The Best Homemade Beef Gravy Recipe (How to Make Brown Gravy) (2024)

FAQs

How do I make my gravy more brown? ›

To make dark brown beef gravy, cook the roux even longer (but at a lower temperature) until it's a dark color with a nutty aroma. Then use beef broth or beef juices to make your gravy.

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.

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.

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.)

the traditional method for darkening broth, stock, gravy, and bouillon was to use burnt sugar. Just a little bit will do, depending on how large of a batch you are making. Heat sugar and 1 Tablespoon water over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved.

Herbs and spices: Add dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or sage, or spices such as black pepper, paprika, or cayenne pepper. These will impart additional flavors and complexity to the gravy. Stock or broth: If your pre-cooked gravy is too thick or lacks depth, you can thin it out.

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

A traditional roux uses roughly an equal amount of flour and fat, but gravies often call for a bit more flour than that, to ensure the gravy is thick enough. (The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.)

The difference between brown and beef gravy is that brown gravy can be made with any type of meat drippings or stock, while beef gravy is specifically made with beef drippings or stock.

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 traditional gravy made of? ›

At its most basic, gravy is a thickened sauce made of meat drippings + stock + seasonings.

The color of the finished roux will determine the color of the gravy. To make a roux, cook the flour in oil, butter or pan drippings. Heat the roux long enough for the color to deepen a little darker than the desired color of the gravy. Darker roux produces a deeper, richer flavor.

1–2 tsp corn starch with 1/2 cup water, mix together and add to drippings from the meat. Bring to boil on med/ low heat while stirring as it thickens, add more liquid as needed to get to the consistency you like your gravy. If possible, use bouillon as the additional liquid unless you have a lot of drippings.

Dark roux

That dark roux can be used as a browning sauce substitute because it will add a similar taste and color to your recipe, enhancing the depth without adding too much thickening power. It's important to note that roux is made with flour, so using it as a substitute means your dish will no longer be gluten-free.

Gravy Master: Enhance the flavor and color of your gravies, sauces, and stews with Gravy Master. It's a browning and seasoning sauce, and it is our top pick for a close substitute. Dark Soy Sauce or Tamari: Add color and umami flavor to your dishes by using Soy sauce or tamari.