How to Make Gravy

• Also try: Gravy | How to Make Mashed Potatoes

Guide Note: Gravy is an integral part of any good holiday dinner and can be whipped up by even the most inexperienced cooks. Follow these instructions for How to Make Gravy and you'll have the whole family smiling.

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• What You'll Need
• Instructions for Making Gravy
• Additional Gravy Tips
• Gravy Troubleshooting

Introduction

• As far as sauces go, gravy is one of the most satisfying, flavorful and downright delicious. Think about it. What would Thanksgiving dinner be without gravy? While you can always use a pre-made gravy mix, making your own homemade gravy will always taste better than a store-bought mix. And while making your own gravy may take a bit longer, you'll more than make up for it by the smiles on your guests' faces and your own.

What You'll Need

Gravy is one of the best parts of the holidays! (Creative Commons photo by Ernesto Andrade)

• Although there are many variations on the basic recipe, gravy is primarily made by taking the drippings and juices of cooked meat and thickening them with some sort of starch mixture. The measurements in this guide should produce about 10 ounces of gravy. If you're cooking for a large group, you may want to double or even triple the recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons of Fat (Meat Drippings)
• 2 Tablespoons of Flour
• 1 Cup of Liquid (Water, Milk, Broth or Cream will work)
• Other desired seasonings (Common seasonings include salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and herbs)

Equipment

1. Skillet: Using a shallow skillet to cook your gravy will make it easier for you to blend and brown your mixture.
   • Don't use aluminum surface skillets or your gravy will have a metallic taste.
2. Whisk: Use a whisk to stir your gravy throughout the process.
3. Strainer or Sieve: Use this to strain out any large particles in the meat drippings.
4. Gravy Dish (Optional): Serve your gravy in style!

Instructions for Making Gravy

1. Start by measuring out the correct amount of fat from the pan your meat was cooked in.
2. Pour it through a strainer to remove any large lumps.
3. Put the fat in a skillet and place it on your stove at low heat.
4. Slowly mix in the flour, stirring continuously with your whisk.
5. Cook on low heat until the mixture begins to brown and bubble.
6. Take your skillet off the burner and slowly stir in the liquid.
7. After the liquid has been blended in, return the skillet to the burner.
8. Bring the mixture to a boil for about a minute while continuing to stir.
9. As your gravy begins to thicken, add in any additional spices or seasonings.
10. Keep stirring and cooking until you reach a desired consistency.
11. Continue stirring the gravy until you are ready to serve it.
12. Place your gravy in a serving dish and enjoy!

Additional Gravy Tips

1. Since you will want to keep a close watch on your gravy at all times, it helps to have all your ingredients nearby so you don't have to leave your gravy unattended.
2. For a richer tasting gravy, use soup stock, bouillon or broth instead of water.
3. The more spices that are used to cook the meat, the stronger the flavor of the meat drippings will be.
4. Gravy can be stored in the refrigerator (for a couple of days) or the freezer (for a couple of months) so you can save it for those times that you don't have meat drippings on hand. Use plastic wrap or wax paper to keep it fresh.

Gravy Troubleshooting

• While making great gravy is relatively easy, even the best of cooks can produce a bad batch. Here are some of the most common things that can go wrong with your gravy and how to fix them:
  • Gravy Is Too Thin: Mix a small amount of flour and water together, and add it to your gravy.
    

    Gravy makes everything better (Creative Commons photo by John Herschell)
  • Gravy Is Too Thick: Stir in additional liquid until your gravy thins out.
  • Gravy Is Too Lumpy: Use your whisk to smooth out any large lumps.

Resources for How to Make Gravy

• All Things Frugal: Making Homemade Gravy
• KitchenLink.com: How to Make Gravy
• Soul Food & Southern Cooking: How to Make Gravy
• Simply Recipes: How to Make Gravy
• Yahoo! Food: 6 Troubleshooting Tips for Perfect Gravy
• Wikipedia: Gravy
• Apartment 2024: Gravy, gravy everywhere

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