Homemade Brown Gravy
Learn how to make Homemade Brown Gravy and skip the packages at the grocery store. This gravy is delicious and the perfect topping over your favorite meats or mashed potatoes. Whether it’s for a holiday dinner or a weeknight meal, this recipe is quick, easy, and always a crowd pleaser.
Being from the South, we like gravy, and I used to be terrible at making it. I had to throw it away several times before I finally got it right. Honestly, I was trying too hard to make the perfect gravy and always ended up with a raw flour taste and a greasy mess.
Then, after many tries, I mastered this easy brown gravy, perfect for mashed potatoes with cream cheese, fried pork chops, and mayonnaise biscuits. Plus, anyone can easily prepare this beef gravy, and you’ll always have it when needed.
Be sure to try my Salisbury Steak Meatballs in the Crockpot for another delicious recipe with gravy.
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💗 Why You’ll Love This Brown Gravy Recipe
Don’t let the idea of making homemade gravy scare you. I assure you, it’s a lot easier than you may think. It comes together fast and is made with simple ingredients. This gravy is fantastic for the holidays and pairs perfectly over Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey.
- No Drippings Needed: Brown gravy is a sauce traditionally made with pan drippings from cooked meat and thickened with flour. My recipe uses butter as the base, with flour as a thickener. It is then thinned with beef, chicken, or turkey stock, followed by a splash of water and seasonings. This is a great go-to recipe if you don’t have pan drippings.
- Ready in Minutes: This brown gravy with flour and water is ready in about 10 minutes.
- Versatile: You can use chicken, beef, or turkey broth for this gravy.
- Great for Holidays or Weekends: This is the perfect recipe for turkey and gravy, chicken dressing recipe, potatoes and gravy, or country fried steak and gravy.
Reader Comment:
Made for my hubby tonight on mashed potatoes. He loved it.–DJ
🛒 Simple Ingredients Needed
This beef broth gravy is made with everyday pantry ingredients. Be sure to save the broth from your roasted turkey at Thanksgiving. You’ll have a delicious gravy in minutes with a little bit of flour and water. For amounts, see the printable recipe card below.
- Butter: I like salted butter, although unsalted butter is fine.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour. Self-rising flour will also work.
- Water: If the gravy is thicker than you like, use water.
- Beef Broth: I usually have a can on hand in the pantry. I’ve used turkey or chicken broth, and it works well.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper: My three favorite seasonings, which I use most of the time.
This simple gravy makes the best hamburger gravy recipe.
📖 Recipe Variations
- Onion and Mushroom Gravy: If you enjoy onions and mushrooms, add some to the gravy. Saute the onions and mushrooms first before adding them to the gravy. They need to soften, and the onions are best if they caramelize a bit for added flavor.
- Chicken Broth: Use chicken broth or turkey broth as a substitute for beef broth.
📋 How to Make Brown Gravy From Scratch
Step 1: Make the roux. Add butter to a hot skillet and melt.
Step 2: Stir in Flour and Seasonings. Add flour and seasonings and stir for about 2 minutes until a roux forms.
Step 3: Add Beef Broth and Water. Slowly pour in beef broth while stirring vigorously with a whisk. This will help prevent lumps. Once smooth and lump-free, add the water.
Step 4: Thicken. Let the gravy boil until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Taste and season more if desired.
Easy Tomato Gravy Recipe is another delicious option to make and is wonderful over hot biscuits. This Cathead biscuits recipe and tomato gravy would make a great start to your day.
💭 Pro Tips
- Whisk Well: This will keep the gravy smooth and lump-free.
- Add Liquid Slowly: Add liquid slowly to maintain a smooth consistency.
- Taste: Many broth brands have varying salt levels, so it’s a good idea to taste as you go.
🧺 How to Store and Reheat Leftover Gravy
- Refrigerator: Leftover gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave until thoroughly warmed.
- Make-Ahead: Ideal for preparing ahead during the holiday season.
❔ Recipe FAQs
When making this gravy, you will start by creating a roux. A roux is simply fat (such as butter) and flour stirred together and cooked until it is lightly golden brown. Then, the liquid is slowly added, and everything is whisked together until lump-free and smooth. You can make the gravy as thick or thin as you like.
If you find yourself with thin gravy for meat or potatoes, it is easy to thicken it up. First, you will make a slurry of cornstarch and water. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water to a cup and stir until smooth. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the simmering gravy, whisking well. Cook until you get the desired thickness.
Add more liquid to the simmering gravy if you like a thinner gravy. You can use more water or beef broth.
I rarely have lumpy gravy with this recipe, but if you do, strain your gravy through a mesh strainer. This will remove the lumps.
If you have some pan drippings on hand and want to add them to the gravy, do so. Pan drippings, such as bacon grease or beef drippings, will add flavor. Just add the drippings along with the beef stock. The pan drippings can darken the gravy.
More Recipes with Gravy
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👩🏻🍳 Recipe
Homemade Brown Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- ¼-½ cup water
- 1 (15oz.) can beef broth or beef stock You can also use chicken broth.
- ½ teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper
Instructions
- Make the roux: Add butter to a hot skillet and melt. Add flour and seasonings and stir for about 2 minutes continuously until a roux is formed.
- Add beef broth and water: Slowly pour in beef broth while stirring vigorously with a whisk. This will help prevent lumps. Once smooth and lump-free, add the water.
- Thicken: Let the gravy boil until thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Taste and season more if desired.
Notes
- Broth: You can also use chicken or turkey broth.
- Pan Drippings: Use the pan drippings from a roasted turkey during the holidays.
- To Thicken Gravy: If you find yourself with thin gravy, it is easy to thicken it up. First, you will make a slurry of cornstarch and water. Add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water to a cup and stir. Slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture into the simmering gravy, whisking well. Cook to whisk until you get the desired thickness.
- To Thin Gravy: Add more liquid to the simmering gravy if you prefer a thinner consistency. You can use more water or beef broth.
What a wonderful recipe, thank you so much! It turned out great!
Simple and delicious gravy recipe. Thanks for the detailed steps and instructions.
This is a perfect brown gravy! So easy and tasty.
Made for my hubby tonight on mashed potatoes. He loved it.
Yum! How comforting and rich does this look. Never knew homemade gravy could actually be so simple! Thanks for the recipe!