The Best Homemade Gravy Recipe

Spoon full of homemade gravy lifting from saucepan.

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5 from 4 votes

The Best Homemade Gravy Recipe

Make homemade gravy in very few simple steps, with delicious fresh ingredients, perfect for your holiday table!

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Total Time50

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: portions

Calories: 59kcal

Author: Elle John

Ingredients

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 medium carrots peeled and chopped
2 medium onions peeled and sliced
2 celery sticks washed and chopped
1 garlic clove peeled and chopped
1 sprig of fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
½ teaspoon dry sage or 2-3 leaves of fresh rosemary
salt

Optional/Additional Ingredients

½ cup wine or beer
1 stock cube of choice
water as required

Instructions

Preparation

Wash, peel, and thinly slice all the vegetables.
To a sauce pan[stovetop method] or to the roasting pan [roasting method], add the oil and heat on medium heat.
Once the oil or fat of choice is warm, add all the chopped vegetables, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.
Sautee on a a medium low heat until the onions become translucent and start to soften. During this process, stir frequently. This step will take approximately 5-7 minutes.
OPTIONAL: Add the wine or beer to the vegetables and increase to medium high heat. Stirring frequently, cook these ingredients this way until the alcohol completely evaporates. This should take no longer than 10 minutes.

The next ingredient and step will depend on your cooking method, so choose accordingly:

Stovetop Method [Pan Gravy]: Add the stock cube and 2 ½ cups of water to the pan and bring to a light simmer. Cover the pan with a lid and allow to cook until the vegetables are fork tender. This step will take approximately 20 minutes. As this is cooked without pan drippings, choose the stock cube based on the meat you will serve.
Roasting Method: Move the vegetables to the sides to allow enough space to fit the roasting meat. Once the chicken or turkey is added to the pan, add enough water to cover the vegetables. The amount will vary depending on the size of the pan, however, the consistency of the gravy can be adjusted at the end, so don't overwater the vegetables. Roast your meat in the oven as you normally would; occasionally, when checking the meat, ensure there is enough water to keep the vegetables cooking, if not, top up. The meat drippings will flavor the gravy as it cooks.

Last steps

Once all the vegetables are cooked, move them to a vegetable mill and mash them using it.
Check the consistency of the gravy and season to taste. Should the gravy be too thick, add the required amount of water and bring to a boil for a minute. Remember to season again if a lot of water is added.
Serve hot and enjoy with your favorite meals!

Notes

Oil: This is used to sautee the veggies. You can swap if for an unflavored oil, such as canola or sunflower.
Stock Cubes: If you are not cooking the vegetables in the oven in the roasting pan with your meat, then you will require a stock cube, and not only plain water. Use chicken for roast chicken, beef for roast beef, and vegetable for a vegan gravy.
White Wine, or Beer: I like to add one of these two to the vegetables and let it evaporate. It really enhances the flavor of the gravy and adds that layer of taste! Opt for a red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot, if serving the gravy with beef.
Marjoram, or Thyme: These are two other excellent herbs for roasts and great flavor enhancers for homemade gravy should you wish to change things up.
Flour: Depending on the preferred consistency of the gravy, you may want to add a brown roux to thicken the sauce. To thicken, simply add a tablespoon of butter or oil to a sauce pan and melt on low heat. Once melted, add a tablespoon of flour and mix well. Keep on mixing until the flour starts to brown [you want to eliminate the raw flour taste], then, a little at a time, start adding your vegetable gravy, all while mixing well to avoid ending up with lumpy gravy. Once all the gravy has been added, bring to a light simmer, and once hot, serve. To reheat thickened gravy, you may need to add a little more water as the flour will thicken it up further every time you boil it. It can be thickened with a cornstarch slurry if it needs to be a gluten free gravy.

Storing & Reheating

In the fridge: This easy homemade gravy will keep in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container or sealed glass jar.
In the freezer: Freeze the gravy in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to six months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using again.
Reheating: Reheat the gravy in the microwave or in a saucepan on medium low heat until piping hot. You may need to add a little water if the it thickens too much.

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