To make gravy, cook equal parts fat and flour into a roux — a "two and two" of 2 tbsp fat plus 2 tbsp flour per 250 ml (1 cup) liquid for a medium gravy. Cook the flour in the fat for 1-2 minutes so it loses its raw taste, then add the liquid gradually, whisking, until it simmers and thickens. For a quick alternative, stir in a slurry of 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed into 2 tbsp cold water per 250 ml (1 cup) of liquid.
Gravy is one of those things a granny made without thinking, straight from the pan, while everyone else was carrying plates through. There's no packet needed and no mystery to it — just fat, flour and liquid, coaxed together in the right order. Get the "two and two" ratio in your head and you can make brown gravy, chicken gravy, turkey gravy from the drippings, giblet gravy for the holidays or a peppery hamburger gravy, all from the same simple method. Here's how.
| Roux colour | Cook time | Best for | Thickening power |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | A couple of minutes | White sauces, chicken gravy | Most |
| Blond | About 5 minutes | Light gravies | Strong |
| Brown | About 15-20 minutes | Brown and beef gravy | Medium |
| Dark / chocolate | 30-45 minutes | Gumbo | Least (use more) |
The master method: a roux and the 'two and two'
Gravy is just fat, flour and liquid. Use your fat — butter, or the drippings, which are the fat and browned juices left in the pan — and stir in an equal amount of plain flour (US all-purpose). That's a roux: equal parts fat and flour by weight, and near enough by volume too. For a medium gravy, use a 'two and two' — 2 tbsp fat and 2 tbsp flour per 250 ml (1 cup) of liquid. Cook the flour in the fat for 1-2 minutes first, stirring, so it loses its raw, pasty taste. A couple of minutes keeps it pale for a white or chicken gravy; 15-20 minutes takes it brown and nutty. Then add your liquid gradually, whisking as you go, and bring it to a gentle simmer to thicken. Season at the end. Never tip flour into hot fat and walk away — stir it.
How to make brown gravy (and beef gravy)
For brown gravy you want colour and a deep, beefy savour. Use beef drippings as your fat and cook the roux longer — a brown roux takes about 15-20 minutes and turns nutty. Bear in mind a browner roux thickens a little less than a pale one, so don't skimp on the flour. Stick with the two and two: 2 tbsp beef drippings, 2 tbsp flour, 250 ml (1 cup) beef stock or broth. Add the stock gradually, whisking, simmer until it coats the back of a spoon, then season with salt, pepper and a splash of Worcestershire sauce if you like. No drippings? Butter works, and a well-browned roux still gives you the colour. This is your beef gravy recipe for pot roast, mash and steak.
Chicken gravy (cook gravy chicken)
Chicken gravy — 'cook gravy chicken', as it's often searched — is the pale cousin. Keep the roux light: a white roux is just a couple of minutes, blond about 5 minutes. Use chicken drippings or butter, the same two and two, and 250 ml (1 cup) chicken stock or broth per portion. Whisk in the stock, simmer to thicken, then season with salt and pepper. For a creamier chicken gravy, swap 50-100 ml of the stock for milk. Spoon it over roast chicken, mashed potato or biscuits.
Turkey gravy from drippings and giblet gravy
When the turkey comes out, tip the roasting tin so the fat rises, and spoon off all but about 2 tbsp of fat per 250 ml (1 cup) of gravy you want — that fat is your roux fat. Set the tin over a low heat, stir in an equal amount of flour (the two and two) and cook 1-2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits stuck to the tin, because that's where the flavour lives. Add the pan juices and enough stock to make up your liquid, whisking, and simmer until thickened. For giblet gravy, simmer the giblets — the neck, heart and gizzard — in water with a little onion for an hour or so to make a broth while the bird roasts (add the liver only for the last few minutes, or leave it out, as it can turn bitter). Chop the meat small, make your turkey or brown gravy as above, then stir the chopped giblets and some of their broth through it. A chopped hard-boiled egg stirred in at the end is the old Southern touch.
Hamburger gravy and sausage gravy
Hamburger gravy starts by browning minced beef (US 'hamburger') in the pan and leaving the rendered fat behind. Stir 2 tbsp flour into the fat, cook 1-2 minutes, then pour in 250 ml (1 cup) of liquid per two-and-two — milk for a creamy country gravy, or beef stock for a savoury one — whisking up to a simmer. Season well with salt and plenty of black pepper, and keep the browned meat in it. Sausage gravy is the same trick with crumbled breakfast sausage and milk, cooked until thick and peppery. Ladle either over mashed potato, biscuits or toast.
The cornflour (cornstarch) slurry, and fixing lumpy, thin or greasy gravy
Short on time or fat? Skip the roux and use a cornflour (cornstarch) slurry — in the US, 'cornstarch' is exactly the same thing as British cornflour. Mix 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) into 2 tbsp cold water per 250 ml (1 cup) of liquid, then stir that into your simmering, seasoned liquid and cook a minute until glossy and thickened. Never tip dry cornflour straight into hot liquid — it clumps instantly. To fix lumpy gravy, whisk it hard, push it through a fine sieve, or blitz with a stick blender. For thin gravy, let it simmer down to reduce, or stir in a little more roux or slurry. For greasy gravy, skim the fat off the top with a spoon; a slick usually means there was more fat than flour, so whisk in a little extra flour cooked in a knob of butter.
Questions we get asked
What is the ratio of fat to flour for gravy?
Equal parts. Use a 'two and two' — 2 tbsp fat and 2 tbsp flour per 250 ml (1 cup) of liquid — for a medium gravy. A roux is equal parts fat and flour by weight, and near enough by volume too.
How do you make gravy without drippings?
Use butter as your fat instead. Melt 2 tbsp butter, stir in 2 tbsp flour, cook 1-2 minutes, then whisk in 250 ml (1 cup) of stock or broth and simmer. Brown the roux a little longer if you want a darker, beefier gravy.
Can I use cornflour (cornstarch) instead of flour for gravy?
Yes. Mix 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) into 2 tbsp cold water per 250 ml (1 cup) of liquid to make a slurry, then stir it into your simmering liquid and cook a minute. Never add dry cornflour to hot liquid or it will clump.
How do you fix lumpy gravy?
Whisk it hard first. If lumps remain, push the gravy through a fine sieve or blitz it with a stick blender until smooth. To avoid lumps next time, add the liquid gradually and keep whisking.
Why is my gravy not thickening?
Give it time at a simmer to reduce, or stir in a little more roux or cornflour slurry. Make sure the flour cooked in the fat before the liquid went in. Remember a dark roux thickens far less than a pale one, so brown gravies need more of it.
What is the difference between stock and broth for gravy?
Either works. Traditionally stock is simmered from bones, so it is richer in gelatin and sets to a wobble when cold; broth is simmered from meat, lighter in body and often lightly seasoned. In shops the words are used interchangeably.