Learn how to make Homemade Brown Gravy from scratch. So easy, this gravy can be made without drippings as it is thickened with flour.
The flavor comes from beef broth/stock whilst the rich texture comes from some butter and a splash of heavy cream.
The perfect gravy for serving with your beef roast, pork chops or sausage and mashed potatoes.
What is brown gravy? Why not just call it gravy.
Brown gravy is the classic gravy that you would serve with a roast dinner.
It is traditionally made with roasted meat drippings and thickened with flour.
In the UK it is just called gravy, but I like to call it brown gravy so it isn't confused with the white gravy typically used in biscuits and gravy and chicken fried steak.
Can you make gravy without pan drippings?
Yes! This simple brown gravy recipe is made without drippings. It is rich, full of flavor and no one will know that you didn't have any pan drippings!
How to make gravy without drippings
Instead of dripping we use butter to add the richness. Then by adding beef stock or beef broth, you can get a deep beefy flavor without any beef drippings or juice.
I like to add a splash of heavy cream at the end. It adds a wonderful roundness to the gravy. But don't add too much we want this to be a brown gravy!
How to thicken homemade brown gravy
The key to thickening gravy is a mixture called a roux.
A roux is just a mixture of fat and flour. This is cooked over low heat to give it a deeper flavor. This thick paste is the basis of your gravy. Once the roux has been cooked you slowly add in beef stock/broth. Don't add any salt at this stage, we are going to simmer the gravy and this can concentrate the flavors. If you add the salt in the early stages your gravy could end up too salty.
Help my gravy is lumpy!
Firstly don't panic! We can solve this and no one at the table will know!
Just continue to whisk and cook your gravy as directed and when you are ready to serve, pour it through a fine mesh strainer/sieve into your gravy boat. The lumps will be removed and everything will taste great.
Because you have removed a bit of the flour your gravy might not be quite as thick as normal, but it will still taste good.
Pro Tip:
Next time you make gravy try adding the beef broth a little more slowly at first and whisking between each addition. This should help to eliminate the lumps.
But even Delia Smith has admitted to having lumps in her gravy at one time or another, so you are in great company!
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How to make gravy from scratch
- Melt your butter in a saucepan
- Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes making sure not to burn the mixture.
- Add in half a cup of beef broth and whisk as it thickens drastically.
- Add another half cup of broth and whisk until the mixture starts to thin.
- Slowly whisk in the remainder of the broth.
- Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, some Beef better than bouillon and a pinch of pepper.
- Simmer the brown gravy for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in your splash of heavy cream
- Check your seasonings and serve.
What is Beef Better than Bouillon?
Beef better than bouillon is an intense beef base. You can replace it with the beef paste or half a crumbled beef stock cube. It adds great beefy depth and saltiness to your gravy helping to replace the flavor missing from drippings. You can leave it out but you will find you need to add more salt to your brown gravy.
Meals that go with Gravy
Brown gravy is so rich and delicious that it will enhance so many different meals.
These are my top 10 foods that are great with gravy!
- Toad in the Hole (Seriously good!)
- Sausage and Mash
- Lamb chops
- Hamburger Steaks with fried onions
- Roast Chicken with the works (including Yorkshire pudding)
- Beef Dip Sandwich
- Open faced turkey sandwiches
- Chicken Schnitzel and Mash
- French Fries (drizzled over UK style or poutine/jazz fries style)
- Meatloaf
- Beef Manhattan
- Seared Steak with mash and peas
- Pork Chops
Enjoy x
For more delicious gravies and sauces why not try:
Get the Recipe
Easy Homemade Brown Gravy Recipe (no drippings)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon AP flour
- 1 ½ cup beef broth/stock
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon beef - better than bouillon - See note 1
- pinch pepper (Black or white)
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until well combined and golden brown.2 tablespoon AP flour
- Whisk in ¼ cup of the beef broth, the mixture will become a very thick paste. Gradually whisk in ¼ cup more broth. Once the mixture has thinned slightly you can gradually whisk in the remaining broth.1 ½ cup beef broth/stock
- Add the Worcestershire sauce, the beef base, and the pepper.½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce½ teaspoon beef - better than bouillonpinch pepper
- Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- Add the heavy cream, taste and season with salt if needed.2 tablespoon heavy creamsalt to taste
Notes
- Beef better than bouillon is an intense beef base, you can replace it with the beef paste or half a crumbled beef stock cube. It adds great beefy depth and saltiness to your gravy helping to replace the flavor missing from drippings. You can leave it out but you will find you need to add more salt to your brown gravy.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Molly Pisula says
This gravy is so tasty! Love that I can make this without having any drippings around. It's perfect over fluffy mashed potatoes!
Disappointed says
This was the worst gravy recipe that I've ever tried! The gravy never thickened up and I even tried the cornstarch trick as a last resort. What a complete waste of ingredients!
Claire McEwen says
Sorry to read this.
The flour in the recipe is more than enough to thicken 1 1/2 cups of liquid.
Did you bring the gravy to a boil and then simmer for 2-3 minutes?
Cx
Amanda says
This gravy is UH-MAZING!!!
My kids were like, “where was this gravy during Thanksgiving?”
I left off the cream because I didn’t have it and and didn’t add the extra bullion. It’s plenty beefy and delicious without it.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Cx
Andrea Bartee says
I made this at the last moment of making
dinner (had all of the ingredients on hand)
It turned out delicious. I used it with
beef stroganoff. Thank you for sharing 😊
Laurie Hill says
Very good gravy, I did not have any better than bouillon and couldn’t get to the store so I added more salt as suggested and a little onion salt. This recipe is a keeper.
Dave Lacy says
Love the recipe!
I saute 1 onion chopped to the butter before adding liquid and flour.
After the gravy has been stirred well, I add a jar of sliced mushrooms and continue cooking at low temperature until ready to serve.
Don't like the flavor of beef stock so I use chicken stock from Costco.
Kimberlee Wills says
THIS IS FABULOUS!!! Followed it exactly as is, added a 1/2 tsp more of Better Than Bouillon, but everything else stayed the same. Definitely a new favorite and shall be used every time I need gravy! Thanks so much!!
Claire McEwen says
I like to add extra better than bouillon as well, because we like really deeply flavoured gravy.
So happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Cx
Jason says
Where are the amounts.?Ya know the recipe
Claire McEwen says
Hi Jason,
You can find the amounts and the full written recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
But here is a direct link to the recipe card https://www.sprinklesandsprouts.com/homemade-brown-gravy/#wprm-recipe-container-23253
Hope that helps
Cx
Tammy Lehman says
This recipe was very good. I served it with a roasted pork tenderloin.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I love pork tenderloin!!
What a delicious combo 🙂
Cx
Carbecca says
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It is delicious and my whole family loves it! I make it regularly. I have used milk when I don't have heavy cream on hand, and it is still delicious!
Cindy says
Made this tonight. It thickened nicely but I didn’t have any Better then Bouillon but used beef stock. Not much beef flavor. I will try again with the than Bouillon.
Claire McEwen says
Hi Cindy,
The better than bouillon adds a great deal of depth to the gravy. I find that the cartons of beef stock aren’t intensely flavoured enough, so the extra bouillon really does boost the flavour. You can always use a crumbled beef stock cube if you have one of those available.
Hope that helps.
Cx
Laurie Manion says
I love your gravy boat! Where’s it from?
Claire McEwen says
hi Laurie,
It is from a company called Maxwell & Williams. I bought it at a local kitchen store but they have an online store 🙂
Cx
krisgren says
Perfect!!! This will be a regular gravy recipe in my household, so much flavor. Thank you
Lesley says
This was really good and easy. I did have to add almost a full cup of liquid, but that could very well have been due to the fact that I didn’t cook my roux to a golden color so the flour had more thickening power.
This is definitely going to be made again and again.
Dominique says
Made this with some prime rib and mashed potatoes (without the heavy cream). It was so delicious and easy to make. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Theresa says
Yum! I made this for Easter dinner this year and it was delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Claire McEwen says
You are welcome, so pleased you enjoyed it. It is my go to gravy recipe 🙂
Cx
Joyce says
I made this to have with beef Wellington. Added a splash of red wine and it was fantastic. Perfect thickness with wonderful flavor.
Claire McEwen says
Oh I am so pleased you enjoyed it Joyce. Although now I am craving beef wellington!!! YUM
Cx