How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (2024)

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Rich, smooth, and so savory, this homemade gravy from drippings is so dang good that you’ll be licking your plate clean! Learn how to make gravy from drippings in just 10 minutes and take your dinner to a whole new level.

How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (2)

Table of Contents

  • Why This Is the Best Gravy From Drippings
  • Ingredients Needed
  • How to Make Gravy From Drippings
  • Tips for the Best Homemade Gravy
  • What to Serve With Homemade Brown Gravy
  • How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
  • More Easy Gravy Recipes
  • Get the Recipe

    Why This Is the Best Gravy From Drippings

    Thick and velvety, this decadent pan gravy will make any piece of meat instantly better. Making gravy from drippings is so easy, and it’s a great way to maximize all the flavor from whatever meat you cooked for dinner. Here’s why this is our go-to homemade gravy recipe:

    • Fast & Easy: This luscious gravy is super easy to make in just 10 minutes. Once your meat is cooked, we whisk in a little flour, seasonings, and broth into the pan drippings. We simmer our gravy until it has thickened and that’s it, it’s ready to serve!
    • Mess-Free: This pan gravy from drippings is such a great way to add flavor to your meal without making your kitchen any messier. If you make the recipe right after cooking a piece of meat, you can just make the gravy directly in the same pan.
    • Maximize Flavor: Anytime you cook a piece of meat, you leave so much flavor in the pan. When you make gravy from drippings, you get to use that flavor instead of wasting it!
    • Use Any Meat: This is a versatile gravy recipe, so you can use the drippings from any meat. You can make beef, pork, chicken, bacon, or turkey gravy from drippings.
    • Better Than Store-Bought: There’s simply no comparison between homemade gravy from drippings and store-bought gravy. This gravy will have a meatier and deeper flavor, with an irresistible smooth and velvety texture, than any store-bought gravy you’d find at the store.
    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (3)

    Ingredients Needed

    You only need a few basic pantry staples that you probably already have on hand to make gravy from drippings. For full ingredient amounts and directions, scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    • Pan Drippings: You can use drippings from any kind of meat.
    • All-Purpose Flour
    • Broth: Chicken or beef broth are best for this recipe.
    • Salt
    • Black Pepper: Always use freshly cracked pepper for the most flavor.
    • Garlic or Onion Powder: This is an optional ingredient, but can add a lot of flavor to your gravy.
    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (4)

    How to Make Gravy From Drippings

    Whether you’re making homemade turkey gravy, pork gravy, or pan gravy with any other kind of meat, this sauce is rich, smooth, and packed with a deep, meaty flavor. And it only takes 10 minutes to cook! Scroll to the recipe card at the end of the page for detailed instructions on how to make gravy from drippings.

    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (5)
    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (6)
    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (7)
    • Add Flour: Heat the pan drippings in a heavy skillet, then add the flour. Whisk until the roux turns a medium brown.
    • Pour In The Broth: Slowly pour in the broth while whisking.
    • Finish: Cook the gravy, while whisking, until it thickens. Season to taste and serve immediately.
    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (8)

    Tips for the Best Homemade Gravy

    Making rich and savory homemade gravy from pan drippings is so easy, but here are a few things you can do to ensure that it comes out perfectly every time.

    • Whisk Thoroughly: Once you start making the gravy, it’s important to whisk continuously. If you’re not constantly whisking, the roux might burn, or the gravy might break. When you add the broth, the gravy might separate a little bit, but keep whisking until it comes back together.
    • Season At The End: It’s really important to wait until you’re done cooking the gravy before you season it. Since your pan drippings will likely have salt from the meat you cooked and most broth has added salt, the gravy might be plenty salty without adding any extra salt. Once the gravy is done cooking, taste it, and adjust the seasonings as needed!
    • Adjust The Thickness. You can easily adjust how thick this homemade pan gravy is, depending on your taste. If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of water, broth, milk, or cream. Adding milk or cream will make the gravy extra creamy and smooth. If your gravy is too thin, just cook it for a little bit longer.
    • Add Flavors: Garlic and onion powder are included as optional seasonings for this savory gravy. Just a pinch will really add a lot of extra flavor! You can also add fresh or dried herbs like rosemary, sage, or thyme.
    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (9)

    What to Serve With Homemade Brown Gravy

    This hearty homemade gravy is so easy to serve. Our favorite way to eat it is with whatever piece of meat you’re using the drippings from and a side of mashed potatoes!

    • Pork: As shown in these photos, this gravy is delicious over some breaded fried pork chops! We also love to serve it with these juicy pan fried pork chops.
    • Chicken: A little chicken pan gravy would be amazing over these pan seared chicken breasts!
    • Beef: Chicken fried steak is a classic with white gravy, but it’s also delicious with a light brown gravy made with the pan drippings. This easy smothered cube steak is another great option!
    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (10)

    How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

    This homemade gravy will last for up to 5 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. We don’t recommend freezing homemade pan gravy from drippings. The texture will really suffer if you freeze and then thaw the gravy.

    You can reheat the gravy over medium heat on the stove, or in the microwave on 80% power in 20-second bursts. You’ll need to stir the gravy after reheating it. If your gravy has thickened too much, you can add a little broth to thin it out.

    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (11)

    More Easy Gravy Recipes

    If you’re a big gravy fan then we’ve got you covered. Here are some more of our favorite easy and comforting gravy recipes.

    • Homemade White Gravy
    • Chicken and Gravy
    • Homemade Brown Gravy
    • Beef Tips and Gravy
    • Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (12)

    5 from 2 votes

    Print Pin Recipe

    Yield: 4 servings

    How to Make Gravy From Drippings

    This homemade gravy from drippings is rich, smooth, velvety, and meaty. It only takes 10 minutes to make, and is perfect on top of just about everything!

    Prep Time2 minutes minutes

    Cook Time8 minutes minutes

    Total Time10 minutes minutes

    Ingredients

    • 4 tablespoons pan drippings
    • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    • 2 cups broth, chicken or beef
    • ½ teaspoon garlic or onion powder, optional
    • Salt and freshly black pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • If using old pan drippings, heat the pan drippings in a heavy bottom skillet over medium-to-medium high heat.

    • Once pan drippings are hot, add in the flour and whisk continuously so the flour does not burn. Keep whisking, and cook until the flour change colors to a medium brown, about 2 minutes. You can also start to smell the flour cooking when it’s ready.

    • Slowly pour in the broth, while whisking continuously. At first everything will separate, but keep whisking making sure to stir the entire skillet.

    • Continue cooking and whisking, until gravy thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes.

    • Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve immediately.

    Notes

    Storage: This homemade gravy will last for up to 5 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container.

    Reheat: You can reheat the gravy over medium heat on the stove, or in the microwave on 80% power in 20-second bursts. You’ll need to stir the gravy after reheating it. If your gravy has thickened too much, you can add a little broth to thin it out.

    Whisk Thoroughly: Once you start making the gravy, it’s important to whisk continuously. If you’re not constantly whisking, the roux might burn, or the gravy might break. When you add the broth, the gravy might separate a little bit, but keep whisking until it comes back together.

    Season At The End:It’s really important to wait until you’re done cooking the gravy before you season it. Since your pan drippings will likely have salt from the meat you cooked and most broth has added salt, the gravy might be plenty salty without adding any extra salt. Once the gravy is done cooking, taste it, and adjust the seasonings as needed!

    Adjust The Thickness.You can easily adjust how thick this homemade pan gravy is, depending on your taste. If the gravy is too thick, add a splash of water, broth, milk, or cream. Adding milk or cream will make the gravy extra creamy and smooth. If your gravy is too thin, just cook it for a little bit longer.

    Add Flavors:Garlic and onion powder are included as optional seasonings for this savory gravy. Just a pinch will really add a lot of extra flavor! You can also add fresh or dried herbs like rosemary, sage, or thyme.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 160kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 13mg, Sodium: 491mg, Potassium: 13mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 250IU, Vitamin C: 0.01mg, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 0.4mg

    Cuisine: American

    Category: Sauce

    How to Make Gravy From Drippings | Homemade Gravy Recipe In 10 Mins! (2024)

    FAQs

    How to make thick instant gravy? ›

    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.

    How to make gravy from juices of meat? ›

    Method
    1. Collect the juices and the fat from the meat you are roasting. ...
    2. Put the roasting tin that you used to cook the meat on the hob on a medium heat and add the fat. ( ...
    3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
    4. Stir in the meat juices and gradually stir in the stock until you get a smooth gravy.

    Do flour and water make gravy? ›

    (You can also start with a slurry of flour and water—equal amounts flour and cold water whisked together—if you want.) Whisk the gravy while slowly adding liquid: Slowly add stock, water, milk, cream, or a combination to the pan, whisking vigorously to dissolve the flour into liquid.

    Is gravy better with flour or cornstarch? ›

    Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour, so it's best to go slowly and add a little at a time until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. The best way to do that is to make a slurry of one tablespoon cornstarch to one cup of cool stock, whisked together.

    Do you use hot or cold water for gravy? ›

    The liquid needs to be very hot before thickening the gravy with flour. Combine ½ cup cold water and ½ cup flour in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake to mix it. I find if I use cold water to mix with the flour, lumps do not form in the container.

    How do you make gravy thickener with flour and water? ›

    Use two tablespoons flour mixed with ¼ cup cold water for each cup of medium-thick sauce. Thoroughly mix in the water to prevent lumps. After stirring the combined flour and water into the sauce, cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Heat one minute more to cook the flour thoroughly.

    How do you thicken gravy with water? ›

    Mix 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder with 3 tablespoons water until dissolved for every 1 cup of gravy. While whisking the gravy constantly over medium heat, add the arrowroot mixture a little bit at a time. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy thickens.

    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.

    How to make a sauce out of drippings? ›

    What can I do with beef drippings? Use beef drippings to make a steak dripping sauce. Melt butter in the same pan you cooked your steak in, combining it with the leftover steak bits, also known as fond. Add some beef broth or cooking wine and your favorite herbs and spices to finish off the sauce.

    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 is the formula for gravy? ›

    Cooking the roux can actually make it less good as a thickener once you add the liquid. This is imprecise to me. I like to know that if I add 1.5 tablespoons of flour to 1.5 tablespoons of fat, and then add 1 cup of liquid, I will get 1 cup of gravy that is of good thickness.

    Why is my instant gravy not thickening? ›

    Cooking for too little time: As the gravy cooks, it slowly thickens, so if you don't allow it to cook long enough, it will be too thin. Set the stove on medium heat and bring your gravy to a boil before letting it simmer. Once the gravy has reached your desired consistency, turn off the stove and let the sauce cool.

    How do you thicken gravy with instant mashed potatoes? ›

    There's no specific portion of potato flakes to the gravy when thickening. Starting with 1 Tbsp of potato flakes will make it easy to gauge how much you need. Continue to add the potato flakes a little at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If the gravy becomes too thick, slowly stir in some broth.

    How to make gravy thicker without flour or cornstarch? ›

    It is possible to thicken gravy without flour or cornstarch, and it's as simple as keeping it on the heat. When gravy is left to simmer or reduce, it naturally thickens, so be patient with your gravy. One downside to reducing gravy, though, is that it can become too salty.

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