Easy Homemade Gravy
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This easy homemade gravy is perfect for all your holiday roasts, and you can use it for turkey, chicken, or beef. In just 30 minutes, I cook this gravy with fresh herbs, vegetables, and stock, and the best part is that I do not have to use drippings to get a fantastic flavor.
For me, having gravy on the table is a must, especially when I prepare a holiday spread full of amazing recipes that need a beautiful sauce to elevate their flavor. Do not forget to see my serving suggestions section below for my favorite ways to serve this homemade gravy. And if you want to make a more specific protein based gravy, I highly recommend looking at my chicken gravy recipe and my beef gravy recipe, which both help take the flavor of your food over the top.
Gravy
Gravy is a sauce made from meat juices, often combined with a liquid such as chicken stock, beef stock, wine, or milk, and thickened with flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot. A gravy can also be the simple juices left in the pan after cooking meat, poultry, or fish.
Over the years of making and testing all types of gravy, I have learned that it not only enhances the flavor of whatever it is poured on but also helps tenderize it and make it juicier. It all comes down to simple techniques that I will show you how to nail if you follow my step by step instructions and chef tips.
What I love most about my recipe is that it comes together quickly while still giving you a top notch flavor, and I usually use ingredients that I have stored for a while like rendered fat and beef stock. When it is time to cook, I simply chop the veggies and bring everything together in only 30 minutes. Yes, that’s it!
Ingredients and Substitutions
This gravy recipe is very versatile, and it can be adapted to different ingredients. Below I describe what I use and some substitutions for you to consider if that is what you have on hand.
- Fat – I like using my homemade rendered lard, but you can also use unsalted butter, olive, or avocado oil.
- Onion and Garlic – I use shallots and garlic in this recipe. However, you can substitute the shallot for white, yellow, sweet, or red onions.
- Celery – A few ribs of celery help round out the flavors in the gravy.
- Carrot – You will need some fresh carrots for this.
- Herbs – I use a combination of fresh parsley, thyme, and rosemary. You can also use fresh sage.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is what I like using for gravy.
- Juices – Sometimes I use any rendered juices from the meat I am cooking or I go with premade chicken stock or my homemade beef stock like I use for this recipe.
How to Make Easy Gravy
Brown the vegetables: I start by lightly browning the vegetables and herbs in lard in a large pot.
Add the flour: Once the vegetables are browned, I stir in the flour until it is completely combined.
Add the liquid: I pour in the stock and turn the heat to high while constantly stirring.
Simmer the mixture: The mixture becomes very thick, and once it does, I simmer it on low heat for 5 minutes.
Finish the gravy: I season with salt and pepper, strain the gravy, and serve it warm.
chef tip + notes
Something I recommend that is totally worth the extra step is warming your stock before adding it to the pot. When the liquid is warm, it blends smoothly with the flour and fat, which helps prevent lumps and gives the gravy a silky texture. I always heat the stock in a small saucepan first, and it really improves the texture.
- Prep ahead: For holiday meals, I like to prep the mirepoix one or two days early. It saves time and lets me enjoy more moments with family and guests.
- Swap herbs: I substitute fresh herbs with dry herbs using a simple 1:1 ratio. It works well when I do not have fresh herbs on hand.
- Gluten free option: For a gluten free version, I mix 4 teaspoons of arrowroot with 4 teaspoons of water. It thickens the gravy nicely.
- Use resting time: While my protein is resting after roasting, I make the gravy. It fits perfectly into the cooking schedule.
- Add sage for turkey: When I make gravy for a holiday turkey, I add 3 to 4 fresh sage leaves with the other herbs.
- Strain well: I always strain the gravy through a fine mesh strainer. This gives me a smooth and silky finish.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this homemade gravy with my mashed potatoes or my dinner rolls because they absorb every drop in the most comforting way. It also pairs great with my Spatchcock turkey for the holidays, adding richness to every slice.
For everyday meals, I pour it over my roasted chicken or my beef tenderloin roast. My daughter even jokes that she could eat it on its own, and honestly, I do not blame her. It’s so good!
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 3 days ahead. Keep cool until ready to use.
How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can freeze this, but the sauce may break, and you will need to rethicken it.
How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of velouté to a small saucepot and heat over low heat until hot. You may need to rethicken it using a small amount of roux.
More Easy Sauce Recipes
Video
Easy Homemade Gravy
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rendered fat, butter, oil, or lard
- 1 peeled and small diced shallot
- 1 small diced celery stalk
- 1 peeled and small diced carrot
- 2 finely minced garlic
- 3-4 parsley stems with leaves
- 3-4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups stock or rendered meat juices
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the fat to a roasting pan or pot over medium heat.
- Place in the shallots, celery, carrots, garlic, parsley, thyme, and rosemary and lightly brown while stirring every 20 to 30 seconds, which takes about 5 minutes.
- Next, stir in the flour until it is completely combined to make a roux.
- Pour in the stock or meat juices and turn the heat to high while stirring to mix in the roux while occasionally stirring.
- Once the mixture is to a boil and is thick, turn the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, and then strain the mixture through a chinois or fine mesh strainer and serve it.
- Optionally sprinkle on some fresh chopped parsley, thyme, and rosemary.
I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
I prepared your gravy recipe for our Thanksgiving dinner and it was the best gravy ever. I had many family members ask me for the recipe. I had roasted the turkey the day before Thanksgiving and refrigerated the drippings allowing the fat to solidify. Thanksgiving day I used the fat from the drippings to make the mirepoix. Thanks for all your direction in the many recipes you provide access to.
Thank you!
I have made a version of this recipe but it takes a long time. I am so excited to make your recipe. Can you tell me what your pan is? I have been looking for a straight sided pan like this and haven’t found one. Yours looks perfect.
the rondeau?
This was the most favorfull gravy that I have made. Everyone loved it!!!
Thank you for trying it!
I made this gravy recipe and it was delicious! My mother and grandmother always made homemade gravies and taught me. However, I love your recipe and need to become more proficient using flour for the roux. I usually use corn starch.