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Gravy is a comforting, savory staple that adds a rich, flavorful touch to any meal. Whether you’re serving up a hearty roast beef, succulent chicken, or a festive turkey, this classic homemade gravy recipe will enhance the flavors and bring your dish together.
All Goodness In One Plate!
This homemade gravy starts with a buttery roux slowly whisked to perfection, creating a silky base that’s infused with your choice of beef, chicken, or turkey broth.
A hint of seven spices adds a subtle, aromatic depth, while the consistency remains smooth and velvety, but adding this seasoning is totally optional. It is perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper, this gravy is sure to become a family favorite, bringing satisfaction to every bite and creating joyful memories.
Sauce recipes, from rich and creamy to tangy and spicy, elevate the level of a meal by adding depth of flavor. They enhance the overall taste and provide a professional touch that transforms ordinary dishes into something special. The following are some of these irresistible sauce recipes: best bang bang sauce, dumpling dipping sauce recipe, copycat taco bell quesadilla sauce, and chipotle aioli dipping sauce.
Table of Contents
What is Gravy?
Gravy is a savory sauce made from the juices or drippings that remain after cooking meat, combined with a thickening agent like flour or cornstarch and additional liquid such as broth.
Using broth, especially from roast beef, chicken, or turkey, enhances its flavor significantly. Drippings from these roasted meats add a depth of taste that makes your homemade gravy exceptionally delicious.
Gravy is simple to make and comes together beautifully. It is typically seasoned with salt, pepper, and sometimes other spices or herbs to enhance its flavor.
Gravy is often served with a variety of dishes, including roasted meats, mashed potatoes, vegetables, and biscuits, adding moisture and rich, hearty flavor to the meal.
Recipe Overview
Cuisine: British
Cooking Method: Simmering
Skill Required: Easy, suitable for all levels
Signature Taste: Rich, savory, and perfectly seasoned with a hint of seven spices
Diet Info: Adaptable for various diets by choosing appropriate broth bases
Why Make Homemade Gravy
Rich, Deep Flavor: Made with a buttery roux and infused with the robust taste of homemade broth, this gravy offers a depth of flavor that store-bought versions simply can’t match.
Customizable: Whether you prefer beef, chicken, or turkey, you can adapt your homemade gravy recipe to complement any main dish. You can also tweak the seasoning to suit your taste, adding more spices or herbs as desired.
Simple Ingredients: To make this homemade gravy, you simply need a handful of pantry staples like flour, butter, and broth.
Easy and Quick: My gravy recipe is very simple to make in no time, and the result is delicious gravy that, once you try it, you will make every time.
Drizzle and Enjoy The Combination
Ingredients
Butter: If you don’t have drippings, use salted butter. It creates a rich, flavorful roux that thickens the gravy and adds depth to its taste.
Flour: This is the magic ingredient that contributes to the thickness of gravy.
Broth: You can use beef, turkey, or chicken broth, depending on what you have on hand. You can also use ready-store-bought broth.
Seven spices: This is an optional ingredient that adds a warm, aromatic depth to your gravy, enhancing gravy complexity.
Salt and pepper: Add them according to taste. For a more intense flavor, use freshly ground black pepper.
Scroll down for recipe details.
Recipe Tip
Use cold, cubed butter for your roux. This helps the butter melt more evenly and reduces the risk of burning, ensuring a smooth and consistent base.
Best Ways to Serve Gravy
Gravy is such a versatile and delicious addition to so many dishes. Whether you’re serving up a holiday feast or a simple weeknight dinner, a good gravy can bring everything together beautifully.
My favorite way to enjoy gravy is to pair it with canned mushrooms. They blend in so well and add a lovely, savory depth. If you have fresh mushrooms on hand, sauté them before adding them to the gravy. Personally, I prefer canned mushrooms because they’re just so tasty!
Gravy is so good when poured over creamy mashed potatoes.
Don’t forget to pair gravy with chicken, whether it’s roasted, fried, or even grilled. A generous ladle of gravy can make it even more irresistible. Try it with rotisserie chicken and enjoy every bite.
Another perfect match made in comfort food heaven is to pair gravy with tender slow cooked roast beef. So delicious!
Vegetables are another great companion for gravy. Try it with steamed or roasted veggies like green beans, carrots, perfectly boiled and seasoned broccoli, or seasoned boiled asparagus. It’s a great way to add some extra flavor to your greens. You will also enjoy gravy over a hearty meatloaf or a plate of crispy fries.
Recipe Tip
It is very important to use a sifter to sift the drippings so that we don’t have any excess food or clumps from the drippings.
Variations and Add-Ins for Homemade Gravy
Bouillon Cube: For added flavor, add a bouillon cube to the gravy. This is especially useful if you’re using a less flavorful broth or want to enhance the savory taste.
Gravy Seasoning: For an extra depth of flavor, add pre-mixed gravy seasonings to enhance the taste and provide a consistent flavor profile, making your gravy even more delicious.
Herbs: For a fragrant herbal gravy, you can add fresh or dried herbs such as thyme or rosemary.
Cream: For a richer, creamier gravy, stir in a splash of heavy cream or half-and-half towards the end of the cooking process.
Vegetarian or Vegan Gravy: For a vegetarian version, use vegetable broth. To make it vegan, replace the butter with a plant-based oil.
Tips and Tricks
Sift the flour: Make sure to sift the flour before adding it to the melted butter for a lump-free gravy. This helps distribute the flour more evenly and makes it easier to whisk into a smooth mixture.
Use a whisk: It helps breasking,any lumps and creates a smooth, even consistency.
Pour broth gradually: It is very important to pour the broth in gradually, about a cup at a time, while continuously whisking. This helps prevent lumps and ensures the gravy thickens evenly.
Season at the end: Add salt and pepper at the end of the cooking process. This allows you to adjust the seasoning accurately, especially if you’re using a salty broth.
Adjust consistency: If your gravy is too thick, add additional broth until you reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer to thicken, or mix a small amount of flour with cold water and whisk it in.
Storage Tips
Refrigerating: Store gravy leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: To reheat, do so gently on the stovetop, and make sure to stir frequently to maintain the smooth texture. Add a splash of broth if needed to adjust the consistency.
Can I freeze gravy leftovers?
Yes, you can freeze gravy. Allow it to cool completely, then freeze it in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. When you want to serve, thaw the gravy in the refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally.
Frequently Asked Questions
While homemade broth is better as it provides a richer flavor, you can use store-bought broth. If using store-bought broth, opt for low-sodium varieties to better control the saltiness of your gravy.
To avoid lumps, whisk the flour into the melted butter slowly and consistently. Additionally, add the broth gradually while whisking to ensure you get a smooth mixture.
If your gravy is too thick, gradually whisk in additional broth until you reach the desired consistency.
If you don’t have a ready seven-spice blend, you can simply prepare it at home. Try my seven spices recipe, it will bring an exotic warmth and complexity to your homemade gravy.
Yes, you can make the gravy ahead of time and follow the storage instructions until you’re ready to serve.
Must-Try Recipes:
- Easy Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce Recipe
- Raising Cane’s Chicken Sauce Copycat Recipe
- Honey Dill Sauce
- Instant Soy Dressing Recipe
- One-Minute Homemade Mayonnaise
- Honey Mustard Dressing
Easy Homemade Gravy Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add the butter or pan drippings from the beef, chicken, or turkey to a medium pot.
- Melt butter over medium heat. Gently stir as you add the flour one tablespoon at a time and keep whisking to create a roux.
- Slowly pour in the stock as you stir, one cup at a time to prevent lumps. The stock can come directly from the beef, chicken, or turkey drippings or store-bought ready stock will work. (If you don't have broth you can use water instead and use 1 bouillon cube. )
- Drain the mushroom and add to the pot, add in the salt and pepper and seven spices are optional.
- Stir constantly over medium heat until gravy thickens well. You can add additional broth if it gets too thick and you want it looser.
Notes
- Sift the Flour: Make sure to sift the flour before adding it to the melted butter for a lump-free gravy. This helps distribute the flour more evenly and makes it easier to whisk into a smooth mixture.
- Pour Broth Gradually: It is very important to pour the broth in gradually, about a cup at a time, while continuously whisking. This helps prevent lumps and ensures the gravy thickens evenly.
- Season at the End: Add salt and pepper at the end of the cooking process. This allows you to adjust the seasoning accurately, especially if you’re using a salty broth.
- Adjust Consistency: If your gravy is too thick, gradually add in additional broth until you reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, let it simmer a bit longer to thicken, or mix a small amount of flour with cold water and whisk it in.
- Substitute: If you don’t have broth on hand you can still make gravy. Just substitute the broth with water and add 1 bouillon cube
