Country Gravy (2024)

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Prep 15 min
Total 15 min
Servings 16

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Country gravy, also called sawmill gravy or white gravy, is a staple of hearty Southern cooking. It can be used as a creamy blanket for chicken fried steak or to accompany a plate of freshly baked biscuits at breakfast time. This recipe is a down-home classic that takes just 15 minutes to pull together.

By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated Jun 12, 2019

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Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Make With

Gold Medal Flour

Steps

1

After removing cooked meat from skillet or pan, add oil to drippings in skillet. Stir in flour, scraping up brown particles. Cook over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture is light golden brown.
2

Stir in milk. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is boiling and thickened. If gravy is too thick, stir in more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency. Stir in salt and pepper.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1
A country-style gravy—sometimes called a white gravy—is really just a pan sauce made from the drippings in a skillet after cooking meat. It’s most often made with milk that’s thickened by making a roux—cooking flour into the remaining fat in the pan. But another method is to make a slurry of milk or broth with the flour whisked in (or shaken with the liquid, like grandmas used to do) until it’s smooth. The slurry is stirred into the hot pan drippings and is cooked until thickened.
tip 2
Seasoning well is essential. Be sure to taste for salt once the gravy is as thick as you’d like, then add some freshly ground pepper for a little warm spiciness.
tip 3
The trick to smooth, creamy gravy is to use a wire whisk when adding the flour to the drippings. Beat the drippings rapidly with the whisk while adding the flour to avoid lumps.

Nutrition

35 Calories, 2 1/2g Total Fat, 1g Protein, 3g Total Carbohydrate, 2g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon

Calories: 35

Calories from Fat: 20

Total Fat: 2 1/2g; 4%

Saturated Fat: 1/2g; 3%

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg; 0%

Sodium: 90mg; 4%

Potassium: 45mg; 1%

Total Carbohydrate: 3g; 1%

Dietary Fiber: 0g; 0%

Sugars: 2g

Protein: 1g

% Daily Value*:

Vitamin A: 0%; 0%

Vitamin C: 0%; 0%

Calcium: 4%; 4%

Iron: 0%; 0%

Exchanges:

0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;

Carbohydrate Choice

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

More About This Recipe

Everything tastes better with a little gravy on it: chicken, carrots, potatoes, noodles, burgers. This simple country gravy recipe from the Betty Crocker Test Kitchens makes it easy to smother your favorite meats and carbs with a heaping spoonful. Check out Betty’s collection of gravy recipes and learn to make it perfectly with instructions on how to make gravy.

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FAQs

What is country gravy made of? ›

There is no difference. In the South, country gravy and white gravy are used interchangeably and both for the same type of thick, creamy gravy made with butter, flour, and milk. You may also hear these gravies called sawmill gravy, and some people use this recipe but add sausage for a sausage gravy.

Why is my country gravy bland? ›

If the gravy lacks oomph, adjust seasoning as necessary with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. If you used canned stock instead of homemade, the gravy might not be as flavorful.

Get More Info ›

How to tell when gravy is thick enough? ›

When recipe writers state "thick enough to coat the back of a spoon" that's shorthand for a mixture that's thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and hold a line when you draw your finger through it.

Discover More ›

Is country gravy mix the same as sausage gravy? ›

The main difference is that country gravy does not have sausage. Country gravy uses butter to make its roux, while sausage gravy uses the rendered fat from the meat, cooked with flour, to thicken the gravy. Check out Ree Drummond's recipe for country gravy which she serves alongside chicken fried steak.

Read On ›

Do flour and water make gravy? ›

(You can also start with a slurry of flour and water—equal amounts flour and cold water whisked together—if you want.) Whisk the gravy while slowly adding liquid: Slowly add stock, water, milk, cream, or a combination to the pan, whisking vigorously to dissolve the flour into liquid.

Keep Reading ›

What to put in gravy to make it taste better? ›

If your gravy tastes great but it lacks a little depth, add an umami flavor boost. Umami flavors are deeply savory and feel round on the palate. Spruce up the gravy with a splash of Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce (if the gravy isn't already too salty, that is).

Can I use sour milk for gravy? ›

Add water if it gets too thick. Add the thick sour milk and let cook for about three minutes, stirring. Taste to feel for salt and add if necessary. Remember you are using salted products!

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Why does my homemade gravy taste like flour? ›

Gravy will taste floury when you've added too much flour to it or the flour has not been cooked enough to fold into the gravy ingredients as a whole. To try to fix this problem, add a little more broth and whisk through while heating gently.

Tell Me More ›

Is gravy better with flour or cornstarch? ›

Making a roux with flour and butter “boosts flavor and gives the gravy a silky texture and rich flavor,” she says. Flour also gives the gravy a traditional opaque look, she adds, whereas cornstarch will make the gravy shiny and clear.

Get More Info Here ›

What is the best thickener for gravy? ›

Similar to flour, cornstarch is another ingredient that can be used to make gravy thicker. With cornstarch, making a slurry is also an option, but with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch whisked into cold water. Again, you'll want to add the slurry in increments so you don't over-thicken the gravy.

Keep Reading ›

Why does my gravy turn to jelly? ›

Not only does this change the texture, but it means that, once strained, the gravy won't be as thick as you likely want it. Why does my gravy have a jelly-like texture? Gravy gets a jelly-like texture due to too much thickener.

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When you make gravy, do you use hot or cold water? ›

The liquid needs to be very hot before thickening the gravy with flour. Combine ½ cup cold water and ½ cup flour in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake to mix it. I find if I use cold water to mix with the flour, lumps do not form in the container.

Keep Reading ›

How do you add richness to gravy? ›

Stocks and broths also add both flavor and body to the gravy. Milk and cream add richness and flavor; they can round out or mellow any sharper flavors that develop along the way. Finishing a sauce or gravy with butter will thicken the gravy and add a velvety texture—a surefire way to up your gravy game.

Learn More Now ›

What is the formula for gravy? ›

(The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.) You can add other flavors to the mixture, swap out the stock for another liquid, or use cornstarch rather than flour to thicken your gravy.

Keep Reading ›

What is the difference between chicken and country gravy? ›

Country-fried steak is covered in brown gravy, while chicken-fried steak comes with peppery white gravy. To add to the confusion, even this isn't entirely set in stone–some restaurants will serve “country-fried steak” with white gravy.

View Details ›

What is the difference between brown and country gravy? ›

It turns out, the biggest difference between the two is brown gravy is broth-based, while white gravy typically has a milk or cream base. Garcia said both types usually have flour or cornstarch for thickening and they both contain some sort of “fat or meat drippings.”

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What is the difference between country gravy and sawmill gravy? ›

Country gravy, also called sawmill gravy or white gravy, is a bechamel sauce that's typically served over homemade biscuits, country ham, chicken-fried steak, or other Southern favorites.

What is traditional gravy made of? ›

At the most basic level, gravy is a simple pan sauce that requires liquid and a thickener. Traditional turkey gravy usually has fat, flour, and stock. You can make excellent turkey gravy with just those ingredients, plus salt and pepper for seasoning.

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