Easy Brown Gravy

Easy Brown Gravy

The best gravy is created with pan drippings, crispy bits of flavor packed fond and homemade stock. 

You know what I'm talking about.  The kind of gravy that you mistake as soup and find yourself spooning one scoop after another straight into your mouth, reassuring yourself that you are just tasting as you wipe the drips off your chin. Yeah, that kind of gravy! 

But what do you do when that’s not an option and you need some gravy A.S.A.P.?

You pull out your easy brown gravy recipe that has saved that mound of ground beef or that lonely pork chop many of times from boredom.

You don’t have a recipe like that, you say. Well, you do now!

Everyone needs to have a basic go to gravy recipe and that's what this is. A guide to help take the mystery out of simple gravy using a handful of ingredients that are probably already in your pantry.

My notes to you...

Once you make this recipe a time or two adding your own flavors and special touch, you will soon find yourself with a new family recipe that will compliment your meatloaf, hamburger steak, pork chops and chicken any day of the week.

EXTRA FLAVOR

Add one, some, or all of the extras below to make it your own;

a clove of garlic, minced

1/2 a onion, chopped small

a stalk of celery, chopped small

a handful of mushrooms

1/4 tsp. of thyme, sage, oregano

MIX IT UP

I used a combination of beef and chicken broth for this recipe. However, you can easily stick with all beef if you prefer a beefier flavor, all chicken or even substitute milk for one can of broth to get a creamy gravy. The options are endless.

FAT = FLAVOR

For a traditionally flavored gravy use all oil and for a richer gravy use 1/2 butter and 1/2 oil.

KEEP YOUR PANTRY STOCKED

If you don't have a couple of cans of broth (Swanson's is my favorite), Worcestershire and ketchup in your pantry... you really should, because that's all you need to make basic gravy.

RE-HEAT

The leftover gravy will thicken up into a gel, but will turn right back to its creamy goodness when you reheat it over med heat stirring with a whisk. If you need to thin it out, just add a little water until you get your desired consistency. Taste and readjust with salt and pepper if needed.

EASY BROWN GRAVY

*see list of extra flavor to Kick Up your gravy above

½ cup oil or butter (or a combination)

½ cup flour

2 Tbsp. ketchup

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 14 oz. can beef broth, Swanson’s

1 14 oz. can chicken broth, Swanson’s

½ tsp. kosher salt

½ tsp. black pepper

Place the oil (butter) in a pot over med heat. Add EXTRA's (listed above) to the oil (if adding) and cook until fragrant.

Add flour and stir to mix; let cook until the flour and oil have a golden color and it smells toasty (kind of like cookies baking) stirring occasionally with a whisk.

Carefully add broth to flour mix and stir with a whisk to blend and bring to a boil while whisking. Add ketchup, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Turn down heat and let simmer for about 5 minutes; stirring occasionally with a whisk.