The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (2024)

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Never struggle to make homemade gravy again.

By

Elise Bauer

The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (1)

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Updated November 09, 2023

The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (2)

17 ratings

In This Recipe

There are lots of ways to make gravy from a roast. Some can get rather complicated. What we do is simple. You can easily build a luscious, lip smacking gravy from the pan drippings!

As soon as the roast is done cooking, we remove it to a cutting board to rest. While the roast is resting, we place the roasting pan and all of the drippings it contains on the stovetop and start making the gravy.

We’ll use either cornstarch or flour to thicken the gravy, the process is similar for both.

The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (3)

Cornstarch Versus Flour for Gravy

What's the difference between using cornstarch or flour to make your gravy? Cornstarch does have more thickening power than wheat flour (because it's pure starch, while flour has some protein in it). So usually you need a little less cornstarch than flour for the equivalent thickening power.

That said, we are using equal amounts for either flour or cornstarch in this method because we vary the amount of liquid we add and we reduce the gravy by simmering it, to get to the desired thickness.

Cornstarch also has this property that if you cook it in the gravy too long, it will lose its thickening power and the gravy will become thin again. It will also lose some thickness if refrigerated and reheated. If that happens, you'll have to add more cornstarch slurry and heat the gravy to thicken it up again.

If you use flour, you'll want to brown the flour a bit in the fat before adding liquid. Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux.

We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (4)

How Much Flour or Cornstarch to Use to Make Gravy

Follow this ratio. For each cup of gravy you want, start with 2 tablespoons of drippings and fat, and 2 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch. (This will produce a rich and thick gravy. If you would like a thinner gravy, either start with one tablespoon each of drippings and starch, or add more liquid to thin the gravy.)

So, if you want to make 2 cups of gravy, remove all but 4 tablespoons of fat and drippings from the roasting pan (set aside for future use).

These instructions will yield about 2 cups of gravy, but you can easily divide or multiply to adjust for how much gravy you want to make.

The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (5)

Can You Freeze Gravy?

Freeze gravy in freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator. To reheat, place in a pot over medium heat on the stove and cook, whisking, until it reaches a full rolling boil.

Freeze any unused drippings for future shortcut gravy when you're serving things like mashed potatoes or meatloaf.

How Long Can Gravy Be Refrigerated?

Store gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat, place in a pot over medium heat on the stove and cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a full rolling boil.

Lumpy Gravy? Here's a Fix!

If you end up with lumps in the gravy, puree it with an immersion blender right in the pan. Or transfer it to a blender or food processor. Alternately, run it through a strainer and leave the lumps behind.

Making Gravy in a Skillet or Saucepan

This recipe calls for making the gravy directly in a roasting pan, but if your pan won’t fit on the stove or is too shallow to make gravy, you can make it in a skillet or saucepan.

Remove the roast from the pan. Pour the drippings into a measuring cup and transfer 4 tablespoons of the fat in the saucepan or skillet you'll be using for the gravy (reserve the extra fat and juices).

Then, scrape up all the brown bits from the bottom of the roasting pan with a metal spatula and transfer them to the skillet or saucepan. Don't skip this part. Those brown bits will bring a lot of flavor to the gravy.

Finish they gravy by following the directions in Step 3 and beyond for either flour or cornstarch. Don't forget to add the savory pan juices to your gravy for an extra flavor boost.

More Recipes Begging for Gravy!

  • Mom's Roast Turkey
  • Roast Chicken With Carrots
  • Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes
  • Hot Turkey Sandwich
  • Turkey Meatloaf

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

How to Make Gravy

Prep Time3 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time18 mins

Servings8 servings

Yield2 cups

When you cook a roast, whether it's turkey, chicken, beef, or lamb, you should end up with plenty of browned drippings and fat from the roast when it's finished.

The "drippings" are browned juicesand fat. All of the flavor a gravy you make from the drippings comes from those browned bits. You need fat as a base for the gravy.

If you have pan juices, but they haven't browned at the bottom of the pan after the roast is done, you can put the empty pan back in the oven. Set the temp to 450°F or 500°F and cook until the juices evaporate and begin to bubble and brown at the bottom of the pan.

In this approach to making gravy, we break up the drippings as well as we can with a whisk but don't worry about any browned bits in the gravy itself. If you want, you can pulse the gravy in a blender to make it smoother, but we never bother. The browned bits are the best part!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fat drippings (see recipe note)

  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour or cornstarch

  • 3 to 4 cups stock, water, milk, cream, or a combination

Method

Making Gravy With Flour

  1. Remove all but 1/4 cup of fat from pan:

    Remove the roast from the pan. Remove excess fat leaving 4 tablespoon of fat plus juices and browned drippings in the pan.

  2. Scrape up the drippings and place the pan on the stovetop on medium heat:

    Use a metal spatula to scrape up any drippings that are sticking to the pan. Place the pan on the stovetop on medium high heat.

    If you are using a roasting pan that won't work well on the stovetop, scrape up all of the drippings and fat and put into a large shallow sauté pan.

    The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (6)

  3. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of flour onto the drippings:

    Quickly stir with a wire whisk so that the flour gets incorporated. Let the flour brown a bit if you want, before adding liquid in the next step.

    (You can also start with a slurry of flour and water—equal amounts flour and cold water whisked together—if you want.)

    The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (7)

    The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (8)

  4. Whisk the gravy while slowly adding liquid:

    Slowly add stock, water, milk, cream, or a combination to the pan, whisking vigorously to dissolve the flour into liquid.

    Allow the gravy to simmer and thicken, continuing to slowly add liquid until you have about 2 cups of gravy. (You'll probably need to add 3 to 4 cups of liquid.)

  5. Taste and season:

    Taste first and then add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Making Gravy With Cornstarch

  1. Remove all but 1/4 cup of fat from the pan:

    Remove the roast from the pan. Remove excess fat leaving 4 tablespoons of fat plus juices and browned drippings in the pan.

  2. Scrape up the drippings and place the pan over medium heat:

    Use a metal spatula to scrape up any drippings that are sticking to the pan. Place the pan on the stovetop on medium high heat.

    If you are using a roasting pan that won't work well on the stovetop, scrape up all of the drippings and fat and put into a large shallow sauté pan.

  3. Make the cornstarch slurry:

    Dissolve 4 tablespoons of cornstarch in the minimum amount of water needed to make a thin paste—about 1/2 cup.

  4. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan and whisk while slowly adding liquid:

    Stir with a wire whisk until the gravy begins to thicken. As the gravy thickens, slowly add stock, water, milk, or cream, or some combination to the pan (I like to use stock, my mother usually uses water).

    Alternate stirring and adding liquid, maintaining the consistency you want, for several minutes (about 5 minutes).

    You will probably add about 3 to 4 cups of liquid all together. Taking into consideration the evaporation that is occurring while the gravy is simmering, you will end up with about 2 cups of gravy.

    If the gravy isn't thick enough, make more cornstarch slurry and whisk it into the pan.

  5. Taste and season:

    Taste first and then add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
115Calories
8g Fat
7g Carbs
3g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories115
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g10%
Saturated Fat 2g12%
Cholesterol 9mg3%
Sodium 172mg7%
Total Carbohydrate 7g3%
Dietary Fiber 0g0%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg1%
Calcium 4mg0%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 130mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

The Only Gravy Recipe You'll Ever Need (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to good gravy? ›

Here are my principles for making great gravy without fear:
  • Make it ahead. This is the most important one. ...
  • Make a really good homemade turkey stock first. Don't skimp on this crucial first step. ...
  • Reinforce the stock's flavor. ...
  • Simmer, simmer, simmer. ...
  • Strain and cool. ...
  • Reduce. ...
  • Hot liquids only.
Nov 5, 2021

How do you make Trisha Yearwood gravy? ›

Directions. Add the butter and flour to a skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring, until melted together and well combined, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly stream in the stock while whisking and continue to cook until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in a little shredded turkey.

What was gravy originally made of? ›

Gravy has been around for centuries, with the earliest mention in The Forme of Cury, a collection of medieval English recipes from 1390. This one recipe has the name “Chykens in Gravey.” The gravy in Medieval times came from the fat drippings of meat that's more akin to today's au jus, according to Encyclopedia.com.

What is most gravy made of? ›

At the most basic level, gravy is a simple pan sauce that requires liquid and a thickener. Traditional turkey gravy usually has fat, flour, and stock. You can make excellent turkey gravy with just those ingredients, plus salt and pepper for seasoning.

Is gravy better with flour or cornstarch? ›

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

How do you add depth to gravy? ›

Fortunately, Shannon has several suggestions for fixing bland gravy, starting by adding a bouillon cube, herbs or a splash of wine or cognac. But if you have time to spare, add pan drippings from turkey, bacon or bacon drippings, caramelized vegetables (like onions, leeks, carrots and celery), herbs or garlic.

What is Bob Evans country gravy made of? ›

Water, Pork Sausage (Pork, Seasoning [Salt, Natural Spices, Sugar, Monosodium Glutamate]), Gravy Mix (Food Starch-Modified, Palm Oil, Maltodextrin, Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Salt, Corn Syrup Solids, Sugar, Contains less than 2%: Black ...

What's the difference between country gravy and regular gravy? ›

There is no difference. In the South, country gravy and white gravy are used interchangeably and both for the same type of thick, creamy gravy made with butter, flour, and milk. You may also hear these gravies called sawmill gravy, and some people use this recipe but add sausage for a sausage gravy.

How to make gravy from turkey drippings Martha Stewart? ›

Pour in defatted drippings (use only 2 tablespoons of those from dry-brined bird) and 2 cups stock; bring to a boil. Combine remaining 1/2 cup stock and cornstarch in a small jar, seal it, and shake to combine. Pour cornstarch mixture into boiling mixture in pan and boil until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

What is KFC gravy made of? ›

What is the gravy at KFC made of? The restaurant uses a simple combination of gravy powder, water, and – their secret ingredient – chicken crackling. This is a collection of the browned bits and pieces leftover from frying their world famous chicken.

Why is it called sawmill gravy? ›

Lumber was one of the main industries of the region, which supports the origin story that sausage gravy was also called sawmill gravy. It was the ideal cheap and calorie-dense fuel for sawmill workers lifting heavy logs all day long, and the perfect tool for making the era's biscuits more palatable.

How unhealthy is gravy? ›

Most gravy is not healthy. Because of the roasted meat juice it is high in saturated fat and sodium, and with ingredients such as flour and butter it can have more calories than you expect. Gravy has little nutritional value, though by adding water that vegetables have been boiled in you can add some nutrients.

What is the most expensive gravy in the world? ›

The gravy costs $3,650 and is infused with a bottle of Louis XIII cognac — probably to make those indulging forget just how much they paid for gravy. You could purchase your own bottle of the stuff to infuse the turkey gravy you make at home, but at $3,500 a bottle, it may still be a bit much for one meal.

What is the most popular type of gravy? ›

One of the most popular forms is onion gravy, which is eaten with sausages, Yorkshire pudding and roast meat. Throughout the United States, gravy is commonly eaten with Thanksgiving foods such as turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. One Southern United States variation is sausage gravy eaten with American biscuits.

What country invented gravy? ›

It probably was in Mesopotamia around the time that pottery was invented. When people cooked food, there would be a residue at the bottom of the pot. They could have used that residue for making a soup in the same pot or, if they added less water, they'd have a gravy they could pour over food.

What thickener is best for gravy? ›

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

What is the best ingredient to thicken gravy? ›

If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don't add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.

Why is my gravy not tasty? ›

If the gravy lacks oomph, adjust seasoning as necessary with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. If you used canned stock instead of homemade, the gravy might not be as flavorful. Homemade stock, even made with chicken stock rather than turkey, will produce a superior gravy—so it's worth the effort.

Why add soy sauce to gravy? ›

Soy sauce enhances the meatiness of turkey, giving the gravy a boost in umami. Browning the turkey trimmings in fat enhances their flavor. Using just enough flour to thicken the gravy, without making it stodgy, is key.

References

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