• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Meet Kelly
  • Browse All Recipes
  • Contact

The Anthony Kitchen logo

  • Recipe Index
  • Dinner Ideas
  • Dessert
  • Entertaining
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
  • Stay in touch...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home · Recipes · Southern · Homemade Country Gravy Recipe

    March 23, 2019

    Homemade Country Gravy Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Image for PInterest
    Image for PInterest
    Image for PInterest
    Image for PInterest
    Image for PInterest
    Image for PInterest

    Southern food doesn’t get more comforting than a ladle full of Homemade Country Gravy. Making it from scratch requires only a few ingredients and 10 minutes in the kitchen. Time to put away the packets, folks — Country Gravy is eons better from scratch and you will absolutely taste the difference. 

    Steak fingers on a plate with a spoonful of country gravy falling over them.

    It’s rich and creamy, perfectly seasoned with a consistency made for both smothering and dipping. Serve it over Chicken Fried Steak, Homemade Biscuits or Creamy Mashed Potatoes or on the side for dipping Chicken Fingers, Steak Fingers and more!

    Today, in addition to a fail-proof recipe for Homemade Country Gravy, we’ll also discuss:

    • The three ingredients you’ll want to have on hand (as well as substitutions if needed).
    • How to take the intimidation factor out of making a roux.
    • A fail-proof trick for making the creamiest, smoothest gravy ever!
    • How to tell when your Country Gravy is thick enough.

    A bowl of Homemade Country Gravy sitting next to a basket of steak fingers and a bowl of mashed potatoes.

    WHAT'S IN HOMEMADE COUNTRY GRAVY

    Homemade Country Gravy begins with a simple roux. Don’t let that word scare you off. A roux is just a combination of fat and flour cooked together on the stovetop. In the case of this Southern-style gravy, that fat is butter.

    FLOUR

    Standard all-purpose flour is all you need for a superb homemade gravy. Different types of flours have different levels of protein and will, therefore, work differently with other ingredients. For example, if you were to use self-rising flour in your gravy, you would essentially be adding baking powder to the ingredient list.

    BUTTER

    As far as the butter goes, unsalted butter will give you more control when it comes to seasoning. However, if you only have salted butter in the refrigerator, you can sub that in and follow the guidelines for adding seasoning mentioned below.

    WANT TO MAKE GRAVY WITH BACON GREASE?

    If you’d like to use bacon drippings in the place of butter, you can do so with this Country Gravy recipe. Use 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings in the place of the butter. Again, you will need to adjust the seasoning if using bacon drippings as they will have a higher salt content than unsalted butter.

    You can also make Country Gravy with breakfast sausage (e.g. Sawmill Gravy), a popular topping for Biscuits and Gravy.

    MILK

    You'll also need milk. You can use either whole or 2% milk for making Country Gravy.

    Milk is what makes this a white gravy. If you're looking for a brown gravy recipe, try out this easy Homemade Gravy made with chicken broth!

    SEASONING

    And lastly, for the seasoning, you will need only Kosher salt and pepper. If you do not have Kosher salt, you can sub in standard table salt, however, you’ll need to cut back on the quantity. Table salt is sharper in flavor than Kosher salt, so it would be wise to add no more than a scant ¼ teaspoon at a time, tasting as you go.

    Steak fingers on a plate with gravy dripping down the center of them.

    Like a hearty gravy? Be sure to try out our Sawmill Gravy to top off your biscuits!

    HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE COUNTRY GRAVY WITH FLOUR

    1. Melt the butter, sprinkle over the flour, and stir for about 1 minute.
    2. Add the milk one big splash at a time, whisking after each addition.
    3. Simmer until thickened, 4-6 minutes, season, and serve!

    1. MAKE THE ROUX

    To make Homemade Country Gravy from scratch, you’ll start with melting butter on the stovetop in a large pan. Watch closely as it is melting and do not allow the butter to blacken or burn. As soon as the butter has melted, sprinkle the flour over the butter and stir to combine.

    At this point, you’ll stir the mixture together, allowing it to bubble. This will help to cook out any raw flour taste.

    2. SLOWLY ADD THE MILK

    The next step will be to add the milk. Rather than adding it in one steady stream, add the milk one great big splash at a time and whisk well after each addition. This method ensures there are no lumps in your Homemade Country Gravy.

    As soon as the mixture begins to resemble that of pudding, it is safe to add the remaining milk all at once and whisk to combine.

    3. SIMMER

    Allow the gravy to come to a simmer over the heat, reducing the temperature if necessary to keep it from boiling. Stir the mixture often, and as soon as you see it has thickened, kill the heat.

    A steak finger being dipped in White Gravy.

    HOW TO TELL WHEN GRAVY IS READY

    If you aren’t sure if your gravy is thick enough, you can dip a wooden spoon in the gravy and use your finger to make a line down the back of the spoon. If the line remains and does not bleed back together, your gravy is ready. If it does, continue simmering until thickened more.

    Once your Homemade Country Gravy has reached proper consistency, season it, and serve!

    A plate of steak fingers with gravy being poured over it, steak fingers basket and mashed potatoes are in the background.

    4.52 from 95 votes
    Steak fingers on a plate with a spoonful of country gravy falling over them.
    Print
    Homemade Country Gravy
    Cook Time
    10 mins
    Total Time
    10 mins
     

    A recipe for simple, Homemade Country Gravy, perfectly seasoned with a just-right consistency and ready in less than 10 minutes!

    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Homemade Country Gravy
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 113 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups whole milk
    • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper
    Instructions
    1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until combined. Allow to bubble for 1-2 minutes, but do not allow to brown. 

    2. Add milk a generous splash at a time, whisking after each addition until all of the milk has been incorporated. 

    3. Allow the sauce to bubble for 5-7 minutes, just until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

    Recipe Video

    Recipe Notes

    Makes about 2 cups.

    Nutrition Facts
    Homemade Country Gravy
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 113 Calories from Fat 72
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 8g12%
    Saturated Fat 5g31%
    Cholesterol 23mg8%
    Sodium 423mg18%
    Potassium 107mg3%
    Carbohydrates 6g2%
    Sugar 4g4%
    Protein 3g6%
    Vitamin A 305IU6%
    Calcium 94mg9%
    Iron 0.2mg1%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Pinterest Image for Country Gravy

    Sources: Food Network | Flour 101

    Image For Pinterest
    Image For Pinterest
    Image For Pinterest
    « Marshmallow Fruit Dip
    Bowtie Pasta Salad Recipe »
    13652 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly

    Looking for more recipes?

    Be sure to check out the recipe index where you can browse recipes by meal type and category!

    Check Out the Recipe Index

    Primary Sidebar

    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

    Trending recipes

    • Easy Taco Salad Recipe
    • Italian Margarita
    • Sugar Rim For Cocktails
    • Peach Muffins
    • Crumble Topping
    • Pineapple Mojito

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign up for weekly recipes
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Contact

    • Work with me
    • Contact