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Ultimate Homemade Brown Gravy (No Drippings Needed)

Rich homemade brown gravy being poured from a white pitcher onto a mound of fluffy mashed potatoes.
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Make rich, savory homemade brown gravy from scratch on your stovetop. This recipe skips the need for meat drippings, delivering a velvety texture perfect for mashed potatoes, meatloaf, or roasts.

Ingredients

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  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups beef broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste based on broth)
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional, for depth)

Instructions

  1. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
  2. Whisk the flour into the melted butter until smooth. Cook this roux, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns a light brown color. This step cooks out the raw flour taste.
  3. Slowly pour in the beef broth while whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
  4. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often. The gravy will begin to thicken as it heats.
  5. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low. Stir in the onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, pepper, salt, and Worcestershire sauce, if using.
  6. Continue to simmer gently for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy reaches your desired thickness. If it is too thick, whisk in a splash of water or broth.
  7. Taste the gravy and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Serve your savory gravy topping hot.

Notes

  • For a darker color, cook the roux for an extra minute or two until it reaches a deeper brown shade.
  • If you want a copycat KFC style gravy, use chicken broth instead of beef broth and add a small pinch of dried sage.
  • To make a brown gravy mix for later use, combine the dry ingredients (flour, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, pepper, salt) in a jar. When ready to use, whisk the dry mix with melted butter, then slowly add hot broth.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenslang.com/homemade-brown-gravy-no-drippings-needed/