Brown gravy sauce is not difficult to make, but the process is quick. All gravy sauces start with making a simple roux, which simply melts flour and fat (like butter), to create a thick base sauce. From here, you can add flavor enhancers and coloring. Anyone can make brown gravy with just a few simple ingredients, either by starting from scratch or by making gravy from leftover roast beef.
Ingredients
Basic "Brown Gravy" Sauce
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour / plain
- 500 ml liquid (bone broth, beef stock, water and clear stock)
- A pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: Kitchen Bouquet merek brand sauce
“Brown Gravy” Sauce from Baking Liquid
- 2 tablespoons pan liquid (remaining slurry and fat from oven-roasted meat)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 500 ml warm liquid (bone broth, water, milk)
Step
Method 1 of 2: Making the Basic Brown Gravy Sauce
Step 1. Measure out all the ingredients before starting to cook
If you have to leave something on the stove to measure out an ingredient, the food being cooked will be too thick or will burn quickly. Prepare all the ingredients needed and measure beforehand:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 500 ml warmed liquid (chicken/beef/vegetable bone broth, solid beef stock)
- Salt and pepper to add taste
- Optional: teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet sauce, onion/garlic powder, chili powder.
Step 2. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet
Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn. If it's completely melted, move on to the next step.
The flour is mixed with the butter and there should be no lumps, as these lumps will result in a lumpy gravy sauce. Mixing flour and hot butter is the basic ingredient of "roux"
Step 3. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of white flour, stirring constantly
Keep stirring until the mixture becomes smooth. Often the easiest way is to add 1 tablespoon of flour in a row, using an egg beater to quickly break up the lumps and make the sauce soft. You'll know when the sauce thickens.
- The longer the flour is cooked, the darker it will be and the thicker the sauce will be. For a light gravy sauce, continue the next process when it has browned. For a thick brown gravy sauce, stir constantly and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Butter and flour make the basic ingredients of thick gravy sauce. You can add more of the two ingredients, with the same ratio of flour and butter for a thicker gravy sauce, and with the same total amount of liquid, which is 500 ml.
Step 4. Add 500 ml of warm liquid gradually and bring to a boil
Warm the liquid in a separate saucepan or microwave before adding to the mixture. Pour 62 ml first and mix well before adding the next liquid. You certainly don't want to cause rapid changes in temperature in the gravy sauce. There is a wide choice of liquids and it all depends on the dish to be served. Typically, brown gravy is made from beef broth (which gives it its color), made with clear beef broth and water or plain beef stock. Some other options are:
- 500 ml beef bone broth
- 1 can solid beef broth
- You can also mix milk or water to make a light brown gravy sauce, but the ratio remains the same (500 ml in total).
Step 5. Reduce the heat once it boils and let it simmer slowly until it reaches the desired consistency
As soon as the gravy starts to boil, reduce the heat and simmer until it thickens to desired consistency.
The gravy will also thicken slightly as it cools, so turn off the stove 1-2 minutes before reaching the desired consistency
Step 6. Season with gravy sauce for added flavor
Add a pinch of salt and pepper when the sauce boils slowly, as well as other seasonings as desired. A half-teaspoon of Kitchen Bouquet sauce, a sauce that is a combination of the browning and spice commonly used for a variety of gravy sauces, is a great way to get the "classic" flavor and color of gravy sauce. Other options are:
- teaspoon garlic powder and/or onion
- teaspoon chili powder
- teaspoon fresh thyme and rosemary
- A pinch of soy sauce
Step 7. Serve while still warm
The sauce can be poured over the cutlets directly before serving or poured into a small serving jug and placed on the table for guests to be served.
Method 2 of 2: Making “Brown Gravy” Sauce from Baking Liquid
Step 1. Measure out all the ingredients when the meat is cooked through
The best gravy sauces are made from pan drippings - that is, the juices and fat that comes out of roasted meat. The meat can be beef, chicken, or turkey. If the meat is about to cook in a few minutes, remove all the other ingredients and prepare to mix into the gravy sauce.
- 2 tablespoons flour or corn starch
- 500 ml of warmed liquid (chicken/beef/vegetable bone broth, water and milk)
- Salt and pepper to add taste
Step 2. Remove the roast from the oven and set aside
All roasts need to "freeze" for 5-10 minutes before chopping, so you have a little time to make the gravy sauce. Cover the meat by wrapping the top loosely in an aluminum sheet and set it aside on a cutting board while you make the sauce from the pan liquid.
Step 3. Strain the fat from the liquid
Using a small slotted sieve, separate the fat from the liquid. Save both ingredients. Fat acts like the butter used in basic gravy, which is mixed with flour to make a roux.
For a faster gravy sauce, you can skip this step and heat 2 tablespoons of the pan liquid. However, lumps of fat will result in a lumpy gravy sauce and probably not very tasty
Step 4. Heat the fat on the stove over medium heat
The fat is still warm, but this step is important if the liquid is being transferred to another pan. You can also make gravy sauce in a roasting pan. Place a metal baking sheet on the two hobs, reinsert the fat, and heat the two hobs.
Step 5. Dissolve the pan liquid with a little cold liquid using an egg beater
Use a small amount of red wine, water, or bone broth, then scrape the brown strips and slurry from the bottom of the pan. As soon as the liquid is added, there is a sizzling sound, and you will need to work quickly with an egg beater or a spatula to scrape off all the meat slices at the bottom of the pan.
Dissolving the pan liquid is cleaning the hot pan with cold liquid, scraping the delicious little meat slices and caramelizing them, and adding them to sauces or gravy
Step 6. Stir in 2 tablespoons of flour, a little at a time
Using a wire egg beater, add the flour a little at a time using one hand, while the other hand is stirring. You need to make a soft and even sauce. Keep stirring until all the lumps are gone.
Step 7. Add 500 ml of warm liquid little by little and mix well
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the first 62 ml of liquid little by little. Stir, removing lumps, then add the next 62 ml of liquid. Start by using the filtered pan liquid, then move on to other liquids if you don't reach 500 ml of pan liquid. Usually, the liquid used is bone broth or meat stock, whether chicken, beef, or vegetable, but creamier gravy sauces can use milk or heavy cream for a thicker sauce. You can also mix everything, each ingredient as much as 250 ml. Whatever ingredients you use for the liquid, be sure to warm it up in a separate saucepan or microwave first.
If the gravy seems a little runny, add 1 tablespoon of butter or fat and a pinch of flour and mix well
Step 8. Cook on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency
Stir occasionally and allow the gravy to simmer slowly as it thickens. But remember, all gravy will thicken when it cools, so take it off the stove for 1-2 minutes before it reaches the consistency you want.
Step 9. Season the gravy sauce when it thickens
Because it's made from pan liquid, the gravy sauce may have a taste similar to the meat it's based on. You can add a little mix of the same spices to help the gravy sauce complement other dishes or you can adjust it with various spices such as:
- 1 teaspoon green leafy herbs such as thyme, sage, tarragon, parsley, or chives.
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, dry mustard powder, onion and/or garlic powder.
- teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet sauce or English soy sauce for chocolate coloring.
- Salt and pepper, to add flavor
Step 10. Consider straining the gravy before serving
While it's not really necessary, you can pour the gravy over a sieve before serving to remove lumps and small chunks of meat. Pour the gravy over the strainer placed over the metal bowl, then use a wooden spoon to push it out of the strainer and into the serving bowl. This will result in a softer, restaurant-quality sauce.
Step 11. Serve warm
Lower the heat and cover the pan with the gravy sauce if you must prepare other dishes, then serve on a plate or pour directly over the meat. Cold gravy will thicken and become dense and is usually unappetizing.
