Best 10 Classic Gravy Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

When it comes to comforting and flavorful dishes, classic gravy reigns supreme. A staple in many cuisines, gravy adds richness, depth, and moisture to a variety of dishes, from roasted meats and poultry to vegetables and mashed potatoes. While there are countless variations on the classic gravy recipe, certain fundamental techniques and ingredients remain essential to achieving that perfect balance of taste and texture. Whether you're a seasoned cook or just starting out in the kitchen, mastering the art of gravy making is a skill that will elevate your culinary repertoire and impress family and friends alike.

Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!

CLASSIC TURKEY GRAVY



Classic Turkey Gravy image

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Time 3h

Yield 8 cups

Number Of Ingredients 11

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion or leek, or 2 shallots, sliced
Neck and giblets from your turkey (discard the liver)
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 sprigs thyme, parsley, rosemary and/or sage
1 bay leaf
Turkey drippings from your roasting pan
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons cold Flavored Butter, recipe follows (optional)

Steps:

  • When your turkey goes into the oven, start the broth: Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and turkey neck and giblets; cook, stirring, until the giblets are browned, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken broth, herb sprigs and bay leaf; cover and simmer while the turkey roasts, about 2 hours. Strain the broth and keep warm; reserve the neck and giblets, if desired.
  • When your turkey is done, transfer it to a cutting board and pour all the pan drippings into a degreasing cup. Add 1/2 cup of the prepared broth to the roasting pan and scrape up the browned bits with a wooden spoon. (If the bits are stuck, put the pan over a low burner to loosen them.) Add the bits and liquid to the degreasing cup.
  • Let the fat rise to the top of the degreasing cup, then spoon off 1/2 cup fat and transfer to a large saucepan over medium heat. Make a roux: Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the flour browns slightly, about 4 minutes.
  • Gradually add the hot broth to the roux, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Pour the dark roasting juices from the degreasing cup into the gravy, discarding any remaining fat. If desired, chop the giblets and shred the neck meat; add to the gravy. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the flavored butter, if desired.
  • Start with cold heavy cream and mix on high speed.
  • After about 3 minutes, you'll have whipped cream; continue mixing.
  • After about 6 more minutes, the butter will clump and separate from the liquid. Strain and wrap the butter in cheesecloth, then squeeze out the liquid.
  • Tip: To make perfect rounds, shape flavored butter into a log using parchment paper; wrap and chill, then slice.
  • Pumpkin
  • Mash 1/4 cup canned pure pumpkin, 1 stick softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon each sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and a pinch of salt.
  • Spiced Cranberry
  • Simmer 1/2 cup cranberries with 1 tablespoon water, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 strip lemon zest, 1 cinnamon stick and 1 clove, 6 to 8 minutes. Discard the zest, cinnamon and clove; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter and a pinch of salt.
  • Bourbon-Raisin
  • Microwave 1/2 cup raisins with 1 tablespoon bourbon, covered, 45 seconds; let cool. Pulse in a food processor with 1 stick softened butter, 1 tablespoon chopped chives and a pinch of salt.
  • Sage Brown Butter
  • Melt 1 stick butter over medium heat and cook until browned. Add 1/4 cup sage and fry 30 seconds; drain on paper towels, then chop. Let the brown butter cool; mash with 1 stick softened butter, the sage and a pinch of salt.

CLASSIC ROAST CHICKEN AND GRAVY



Classic Roast Chicken and Gravy image

Make and share this Classic Roast Chicken and Gravy recipe from Food.com.

Provided by evelynathens

Categories     Whole Chicken

Time 1h10m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 (5 lb) chicken
1/2 onion
4 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or 1 tablespoon butter
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon rubbed dried sage or 1/4 teaspoon dried savory (optional)
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup chicken stock

Steps:

  • Remove giblets and neck, if present, from chicken; rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry with paper towels.
  • Place onion and garlic in cavity; squeeze juice from lemon and set aside; add lemon to cavity.
  • Tie legs together with kitchen string; tuck wings under back; brush all over with oil; sprinkle with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; place, breast side up, on rack in roasting pan; roast, uncovered; in 325F (160C) oven for 1 ½ hours.
  • Roast, basting occasionally with pan juices, until juices run clear when thigh is pierced and meat thermometer inserted in thigh registers 185F (85C), about 1 ½ hours; transfer chicken to platter and tent with foil; let stand for 10 minutes before carving.
  • Skim fat from pan juices; sprinkle flour over juices; cook over medium-high heat, whisking, for 1 minute; gradually pour in chicken stock and reserved lemon juice, whisking until smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes; pour into warmed gravy boat.
  • Cut string holding legs together; discard onion, lemon and garlic; using kitchen scissors, cut chicken into 2 breast and 2 leg portions; cut each breast in half diagonally; cut through each leg at joint to separate into drumsticks and thighs; serve with gravy.

PERFECT CHICKEN FRIED STEAK WITH CLASSIC BROWN GRAVY



Perfect Chicken Fried Steak With Classic Brown Gravy image

Make and share this Perfect Chicken Fried Steak With Classic Brown Gravy recipe from Food.com.

Provided by dogsinatub

Categories     Steak

Time 30m

Yield 3-4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 -4 cubed round steaks (you can always use a better cut of beef if you so choose)
2 cups flour
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
salt and pepper
1/2 large onion, diced
4 tablespoons butter (1/2 stick)
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups beef stock
1/4 cup cream
salt and pepper

Steps:

  • salt and pepper both sides of the meat. mix flour, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder and coat both sides of each steak with flour mixture. now dip each steak in egg wash on both sides. finally put back in flour mixture on both sides again. fry in 350 degree oil browned on each side. you can either pan fry with or deep fry. it's your choice. both methods turn out fantastic! fry until deep golden brown. let rest for a few moments on a paper towel.
  • for the gravy -.
  • brown onion in butter until caramelized. add flour and whisk for a few minutes until rawness is out of flour. now add beef stock and whisk until it starts to thicken up. simmer for 10 minutes. add cream and mix throughout and pour over chicken fried steaks and enjoy. this is an excellent recipe and i think you'll agree.
  • ***if you want to have more of a traditional white pepper gravy, use whole milk instead of beef stock. still add the cream and add more pepper.
  • enjoy!

CLASSIC ROASTED TURKEY WITH PAN GRAVY



Classic Roasted Turkey with Pan Gravy image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Time 3h45m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 3

1 turkey (12 to 14 pounds)
1 3/4 cup Swanson® Chicken Stock
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Steps:

  • Remove the package of the giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. Rinse the turkey with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Tie the ends of the drumsticks together.
  • Place the turkey, breast side-up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush the turkey with the stock. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, making sure the thermometer is not touching the bone.
  • Roast at 325 degrees F for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until the thermometer reads 180 degrees F and the drumstick moves easily, basting occasionally with the stock. Begin checking for doneness after 2 1/2 hours of cooking time. Let stand for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the turkey from the roasting pan. Pour off any fat. Stir the stock and flour in a small bowl until the mixture is smooth. Stir the stock mixture in the pan. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture boils and thickens. Season to taste. Serve the gravy with the turkey.
  • Serving Suggestion: Serve with savory herb stuffing and cranberry relish. For dessert serve with pumpkin pie.

CLASSIC MUSHROOM GRAVY



Classic Mushroom Gravy image

The chopped fresh mushrooms in this gravy provide the texture of giblets.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Healthy Recipes     Gluten-Free Recipes

Yield Makes 3 cups

Number Of Ingredients 8

6 cups Brown Turkey Stock
1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 package (10 ounces) white mushrooms, trimmed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Madeira or sherry

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, bring stock to a low boil over medium heat; cook until reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, place porcini in a small bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let soak until porcini are soft, about 10 minutes. Remove porcini, and gently squeeze out excess water; finely chop. Set aside.
  • Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until foamy. Add white mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Add reserved porcini. Cook, stirring, until white mushrooms are soft, about 10 minutes.
  • Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture, and cook until flour starts to brown, a few minutes more. Add wine; deglaze pan, scraping up browned bits on bottom and sides with a wooden spoon.
  • Stir stock into mushroom mixture. Bring to a gentle simmer over very low heat, and cook until thickened slightly, about 30 minutes. If gravy thickens too much, thin with a little water or stock. Season with salt and pepper; serve hot.

CLASSIC PAN GRAVY



Classic Pan Gravy image

Prepare pan gravy in 20 minutes with a tried-and-true recipe.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Side Dish

Time 20m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 6

Drippings from roasted turkey
3 cups liquid (turkey juices, canned chicken broth or water)
1/3 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
Browning sauce, if desired
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper

Steps:

  • After removing turkey from roasting pan, pour drippings (turkey juices and fat) into bowl or glass measuring cup, leaving brown bits in pan. Let drippings stand 5 minutes to allow fat to rise. Skim 6 tablespoons fat from top of drippings and return to pan; discard any remaining fat. Add enough broth or water to remaining drippings to measure 3 cups; reserve.
  • Stir flour into fat in pan, using wire whisk. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping up brown bits, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat.
  • Gradually stir in reserved 3 cups drippings. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute or until gravy thickens. Stir in a few drops of browning sauce if a darker color is desired. Stir in salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 80, Carbohydrate 3 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Fat 1 1/2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 2 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 310 mg, Sugar 0 g, TransFat 0 g

CLASSIC TURKEY GIBLET GRAVY



Classic Turkey Giblet Gravy image

Here's a classic recipe for silky-smooth, deeply-flavored gravy that will have guest ssinging your praises! It makes enough for the table and the turkey leftovers. If giblets aren't your thing or your bird came without them, skip to step 3 and prepare as directed, substituting canned broth for the homemade giblet broth. Keep warm until serving, whisking occasionally.

Provided by RuthE

Categories     Side Dish     Sauces and Condiments Recipes     Gravy Recipes     Turkey Gravy Recipes

Time 2h15m

Yield 18

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 tablespoon butter, or more as needed
1 serving giblets (turkey neck, heart, and gizzard)
½ unpeeled yellow onion, rinsed
7 cups water, divided
1 cup turkey drippings, or as much is produced
¾ cup all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Heat butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; cook and stir giblets and onion until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add 6 cups water to onion mixture and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover saucepan, and simmer until liquid is reduced by 1/3 and meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Strain broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup to measure 4 cups. Add more water if needed to make 4 cups.
  • Place the turkey roasting pan with drippings over 2 burners on low heat; add 1 cup water and stir to release brown bits of food.
  • Pour drippings into a fat separator or a small bowl and allow fat to rise to the top; skim off excess fat and transfer to a 1-cup measuring cup. Fat should equal 3/4 cup; add butter if needed to get to 3/4 cup fat. Strain liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-cup measuring cup, adding more water to equal 2 cups if needed.
  • Combine the 2 cups drippings liquid and 4 cups broth in a bowl and cool.
  • Heat fat in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour until mixture is smooth and light brown, about 2 minutes. Gradually mix broth mixture into fat mixture using a whisk until smooth; bring to a boil and cook at a full boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking often, until gravy is thickened about 15 minutes. Season gravy with salt and pepper.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 147.1 calories, Carbohydrate 4.8 g, Cholesterol 51.5 mg, Fat 12.6 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 3.2 g, SaturatedFat 3.9 g, Sodium 19.5 mg, Sugar 0.3 g

CLASSIC GRAVY



Classic Gravy image

Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network

Categories     condiment

Time 1h20m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 5

1 bag of giblets from a turkey (gizzards, liver and neck)
Turkey drippings from a freshly cooked turkey
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Place the giblets in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Cook until the giblets are cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the giblets sit in the water, allowing them to cool.
  • Remove the giblets from the saucepan and chop the liver and gizzards. Pick the meat from the neck bone and discard the bones. Save the giblet broth.
  • Pour the turkey drippings from the roasting pan into a pitcher. Allow the fat to rise to the top, leaving the stock juices at the bottom. Ladle or pour the fat into a separate container.
  • Place the roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the reserved fat. Sprinkle over the flour and whisk to combine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. If it is too oily, sprinkle in another 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. If it is too dry, add more fat and stir until the flour and fat are combined. Continue to cook the roux until it is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes.
  • While whisking, pour in the chicken stock. Cook, whisking gently, until the mixture begins to thicken. Pour in the stock juice drippings from the pitcher and continue to cook, stirring, until thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Thin as needed with the giblet stock and additional broth if needed. Stir in the giblets and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until the giblets are warmed through, then serve.

CLASSIC POT ROAST WITH GARLIC-THYME GRAVY



Classic Pot Roast With Garlic-Thyme Gravy image

Boneless beef chuck roast is ideal for this recipe; the tough meat becomes tender and succulent when cooked with moisture for a long time. Trim away as much fat as possible to keep the sauce from becoming greasy.

Provided by Stephen Shafer

Categories     One Dish Meal

Time 4h20m

Yield 1 meal, 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (3 -4 lb) boneless beef chuck roast (trimmed and seasoned with salt and pepper)
salt and pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups sliced onions
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
3 large celery ribs, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, chopped
3 -4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Steps:

  • HEAT oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Sear roast on all sides, 10 minutes total. Transfer roast to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
  • STIR flour into saute pan; cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
  • DEGLAZE saute pan with wine, cooking until liquid evaporates. Stir in broth and Worcestershire; bring mixture to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits.
  • TRANSFER broth mixture to the slow cooker; add onions, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Cover and cook until meat is fork tender, on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-9.
  • DISCARD thyme sprigs and bay leaves before serving.

CLASSIC POT ROAST WITH GARLIC-THYME GRAVY



Classic Pot Roast with garlic-thyme gravy image

Found this in my 'Cuisine at home' periodical. I made it last night for our neighbor and his young son. I served it with my 'world famous' mashed potatoes. It was a grand success as proven by the fact there wasn't a bite left.

Provided by CC MCCART-FROST

Categories     Roasts

Time 20m

Number Of Ingredients 13

3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 boneless chuck roast, trimmed, seasoned with salt and pepper (3 - 4 lb)
1/4 c all purpose flour
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 c dry white wine
1 1/2 c low sodium beef broth
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 c sliced onions
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 - 3 inch pieces
3 large celery ribs, cut into 2 - 3 inch pieces
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3-4 sprigs fresh tyme
2 bay leaves

Steps:

  • 1. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium high. Sear roast on all sides, 10 minutes total. Transfer roast to a 4 - 6 qt slow cooker.
  • 2. Stir flour into saute pan; cook 1 minute. Add tomato paste and cook 1 min more.
  • 3. Deglaze saute pan with wine, cooking until liquid evaporates. Stir in broth and Worcestershire; bring mixture to a simmer, scraping up any brown bits.
  • 4. Transfer broth mixture to the slow cooker; add onions, carrots celery, garlic, thyme and bay leaves. Cover and cook until meat is fork tender, on high heat setting for 4 - 5 hours or on low heat setting 8 - 9 hours. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves before serving.

Tips:

  • Use a good quality meat. The better the meat, the better the gravy.
  • Brown the meat well. This will develop flavor and add color to the gravy.
  • Use a good quality stock. This will also add flavor and depth to the gravy.
  • Don't add too much liquid. The gravy should be thick and flavorful, not thin and watery.
  • Simmer the gravy for at least 30 minutes. This will allow the flavors to develop and meld together.
  • Season the gravy to taste. Add salt, pepper, and other herbs and spices to taste.

Conclusion:

Gravy is a delicious and versatile sauce that can be used to enhance the flavor of many dishes. With a little practice, you can make a perfect gravy at home every time. So next time you're cooking a roast, steak, or chicken, don't forget to make some gravy to go with it.

Related Topics