Brown Gravy Recipe - No Drippings Needed! (2024)

by Stephanie on July 13, 2020 (Updated December 30, 2023)274*This post may contain affiliate links. Read more »

Make this EASY Beef Gravy recipe in just 10 minutes with NO drippings needed! Learn 3 secret ingredients to add depth of flavor, plus a chef-inspired finishing technique to add a silky, velvety finish.

Serve this gravy with mashed potatoes,buttermilk biscuits, country fried chicken, roasted pork tenderloin, and more!

Brown Gravy Recipe

Believe me when I say, I don’t kid around when it comes to gravy. After all, I plan on pairing this recipe with everything. Poutine, Fried Chicken, Mashed Potato Casserole, Roast Chicken, Pot Roast, Steak, the works. So when I decided to post this recipe, I knew that it had to be perfect.

And let me tell you, it is perfect. NO DRIPPINGS necessary! (But of course it’s an option.)

PS-This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 238!

Using a Roux vs. a Slurry for Gravy

There are 2 basic methods to make a nice thick gravy. Let’s take a look at each method, and why I chose to use a slurry for this recipe.

What is a Roux:

A Roux is a combination of fat (drippings), whisked with flour. Butter can also be used in leau of drippings.

What is a Slurry:

A Slurry is a combination of corn starch or flour + cold water. It’s added to a warm liquid to thicken it. The reason cold water is used is to prevent lumps from forming when added to the warm base.

Why I chose a Slurry for This Recipe:

When I make gravy, I love incorporating a chef technique called monter au beurre”, which is to add a swirl ofcold butterat the end to create a smooth, velvety finish. Therefore, I chose to avoid starting with butter/flour base and decided to thicken the gravy with a slurry, as I didn’t want the butter to overpower the flavor of the gravy.

(Bonus: Corn Starch is gluten free if you are serving this anyone who may have an allergy or sensitivity to it.)

How to Make It

Add the chicken broth, beef broth, beef bouillon, onion and garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce to a medium saucepan. Stir to combine.

Brown Gravy Recipe - No Drippings Needed! (2)

Bring to a boil and whisk in cornstarch + cold water mixture. Decrease heat. Continue to whisk to ensure the cornstarch blends in smoothly.

Brown Gravy Recipe - No Drippings Needed! (3)

Let it simmer until it’s of desired thickness. Remove from heat and swirl in cold unsalted butter for a smooth, velvety finish. This is a technique that chefs use called “Monter Au Beurre”.Brown Gravy Recipe - No Drippings Needed! (4)

How to Make Brown Gravy More Flavorful

Not only do these secret weapons add a nice depth of flavor to brown gravy, but they also help achieve a rich dark brown color.

  • Worcestershire Sauce:This is my top choice. You can’t taste it at all but it enhances the other flavors of the gravy and a rich element to it.
  • Soy Sauce:Soy Sauce is plentiful with ‘umami’,which is basically a savory characteristic that makes gravy so irresistible. Like the above choice, you can’t taste it when added in the right quantity. I recommend using low sodium.
  • Kitchen Bouquet Browning and Seasoning Sauce: I like to add a few drops of this in combination with either of the 2 options noted above to add just a hint of a darker brown color. You can find it in the aisle where they sell gravy packets. (Which we no longer need to purchase ever again. 😉)

Brown Gravy Recipe - No Drippings Needed! (5)

Other Optional Ingredients

  • Sauteed Onions, Shallots, and/or Mushrooms.Saute at the beginning, then add broth, etc.
  • Fresh Rosemary, Sage, and/or Thyme.Add at the end of cooking.
  • A splash of Dry Red Wine. Add with the broth.
  • A pinch ofDijon Mustard.
  • Ground Pepper.

How to Make it With Drippings

If you make anything that results in having meat drippings at the end, whether it’s pork, chicken, or beef, be sure to save them for this gravy. You can always freeze them until you’re ready to use them.

If you have drippings, simply add them in along with the beef and chicken broth, which will give you even more gravy. You can also measure out your drippings and top it off with enough broth to make 2 cups total. Bouillon may not be needed if drippings are being used—taste first and add if necessary.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 5days or freeze for up to 5months.

Brown Gravy Recipe - No Drippings Needed! (6)

More Gravy Favorites

Steak with Gravy
BEST Dinner Rolls
Country Fried Chicken

Meatballs and Gravy
Beef Tips and Gravy
Salisbury Steak

Get My Free Meal Plan

I’ve got a Free Meal Plan with 7 of my super popular recipes (complete with grocery list)! Sign up for my email list and I’ll send it over now along with weekly dinner recipes!

And follow me on Facebook,Instagram, andPinterest!

Tried This Recipe?

Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Brown Gravy Recipe - No Drippings Needed! (13)

Brown Gravy Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

5 from 97 ratings

Servings: 4 people

Tap or hover to scale

Print recipe Pin Recipe Leave a Review

This easy Brown Gravy Recipe can be made in 10 minutes with NO drippings needed! Learn 3 secret ingredients to add the best depth of flavor, plus a chef-inspired finishing technique for a smooth, silky finish!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 cube beef bouillon, or 1 tsp better than bouillon
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, can sub soy sauce
  • 2-3 drops Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce, optional. Can also use Gravy Master.
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 Tablespoon cold unsalted butter

Instructions

  • Add the chicken broth, beef broth, beef bouillon, onion and garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce to a medium saucepan. Stir to combine.

  • Optional: If a darker color is desired, add 2-3 drops of Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce. (Gravy Master works well too.)

  • Combine the cold water and cornstarch in a small Tupperware with a lid. Shake to combine.

  • Bring gravy to a boil. Whisk in cornstarch mixture. Allow gravy to thicken, then decrease to medium-low.

  • Let it gently simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until your desired thickness and concentration is obtained.

  • Remove from heat. Swirl in one tablespoon cold butter just before serving. This adds a silky, velvety finish.

Notes

  • This recipe yields 1 + 1/4 cups
  • If you have drippings: Add them in along with the beef and chicken broth, which will give you even more gravy. You can also measure out your drippings and top it off with enough broth to make 2 cups total. Bouillon may not be needed if drippings are being used—taste first and add if necessary.
  • This recipe is in The Cozy Cookbook on page 238!

Optional Ingredient Additions

  • Sautéed onions, Shallots, and/or mushrooms.Sauté at the beginning, then add broth, etc.
  • Fresh Rosemary, Sage, and/or Thyme.Add at the end of cooking.
  • A splash of Dry Red Wine. Add with the broth.
  • A pinch ofDijon Mustard.
  • Ground Pepper.

Nutrition

Calories: 69kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 8mg, Sodium: 702mg, Potassium: 97mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 87IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 7mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you try this recipe?Mention @TheCozyCook on Instagram or tag #thecozycook!

Course: Sauce, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Author: Stephanie

Brown Gravy Recipe - No Drippings Needed! (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between beef gravy and brown gravy? ›

What is the difference between brown gravy and beef gravy? A brown gravy comes from any brown stock, whereas beef gravy always comes from beef stock specifically. In other words, all beef gravy is a brown gravy but not all brown gravy is beef gravy.

What makes brown gravy better? ›

Supplement with Sautéed Vegetables

Soft, fragrant, sautéed vegetables lend a sweet, earthy, warm flavor to your store-bought gravy. Use any combination of onions, leeks, shallots, celery, carrots, and mushrooms cooked in butter, olive oil, or pan drippings.

What's the difference between brown gravy and breakfast gravy? ›

It turns out, the biggest difference between the two is brown gravy is broth-based, while white gravy typically has a milk or cream base. Garcia said both types usually have flour or cornstarch for thickening and they both contain some sort of “fat or meat drippings.”

How do you turn liquid into gravy? ›

Dissolve 4 tablespoons of cornstarch in the minimum amount of water needed to make a thin paste—about 1/2 cup. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan and whisk while slowly adding liquid: Stir with a wire whisk until the gravy begins to thicken.

What is a Southern gravy called? ›

Red-eye gravy is a Southern favorite. It requires just two ingredients: the drippings of pan-fried country ham and black coffee.

What makes brown gravy thicker? ›

If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don't add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.

What is the secret to good gravy? ›

Here are my principles for making great gravy without fear:
  • Make it ahead. This is the most important one. ...
  • Make a really good homemade turkey stock first. Don't skimp on this crucial first step. ...
  • Reinforce the stock's flavor. ...
  • Simmer, simmer, simmer. ...
  • Strain and cool. ...
  • Reduce. ...
  • Hot liquids only.
Nov 5, 2021

What to put in gravy to make it taste better? ›

Add an umami-rich condiment.

Just as you might add condiments like soy sauce, miso paste, Worcestershire sauce, or even a splash of sherry or cider vinegar to your favorite gravy recipe, incorporate them into store-bought gravy for a more complex flavor.

How to make gravy more flavorful? ›

Fortunately, Shannon has several suggestions for fixing bland gravy, starting by adding a bouillon cube, herbs or a splash of wine or cognac. But if you have time to spare, add pan drippings from turkey, bacon or bacon drippings, caramelized vegetables (like onions, leeks, carrots and celery), herbs or garlic.

Does KFC use brown gravy or chicken gravy? ›

Does KFC use brown gravy or chicken gravy? Technically, it's a brown gravy with some leftover chicken bits from their fried chicken mixed in. To replicate that flavor in our KFC gravy recipe, we use beef bouillon in addition to a bit of chicken broth.

Is country gravy mix the same as sausage gravy? ›

The main difference is that country gravy does not have sausage. Country gravy uses butter to make its roux, while sausage gravy uses the rendered fat from the meat, cooked with flour, to thicken the gravy. Check out Ree Drummond's recipe for country gravy which she serves alongside chicken fried steak.

What's the difference between country gravy and regular gravy? ›

There is no difference. In the South, country gravy and white gravy are used interchangeably and both for the same type of thick, creamy gravy made with butter, flour, and milk. You may also hear these gravies called sawmill gravy, and some people use this recipe but add sausage for a sausage gravy.

How is gravy made from scratch? ›

Melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan. Add flour and whisk constantly until mixture is golden caramel color and smells fragrant (3-5 minutes). Slowly whisk in liquids, while whisking, until mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and bubbly, 5 minutes or longer.

What is it called when you mix flour and water for gravy? ›

A slurry is generally made with liquid (often water or broth) mixed with either cornstarch or flour and added to a hot liquid to thicken it. Because a slurry is a concentrated starchy liquid it will thicken sauces and gravy.

Is gravy just flour and water? ›

(The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.) You can add other flavors to the mixture, swap out the stock for another liquid, or use cornstarch rather than flour to thicken your gravy.

What does brown gravy mean? ›

Brown gravy is the name for a gravy made from the drippings from roasted meat or fowl. The drippings are cooked on the stovetop at high heat with onions or other vegetables, and then thickened with a thin mixture of water and either wheat flour or cornstarch.

What can I substitute for brown gravy mix? ›

DIY Brown Gravy Packet Mix 2 Tablespoons equals one packet Ingredients 3 tablespoons beef (or chicken bouillon) granules 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS to make Gravy (for each batch): 4-1/2 teaspoons butter 3/4 cup cold water Directions In a small bowl, ...

Why is it called gravy beef? ›

Gravy beef gets its name from its use in making rich, flavorful gravies and sauces. The connective tissue in the meat breaks down during cooking, releasing collagen into the cooking liquid, which gives it a thick, rich consistency.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: The Hon. Margery Christiansen

Last Updated:

Views: 6510

Rating: 5 / 5 (50 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: The Hon. Margery Christiansen

Birthday: 2000-07-07

Address: 5050 Breitenberg Knoll, New Robert, MI 45409

Phone: +2556892639372

Job: Investor Mining Engineer

Hobby: Sketching, Cosplaying, Glassblowing, Genealogy, Crocheting, Archery, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.