There’s more than one way to make gravy from scratch, but if you’re looking for the foolproof route, this one is it. Delicious, creamy, and the perfect consistency, this Homemade Gravy Recipe will be your new go-to for topping off roasted meats, mashed potatoes, and more!
Easy to make, with foolproof tips for perfect results every time. Even if you’re prone to making mistakes in the kitchen, this is a recipe you can’t go wrong with. We’ve got all the tips and tricks for a velvety smooth gravy, as well as the quick and simple fixes for any potential hiccups along the way!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE GRAVY FROM SCRATCH
- Make the Roux – Scary word; easy thing to do. To make the roux, simply melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. See below if you’re working with pan drippings. Watch the butter, and do not allow it burn. As soon as it has melted, add in the flour and whisk to combine. Continue whisking for about 2 minutes.
- Add the Broth – Once your two minutes is up, you’ll begin adding in the chicken broth. Make sure your chicken broth is room temperature (or slightly warm) and not cold or your mix will start to seize up, preventing a perfectly smooth, lump-free sauce. Add the chicken broth one big splash at a time, whisking well after each addition until it has all been incorporated.
- Simmer – Add the salt and pepper and allow the mixture to simmer for about 5-7 minutes until it has slightly thickened up.
HOW TO MAKE GRAVY FROM PAN DRIPPINGS
- Once your roast has finished cooking, remove it from the pan and place it on the cutting board.
- Then, you’ll want to collect 2 full tablespoons of pan drippings. If you do not have 2 tablespoons-worth of pan drippings, you can use butter or oil to make up for the difference.
- Add the fat to the saucepan and proceed as directed above!
HOW TO KNOW WHEN GRAVY IS DONE
Your gravy is ready when you can dip a wooden spoon in it, pull out the spoon, run your finger down the center, and the line remains visible. You’ve officially reached the perfect consistency!
TROUBLESHOOTING AND EASY FIXES
If you mix up your measurements somewhere along the lines, or just prefer a different consistency when it comes to Homemade Gravy, don’t worry — there’s a fix for all of it.
HELP: IT’S TOO THIN!
If your Homemade Gravy turns out too thin for your liking, here’s what to do: place one tablespoon of butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap to avoid any messes! Then, microwave it just until melted, about 10-15 seconds.
Once your butter is melted, stir in 1 tablespoon of flour until the two are well-combined. Then, add the flour mix to the saucepan, whisk well, and allow the mixture to simmer for about 3-5 minutes.
HELP: IT’S TOO THICK!
Gravy too thick for your liking? No problem — we’ve got a fix for that too. Warm up to 1/3 cup of broth to room temperature in the microwave. Then, add a tiny splash, about 1 tablespoon at a time, to the saucepan, stirring after each addition. Continue doing this until you’ve reached the desired consistency.
You may need to add a touch more seasoning in order to compensate for the extra liquid added to the mix.
KEY INGREDIENTS
- Fat – This recipe was developed with butter, but if you have pan drippings handy — by all means — use them! Both butter and/or pan drippings add a great deal of flavor to Homemade Gravy. If you only have salted butter on hand, leave the salt out of the recipe and rather add it to taste at the end.
- Flour – As far as flour goes, it’s best if you stick to all-purpose flour for this recipe. However, if you have a gluten allergy or prefer to use cornstarch, see the section below.
- Broth – If you’re serving pork or poultry, you’ll want to stick with an unsalted or low sodium chicken broth. However, if you’ve got red meat on the table, you might want to consider making a brown gravy instead. To make it, use low-sodium beef broth in the place of chicken broth. Again, if you only have regular broth (and not the low sodium kind), wait to add the salt to taste at the end!
CAN I USE CORNSTARCH?
Need it to be gluten-free, sub in an all-purpose gluten-free flour or cornstarch! Keep the flour quantity the same for the gluten-free flour, but if using cornstarch, cut the quantity back to 2 1/2 tablespoons.
VARIATIONS AND ADDITIONS
Once you have this foolproof, basic gravy recipe under your belt, you can start experimenting with add-ins and fun flavors! This single recipe could easily be adapted into hundreds of others…and that’s probably an understatement.
Here are a few ideas for upgrading your gravy:
HERBS AND SPICES
You could add any number of herbs and spices to the mix once the gravy comes together. In particular, fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, and sage would be a great addition to any Homemade Gravy intended for turkey or chicken. Add up to 2 teaspoons of fresh herbs without overpowering it.
A great example of adding spice to transform it into something entirely new is our Homemade Beef Enchiladas. This recipe features a Tex-Mex enchilada gravy full of chili powder, cumin, and more. Remember, when you’re playing with spices, add just a little bit at a time. You can add, but you can’t take away!
DAIRY
Did you know that White Country Gravy is just gravy with dairy, instead of broth? You could sub in dairy for the broth to add a rich, milky note.
Milk, half-and-half or cream would work! Note, the more fat your dairy of choice contains, the thicker your gravy will be. This rendition is perfect for Biscuits and Gravy!
SOY SAUCE, HOT SAUCE, OR WORCESTERSHIRE
Soy sauce would add a little extra umami flavor to your Homemade Gravy. We use it in the sauce for our Homemade Green Bean Casserole (and it’s absolutely phenomenal).
For a Cajun flair, you could add a scant teaspoon of Blackened Seasoning and a few dashes of hot sauce to take it to the next level!
Worcestershire sauce will also go a long way when it comes to adding a little something extra, adding both tang and an extra savory kick to it. A great example of incorporating Worcestershire into a Homemade Gravy is our insanely delicious onion gravy for our Pork Steaks recipe!
Just like the spices, you want to start small incorporating no more than a teaspoon at a time. Then, give it a taste and see if you’d like to add more beyond that!
WHAT CAN I USE THIS GRAVY ON?
This Homemade Gravy Recipe is absolutely perfect for large roasts and making simple dinner ideas like pan-seared chicken and baked pork chops extra special.
Pork Loin Roast Recipe
Mashed Potatoes with Skin
Best Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Baked Chicken Leg Quarters Recipe
Baked Whole Chicken
Roasted Turkey (12-15 lbs)
Use it to spruce up just about any pork, turkey, and chicken recipe, and don’t forget the mashed potatoes on the side!
5 MORE GRAVIES AND SAUCES YOU’LL LOVE:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 3/4 cups unsalted (or low-sodium) chicken broth, warmed
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
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Add the butter to a saucepan over medium-high heat. Immediately after the butter has melted, sprinkle with the flour and whisk to combine. Allow to cook and whisk constantly for about 2 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to burn, reducing the heat to medium if necessary.
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Begin adding the chicken broth a splash at a time (about a 1/4 cup), whisking well after each addition. Once the mixture begins to resemble a pudding-like texture, you may begin streaming the remaining broth in slowly, whisking all the while.
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Once all of the broth has been incorporated, whisk in the salt and pepper. Raise the heat to medium-high, and allow the gravy to simmer for about 5-7 minutes, until thickened.
You can make the gravy 1-2 days in advance! Simply make the gravy as directed, allow to cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
Just before you intend to serve the gravy, microwave at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
If the gravy is too thick, add room temperature, unsalted chicken broth 1 tablespoon at a time to the gravy, whisking after each addition, until desired consistency is reached.
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