How to Make Beef Gravy at Home
Take comfort food staples like pot roast and mashed potatoes to a new level of deliciousness in 10 minutes with this Homemade Brown Beef Gravy Recipe!
This gravy is smooth, savory, and boasts the perfect smothering consistency! Keep this recipe on hand for sprucing up family dinners and wowing the crowd at holiday gatherings.
Looking for more awesome sauce recipes to try? Bookmark our Country Gravy in your internet browser for next time!
ABOUT THIS BROWN BEEF GRAVY RECIPE
Making a perfect Brown Beef Gravy from scratch is easier than you think! The keys to making a smooth, homemade brown gravy with an ideal consistency comes down to three things: the thickener, the liquid, and the whisking.
If you are looking for more homemade gravy recipes check out our Sawmill Gravy!
ROUX VS. CORNSTARCH
Roux may sound like one of those scary cooking words, but do not fear! A roux is just a simple mixture of fat (or oil) combined with flour, and it is what helps gravy to thicken.
In my personal experience, using a roux to thicken your gravy rather than a corn starch slurry is more reliable and provides consistent, delicious results!
For this recipe, we will be using unsalted butter and all-purpose flour for the roux.
THE LIQUID MATTERS AND HERE'S WHY...
The liquid added to the roux affects both the flavor and the consistency of the gravy. It is the type of broth that you add that determines whether or not the gravy will be cream gravy, a blonde gravy, or beef gravy!
In addition to the type of broth you use, how much you use will also make a big difference! The less broth you use, the thicker your brown gravy will be and vice versa.
Check out this delicious over juicy, sliced Pork tenderloin Recipe!
HACK FOR PERFECTLY SMOOTH BROWN BEEF GRAVY!!!
The last key to an absolutely perfect Brown Beef Gravy is whisking! Rather than slowly streaming in the broth, I like to use a different method, and have found my strategy for adding in the liquid makes for a smooth, lump-free, no-fail brown gravy every single time!
Rather than streaming in the beef broth, you will add the broth one big splash at a time, and whisk until smooth after each and every addition.
Once you have about a cup and a half of broth added to the roux, then you can slowly begin streaming in the remaining broth, whisking all the while.
HOW TO MAKE BROWN BEEF GRAVY
To kick off your Brown Beef Gravy recipe, add unsalted butter to a large pan over medium heat and allow it to melt. If you would like to use meat drippings, see below!
Once the butter is melted, sprinkle in the all-purpose flour. Whisk until the flour appears dampened, and then whisk for about an additional 30 seconds more!
At this point, you will begin adding in the beef broth or stock. Slowly add the broth one big splash at a time (about a 1/4 cup-worth of liquid), whisking well after each and every splash until the pan mixture appears completely smooth.
After you have added about 1 1/2 cup of the beef stock, your beef gravy will have taken on somewhat of a pudding-like texture. At this point, you can begin slowly adding in the remaining broth, whisking all the while.
After all of the broth has been incorporated, you'll add in the Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Now, we'll allow the Brown Beef Gravy to reach a simmer, reducing the heat as necessary to maintain that simmer. Allow the gravy to simmer for about five minutes stirring occasionally.
As soon as the brown gravy is thick enough to thinly coat the back of a wooden spoon, it is ready!
CAN I USE BEEF DRIPPINGS FOR BROWN GRAVY INSTEAD?
It is very common for a gravy recipe to call for pan drippings.
If you have a roast or a large piece of meat that you have seared, and there are leftover meat drippings, feel free to use those drippings in place of the butter for this recipe.
Using meat drippings instead of butter will add a beefier, more savory element to your homemade beef gravy recipe. If you have them on hand, I highly encourage you to use them or even a combination of butter and drippings to total a 1/4 cup of fat.
6 MORE BEEFY RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
- Slow Cooker Rump Roast
- Beef Tips and Rice
- Cowboy Steak
- Prime Rib
- Beef Tenderloin
- Salisbury Steak
Consider this Homemade Brown Beef Gravy foolproof and a staple for your recipe arsenal! Always smooth, savory, with the perfect smothering consistency! It's great for family dinners and holiday meals alike.
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Beef Gravy, Brown Beef Gravy, Brown Gravy
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 102 kcal
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (or beef drippings)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 3/4 cups unsalted (or low-sodium) beef broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
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Add the butter or the meat drippings to a saucepan over medium heat. Immediately after the butter has melted, sprinkle with the flour and whisk to combine. Allow to cook and whisk constantly for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
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Begin adding the beef broth a splash at a time (about a 1/4 cup), whisking well after each addition. Once the mixture begins to resemble a pudding-like texture, you may begin streaming the remaining broth in slowly, whisking all the while.
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Once all of the broth has been incorporated, add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and simmer for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
You can make the gravy 1-2 days in advance! Simply make the gravy as directed, allow to cool, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
Just before you intend to serve the gravy, microwave at 1-minute intervals until heated through.
If the gravy is too thick, add room temperature, unsalted chicken broth 1 tablespoon at a time to the gravy, whisking after each addition, until desired consistency is reached.
Nutrition Facts
Brown Beef Gravy Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 102 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 5g 31%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 503mg 22%
Potassium 242mg 7%
Carbohydrates 6g 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 1g 1%
Protein 3g 6%
Vitamin A 238IU 5%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 6mg 1%
Iron 1mg 6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Source: https://www.theanthonykitchen.com/brown-beef-gravy/