Don’t buy that canned stuff – I’ll show you how easy it is to make PERFECT GRAVY that is flavorful and has no lumps! Perfect for holidays!
How To Make Perfect Gravy
Is anyone else getting excited for Thanksgiving?! For the past few weeks, I have been in a major funk and I feel like I am just now working my way out of it.
Life … or in this case, death … has a way of hitting you the hardest when you least expect it. Talk about a sucker-punch outta nowhere. In light of some personal things that I have had to deal with in the last month, this Thanksgiving feels even more special – and I couldn’t be more excited to spend it with loved ones!
As I told y’all in my Perfect Mashed Potatoes post, mashed potatoes and gravy rank really high on my top comfort foods list! Other than my daughter, who doesn’t love mashed potatoes?! 😜 It just doesn’t even make sense not to like them, right?!
Although I have been tempted to, (tempted – I haven’t done it!), I could just drink the holiday gravy out of a glass and call that a meal. But let’s be honest, mashed potatoes and gravy really is all about the gravy. 😉
Some of our other mandatory holiday dishes are Apricot Dijon Spiral Ham, Instant Pot Turkey Breast, Sweet Potato Casserole, Cranberry Sauce, Waldorf Salad, and Buttery Rolls.
With Thanksgiving just weeks away, this recipe will make an awesome turkey (or ham) gravy! I’m already looking forward to it!
I know lots of folks are intimidated by the thought of making their own gravy – but it really is easy! I promise! You can use whatever kind of meat drippings you like. For these pictures in this post, I used roasted chicken with chicken broth.
Keep reading because I’ll even tell you how to make a gravy without drippings in case you ever need it!
How to make Gravy
Ingredients
- drippings from cooked meat
- cool water or broth
- all-purpose flour
- salt and pepper, to taste
NOTE: No drippings? No problem! Use butter (or any kind of fat like oil, bacon grease, etc.), broth, all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper.
Instructions
- Carefully pour the drippings (juice and fat) from the roasting pan into a heatproof measuring cup or fat separator. Let stand until the fat rises to the top.
- Remove 1/4 cup of the fat; return it to the roasting pan. Discard any remaining fat. Add enough water or broth to remaining drippings to measure 2 cups, if necessary.
- Place roasting pan over one or two burners over medium heat. Add the flour to reserved fat in the pan, constantly stirring with a wire whisk until well blended and the flour mixture starts to turn a light brown.
- Gradually whisk in the 2 cups of drippings/broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 to 10 min. or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Gravy FAQs
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Yes! Prepare the gravy according to recipe directions and allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, transfer to freezer-safe airtight containers and freeze for up to 4-6 months.
To use: Thaw the gravy overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Transfer the gravy to an appropriate size saucepan and heat over LOW heat, stirring often, until steaming hot and easy to pour.
Plan on 1/3 to 1/2 cup per person.
Recipe Tips
- Add your favorite herbs or roasted garlic for extra flavor!
- For more umami-flavor, add a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe.
- It’s important to use a whisk.
- Add your liquids slowly, and keep whisking!
- Be sure to give your gravy time to thicken up.
- Wait to season at the end since cooking will reduce the liquids and concentrate the flavors.
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How To Make Perfect Gravy
Equipment
Ingredients
- Drippings from cooked meat
- Cool water or broth
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Carefully pour the drippings (juice and fat) from the roasting pan into a heatproof measuring cup or fat separator. Let stand until the fat rises to the top.
- Remove 1/4 cup of the fat; return it to the roasting pan. Discard any remaining fat. Add enough water or broth to remaining drippings to measure 2 cups, if necessary.
- Place roasting pan over one or two burners over medium heat. Add the flour to reserved fat in the pan, constantly stirring with a wire whisk until well blended and the flour mixture starts to turn a light brown.
- Gradually whisk in the 2 cups of drippings/broth. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 to 10 min. or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
Did you know you can still make a great gravy without pan drippings?!
In a medium saucepan, use 1/4-cup of butter or oil in place of the separated fat and use 2 cups broth in place of the drippings!Recipe Tips
- Add your favorite herbs or roasted garlic for extra flavor!
- For more umami-flavor, add a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe.
- It’s important to use a whisk.
- Add your liquids slowly, and keep whisking!
- Be sure to give your gravy time to thicken up.
- Wait to season at the end since cooking will reduce the liquids and concentrate the flavors.
Nutrition
Please note that the nutritional information listed on this page is an estimation based on the products I used. Ingredients and nutritional information can vary significantly between brands. Always be sure to read labels. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Likewise, recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them.
Originally published on November 12, 2015. Updated on November 10, 2021.
Mashed potatoes and gravy are my favorite part of Thanksgiving! Yum!
Sorry to hear you've been dealing with some hard stuff. I hope your Thanksgiving is wonderfully relaxing and fulfilling <3
My grandma taught me to make gravy this way some 50 years ago and it never fails. She said using cool or cold liquid was the way to not have lumps.