water

2 thyme branches

8 parsley sprigs

10 black peppercorns

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons instant flour (such as Wondra)

1 cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the giblets, neck and tail; saute until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion; saute until softened, 4 to 5 minutes longer.

Add the broth and water, scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Add herbs and peppercorns. Simmer, uncovered, skimming off scum now and then, for about 30 minutes.

Strain the broth. When cool enough to handle, shred the neck meat and dice the heart and gizzard (discard skin and bones). Refrigerate giblets and broth separately. Remove any fat congealed on the top.

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour. Cook roux, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Add reserved turkey broth in a stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until gravy is lightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

When the turkey has been transferred to a carving board to rest, pour the drippings through a strainer set over a measuring cup or fat separator. Let liquid settle until fat rises to top (discard fat – but not down the drain).

Place the roasting pan over two burners at medium-high heat. Return the gravy in its saucepan to a simmer.

Add wine and reserved 1 cup of broth to the roasting pan, scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Boil until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Strain the roasting pan juices into the gravy. Stir the giblets into the gravy; return to a boil. Adjust the seasonings if necessary with salt and pepper. Makes 6 cups.

Per 1/3-cup serving: 72 calories (62 percent from fat), 5.1 g fat (2.7 g saturated, 1.3 g monounsaturated), 20.3 mg cholesterol, 1.9 g protein, 2.9 g carbohydrates, 0.4 g fiber, 121.8 mg sodium.

Carole Kotkin answers cooking questions at www.miami herald.com/living; click Food. She is manager of the Ocean Reef Club cooking school and co-author of “Mmmmiami: Tempting Tropical Tastes for Home Cooks Everywhere.”