Learning how to make gravy is essential for serving up a flavorful sauce to complement any main dish. Use this stovetop method for making a quick pan gravy with or without pan drippings.
Throw out those store bought cans of coagulated goop and easily make your own homemade gravy. In just a few minutes, you can have a sauce that instantly adds extra moisture and ties the flavors of an entire meal together. No roasted turkey dinner, mashed potatoes or biscuits would be complete without some of this luscious gravy drizzled on top.
You can make gravy from the pan drippings from any roasted or sauteed piece of meat, poultry, or fish. No drippings? No problem! A quick sauce can be whipped up by making a roux and stock. Very few ingredients are needed, but a basic understanding of how the science of thickening agents work will make you a pro. This simple guide will teach you how to make gravy in easy step-by-step instructions.
Thickening agents are what gives gravy its rich texture and helps cling to food. The starches in these ingredients absorb moisture, swell up and turn a thin liquid into a voluminous sauce. Knowing how to incorporate them into the liquid is key. The most common thickening agents to make a roux are all-purpose flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot powder.
Collect the pan drippings
The little bits of fond (browned particles), juices, and fat pooling at the bottom of the pan are loaded with flavor. Make sure to scrape the pan to remove the drippings. If it’s dried and stuck, you can add a small amount of water to help loosen things. Heating the pan over low heat helps accelerate this process.
Transfer the drippings to a fat separator or measuring cup. Giving the fat time to rise to the surface will make it easier to separate from the juices. For a medium-bodied gravy, use 1 tablespoon of fat (drippings, butter, ghee, or olive oil), 1 tablespoon of flour, and 1 cup of liquid (juice from a roast, stock, or broth). Double the fat and flour for a thick gravy.
Make a roux
To thicken the sauce, a basic roux is made with equal parts fat and flour. In this case, the fat collected from the drippings is used. If there is not enough fat, make up the needed amount with butter or oil. The fat adds richness to the sauce but also coats the flour to prevent clumping as the starches in the flour cook and thicken in the liquid.
How long you cook the roux and the color developed affects thickness and flavor due to Maillard browning reaction. The longer the roux is cooked, the more the starches break down which lowers the amount of gelatinization and thickness of the sauce. A white to blond roux takes about 1 minute to cook and is good for seafood, poultry, pork, and lean beef. A brown roux can take up to 10 minutes and pairs nicely with lamb and heartier meats.
Thicken the liquid
Always use room temperature or cool liquid to add to the hot roux. Gradually add and continuously whisk to separate the starches and thicken the gravy. Bringing the mixture to nearly a boil, enables the starches to swell to their max potential. This process takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
Finishing the gravy
For an extra smooth sauce, you can strain to remove any particles from the gravy. It’s best to make the gravy right before serving because it with thicken more as it cools. It can be reheated but may lose some of its viscosity. Cornstarch and arrowroot based gravies do not reheat well. Seasonings like salt, pepper, chopped herbs like rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and oregano should be added at the end of cooking.
Bonus! Make Gravy without Pan Drippings
There are times when no pan drippings are available and you want a quick and easy sauce to accompany a meal. A simple solution is to use butter, flour, stock or broth to thicken the gravy. Depending on the dish you’re planning to serve, any stock or broth can be used such as vegetable, fish, chicken, and beef.
I use unsalted liquids when available for more control of the salt levels in the gravy. Similar to gravy with pan drippings, gradually whisk the cool liquid into the hot roux over medium-high heat, until it thickens. To add more depth to the sauce, chopped garlic, shallots, reduced wine, a splash of balsamic vinegar, or soy sauce are tasty additions. These can be incorporated before adding the roux for more aromatic flavors.
This gravy recipe gives the flexibility to add different flavoring agents tailored to the type of protein or vegetable being prepared. The sauce should lightly coat the back of a spoon so that when it’s poured it clings on to the food.
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