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You won't believe how easy making Homemade Beef Gravy from Scratch is! Follow this easy method to make gravy using drippings, juices, broth, or stock.
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- 👩🏻🍳 Why You Should be Making Gravy from Scratch
- 📋 What You Need to Make a Homemade Gravy
- ⭐️ The Best Ratio for Making Gravy
- 🥣 How to Make Homemade Beef Gravy
- ⭐️ Chef's Secret
- 🥘 You Should Make This Gravy
- 👩🏻🍳 How to Prevent Lumpy Gravy
- Glossary
- 💭More Frequently Asked Questions
- 🥡 Leftover and Reheating Instructions
- 👩🏻🍳 More Homemade Recipes That Are Worth Making From Scratch
- Did You Make this Recipe?
- Recipe
- Comments
👩🏻🍳 Why You Should be Making Gravy from Scratch
- Zero-Waste - This recipe utilizes the juices and drippings from roasting meat so that nothing goes to waste.
- Flavor - Trust me, but homemade gravy tastes WAY better than any packet.
- Ingredients - Making gravy allows you to control the ingredients, including the amount of salt.
- Easy - This simple method only takes a few minutes to prepare and is great for a variety of dishes.
📋 What You Need to Make a Homemade Gravy
You only need four ingredients to make a basic homemade gravy, no matter the flavor.
- Fat - Fat is the first ingredient needed to make homemade gravy and the first part of making a roux. A roux is a 50/50 mixture of fat and flour that thickens soups, sauces, and gravy. This can be the fat drippings from the juices, butter, oil, or lard. I prefer unsalted butter and then combine the drippings with the juices.
- Flour - Flour is the other essential ingredient for making a roux and is the second ingredient in this gravy recipe. All you need is all-purpose flour!
- Liquid - The liquid is a third part needed to make gravy from scratch. My first choice is to use juices AND drippings, for maximum flavor and richness. If you don't have any juices or don't have enough, then you can use stock or broth. Stock is cooked with bones so it has a richer flavor than broth, but either will work. You can read more about this in my Homemade Beef Stock and Chicken Stock recipes.
- Seasonings - Depending on what fat and liquid is used, the need for seasoning will vary. If a combination of butter, drippings, and juices are used from a seasoned roast, then you may not need to add anything. If you're using low-sodium broth, don't forget to add salt, pepper, or your favorite herbs and spices to enhance the flavor. Use seasonings that were used to season the meat. If this gravy will be used for mashed potatoes, salt and pepper are all you need. Add a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce for a delicious umami flavor!
⭐️ The Best Ratio for Making Gravy
This is my tried-and-true ratio for making gravy, no matter the dish. If you prefer your gravy thicker, then use less liquid. Use this method with any flavor, including chicken, pork, beef, and turkey.
2 T. Butter + 2 T. Flour + 2 c. Juices/Drippings/Stock = 2 c. Homemade Gravy
🥣 How to Make Homemade Beef Gravy
First, add your fat to a saute pan and then let it melt completely if it isn't liquid (like with drippings). If you're using butter, make sure it stops foaming before you move on to the next step. This means that the water has evaporated and the milk solids have cooked off, leaving you with a purer fat that will blend more easily with the flour.
Next, sprinkle the flour over the top of the fat, so it blends in easily. Whisk this continuously and cook for 1-2 minutes until it's light golden brown. For a nuttier flavor, let it cook to a deeper golden brown.
Slowly pour in the liquid while whisking continuously to prevent lumps. Make sure the liquid is hot or warm - this will also help to prevent clumping.
Lower the heat and let the gravy simmer, whisking occasionally until it thickens. If your gravy is too thick, then you can add more liquid. If it's too thin, take out some of the liquid from the pot and place it in a small bowl. Whisk in one teaspoon of flour until it's smooth and then whisk it back to the gravy to simmer and thicken.
⭐️ Chef's Secret
Strain the drippings from your meat after resting and let it sit for the fat to rise. Skim extra fat off the top to reduce the grease or use it as the "fat" in the recipe. You can dip a spoon into a bowl of ice to chill it, then skim across the surface to do this quickly.
🥘 You Should Make This Gravy
- This gravy is perfect for pot roast, meatloaf, or roast beef.
- I also like to make this gravy to serve over mashed potatoes and sometimes over pasta or rice.
- If you have leftover gravy you aren't sure what to do with, then add it to soups or stews for extra flavor!
👩🏻🍳 How to Prevent Lumpy Gravy
- Make sure to use a whisk instead of a spoon. This will help the pieces of flour break up so they don't clump together.
- Melt the butter completely until it stops foaming so you have a more pure fat. Pure fat will mix with flour more easily.
- The liquid should be warm or hot and slowly poured in while whisking continuously. If the liquid is cold or all dumped in at once, it can cause the fat to seize up around the flour and make lumps.
- If your gravy ends up lumpy, (don't worry it's happened to us all!) simply pour it through a sieve to remove any lumps and you're good to go!
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
💭More Frequently Asked Questions
Plan for ⅓ - ½ cup per person. Go heavier for big meals like Thanksgiving or if you need it for multiple dishes.
Whisk 2 T. of liquid with 2 T. of cornstarch until smooth. Pour into the remaining warm drippings in a saucepan and simmer until thickened.
Yes! Always cool the gravy completely before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer bag. It can be stored in the freezer like this for up to 6 months. Defrost the gravy in the refrigerator before reheating.
🥡 Leftover and Reheating Instructions
- Leftovers - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 days.
- Reheating - Gravy is best reheated over low heat on the stovetop. You can also reheat it in the microwave, covered with a paper towel, to prevent splattering.
- Freezer - Freeze in individual portions in an ice cube tray or freezer bags for up to 6 months. Make sure to defrost it completely before reheating.
👩🏻🍳 More Homemade Recipes That Are Worth Making From Scratch
Recipe
Homemade Beef Gravy from Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, or fat from the drippings
- 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups meat drippings, stock or broth
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the butter (or fat from drippings) in a small saucepan over medium heat until it melts and stops foaming.
- Sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk and cook for 1-2 minutes until light brown.
- Slowly pour in the drippings, while whisking continuously, until they are completely incorporated.
- Lower the heat and simmer the gravy for 2-3 minutes until thickened. Taste the gravy for seasoning and adjust, if necessary.
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