Introduction: Gravy Recipe

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About: I've worked for Instructables off and on since 2006 building and documenting just about everything I enjoy doing. I am now the Creative Programs founder and manager for Autodesk and just finished building out…

My gravy recipe will make a delicious sauce made from the pan drippings that are created when you roast meat. This is an Instructable on making a turkey gravy recipe that's perfect for Thanksgiving, but can also be used whenever you've got some drippings that you'd like to put to good use. Turning drippings into gravy takes only a few minutes, can be done on the stove top, uses only flour and water as ingredients, and is a worthwhile addition to any savory meal.

Pass the gravy Instructable please. 

Step 1: Gather Materials

To make gravy you need a few simple things:

  • drippings (1/2 cup not including fat)
  • cornstarch of flour (1 or 2 tablespoons)
  • broth (1 cup of chicken, turkey or beef - whatever flavor you like)
  • ice water
  • mixing bowl
  • whisk
  • saucepan

Having a fat separator like the one pictured below is optional. They are super helpful for making gravy, but you can also just spoon off the excess fat manually.

If you have less drippings then I did, that's fine, my drippings are from a pretty big turkey. Just use whatever you have available. You can always add more broth to increase your gravy volume.

Step 2: Pour Drippings Into Pan and Heat

If you are using a fat separator, pour off as much of the meat juices as you can, stopping before you pour out any solids or fat. I had about half a cup.

If you don't have a fat separator, simply use a spoon to skim off the top layer of fat from your juices. It will be easier to skim off the fat if you have the drippings in something tall and narrow (like a drinking glass) and harder to do this if your fat in something wide (like a bowl).

Begin heating up the juices, but try not to burn or boil them. Try starting off with a medium to low heat and adjust as necessary.

Step 3: Create Thickening Slurry

The juices on their own will be too thin to make gravy with, so you'll need to add in something to thicken the mixture up. The most common way of doing this is to make a thickening paste called a slurry using flour or cornstarch. Here I'm using cornstarch, but flour is certainly the more conventional way.

Cornstarch has almost twice the thickening power of flour, so use about half of much. Also, another nice perk about cornstarch is that it's almost impossible to end up with lumps, a common occurrence in gravies using flour, and, it's gluten free!

Mix about one tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/2 cup of ice water. Whisk it thoroughly in a bowl for a few seconds until it's an even white liquid. You're probably asking yourself, "this doesn't look very thick, what's up Noah?" Patience, patience, the cornstarch has to be heated to above 200 degrees F before it thickens.

  • You may need to make more or less of this mixture depending on how much gravy you're making.

** It doesn't really matter how much meat juice you've got to start, you can keep adding your thickener if you've got a lot of juices.

Step 4: Add Slurry and Broth

With the heat turned down low, slowly add the cornstarch slurry to the drippings. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, mix the cornstarch and water into the juices and continue stirring. The juices will remain fairly thin and cloudy for a minute or two until the proper temperature is reached, at which point, the mixture will thicken significantly. Take care not to boil your gravy.

While stirring, slowly add in the stock and balance the gravy with the thickening mixture until you've got the amount of gravy that you want, at the desired consistency. There aren't really absolutes with making gravy, but expect to add in most of the thickener that you've prepared if you've got about 1/2 cup in juices and another cup of added stock. If you need to thicken your gravy further, no problem, just mix up some more slurry and add it in little by little.

Follow the general guidelines of: heating it slowly on a low flame, adding more thickener if it's too thin, adding more stock if it's to thick, keeping it from boiling, and stirring constantly.

Step 5: Pour Into Gravy Bowl and Enjoy

Once you've got the gravy at the right consistency, it's done!

If you're making a flour based gravy, be sure to cook your sauce long enough so that you can no longer taste the raw flower in your gravy. This is less of an issue with cornstarch, but still something to watch out for. Taste test the gravy from time to time - you'll easily notice when the flour or cornstarch is done cooking. If you taste a powdery flavor in your mouth, it's not done yet.

Pour the gravy into a gravy boat or bowl and enjoy with your favorite roasted animals.

** Special restaurant tip discovered from comments to this Instructable **

Place a small pad of butter on top of the gravy if you're not going to serve it immediately. The butter will melt and prevent a skin from forming on the gravy, a usual occurrence when gravy is allowed to stand for a bit. It also adds good flavor.

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