It’s easy to make a delicious and savory, homemade brown gravy (no drippings required)!
Gravy can be served over roasts, burger patties, or mashed potatoes. It’s a must have topping for poutine and great for dipping fries.
Brown Gravy from Scratch
- Savory, rich, and velvety, brown gravy is a must-have in any home cook’s kitchen!
- Make this easy recipe for everyday dinners or special occasions, it goes with anything!
- Homemade gravy from scratch is ready in 20 minutes!
Ingredients
BASE: A great gravy starts with a savory base like beef broth. We add onion and garlic to flavor the broth.
FLOUR: Flour is used as a thickener in this gravy and a handful of herbs and spices are mixed in.
BROTH: Condensed beef broth is called for, or use two cubes of low salt beef bullion mixed with 1¼ cups water. For vegetarian brown gravy, skip the meat broth and use vegetable, mushroom, or onion broth instead.
EXTRAS: Mix in a couple of dashes of liquid smoke, Worcestershire, brown mustard, or smoked paprika.
Flavor Booster: If you have drippings from cooked meats, they add great flavor to gravy. You can just use them in place of the other liquid called for in the recipe.
I prefer to separate the liquid from the fat (if I have enough drippings) and use some of the fat in place of the butter. Use the liquid in place of some of the broth.
Slurry Vs Roux
Either a slurry or a roux can be used to thicken a sauce or gravy.
This recipe uses a roux which is simply flour cooked into fat (butter or oil). Once it’s browned, the liquids are whisked in, then any herbs or spices are added. The gravy is simmered, adjusted for taste, and then served.
A slurry can be used to thicken a sauce or gravy, too. A slurry is a mixture of liquid (instead of fat) with a thickener (often cornstarch). A slurry is added to the simmering liquid until the gravy is thickened. Either method works, the recipe below uses a roux.
How to Make Brown Gravy
Yummy brown gravy has so many applications in the kitchen, and it’s really simple to whip up:
- Saute onion until tender. Add garlic and thyme. Cook a couple of minutes (per the recipe below).
- Stir in butter, then whisk in flour. Add liquid a bit at a time whisking until smooth after each addition.
- Reduce heat to a simmer until the gravy is thickened. Strain and serve.
Tips for the Best Gravy
- When adding the liquid, add a bit at a time and whisk until it is smooth after each addition. It will seem thick and pasty at first but will be a nice smooth consistency once the liquid is added.
- To Make Gravy Thicker: If you’ve added too much liquid and need to thicken the gravy, you can mix a bit of flour with cold water or broth until it has no lumps. Drizzle it into the simmering gravy while whisking. Another option would be to combine equal parts cornstarch and water and whisk a bit at a time into the simmering liquid.
- To Fix Lumpy Gravy: If brown gravy is lumpy, strain it through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Another option is to blend with a hand blender or pour the gravy into a high-speed blender (be sure not to close the lid tightly) and whip it until the lumps are gone.
Leftovers
Store leftover gravy in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container and it will be fresh for up to 4 days. Freeze in quart-sized zippered bags with the date labeled on the outside for 6 weeks.
Freeze gravy in ice cube trays and then store in a zippered bag. Pop one or two out to add extra flavor or to thicken soups, stews, and stir fry!
What to Pair with Brown Gravy
- Air Fryer Pork Chops – an easy weeknight meal
- Grilled Chicken Thighs – use fresh or frozen thighs
- Perfect Ribeye Steaks – tender & juicy
- Grilled Lamb Chops – only 10 minutes on the grill
- Roast Beef Tenderloin – reverse sear
Did your family like this Brown Gravy? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Brown Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or butter
- ½ onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cup condensed beef broth
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a large saucepan cook onion and oil or butter over medium heat until tender. Add garlic and thyme, and cook for 2 minutes more.
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Add the butter and stir until melted, add flour and cook for 5 minutes stirring constantly to ensure the mixture doesn't burn or stick to the pot.
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Once cooked add the beef broth, 1 cup of water, and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn it down to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes or until gravy is thick.
-
Strain through a mesh strainer and serve.
Notes
- When adding the liquid, add a bit at a time and whisk until it is smooth after each addition. It will seem thick and pasty at first but will be a nice smooth consistency once the liquid is added.
- To Make Gravy Thicker: If you've added too much liquid and need to thicken the gravy, you can mix a bit of flour with cold water or broth until it has no lumps. Drizzle it into the simmering gravy while whisking. Another option would be to combine equal parts cornstarch and water and whisk a bit at a time into the simmering liquid.
- To Fix Lumpy Gravy: If brown gravy is lumpy, strain it through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Another option is to blend with a hand blender or pour the gravy into a high-speed blender (be sure not to close the lid tightly) and whip it until the lumps are gone.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dressing, Sauce
Cuisine American
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Very flavorful–will use this again!
So glad you enjoyed it, Mark!
Thanks for this recipe! My husband loves brown gravy and I think it is often times bland. This is new for me to add garlic and onion and thyme. I cannot wait to make this with this week’s roast.
So glad you enjoyed it, Sherry!
Wow this looks easy and sounds delicious! I really want to try this!
We would love to hear what you think, Sonya!