How to Make Gravy From Drippings (2024)

How to Make Gravy From Drippings: your guide to making the best, easy homemade gravy from pan drippings.

Over the last month, I’ve been posting a series of recipes related to one of my favorite fall things, roasted chicken. There’s been anEasy Roasted Chicken Guide, How to Make Chicken Carcass Soup, and How to Make Chicken Stock.

Today, I present you with the last of that series, How to Make Gravy From Drippings.

And I’m not going to say this is my favorite of the bunch, I love them all, but really this is kind of my favorite because it’s a perfect back-pocket recipe.

To me, a perfect back-pocket recipe is one of those recipes that gives you just a little more confidence in the kitchen because you always know you can whip it up in any situation, in any half-stocked kitchen, any time.

This gravy fits all of those bills. It’s quick, requires just four ingredients, and all you need to make it is a pot or skillet, a whisk, and (optionally) a fine-mesh strainer.

Did I mention it’s also really excellent gravy? Making gravy from a roux made with pan drippings means that not only are you getting a creamy, dreamy gravy, but it’s a gravy infused with all the flavor of whatever those drippings came from.

It’s so good, it’s dead easy to make, and I can’t wait for you to try it.

What You Need to Make Gravy From Pan Drippings

Pan drippings from roasted meat and the browned bits:If the drippings are in something that can go on the stove top, pour off everything but two tablespoons of fat and keep all the browned, stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan in there.

If the drippings are on a baking sheet or something that can’t go on the stove top, measure out the correct amount of drippings, pour off the rest, and then use a spatula to scrape the solid bits out of the pan and add them in with the drippings.

The browned bits are optional, but they’ll add a lot of flavor, so why waste them?

Flour: To make your roux and thicken your gravy.

Water, broth, or milk: Any of the three will work here. I actually like gravy made with water best, but experiment and see what works for you. Broth will give you a really flavor-packed gravy and gravy made with milk will be richer (but a little sweet for my taste).

Butter: Adding a bit of butter after the gravy has thickened will make it silky-smooth and rich.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice: Lemon juice is totally optional, but if you taste the gravy and it tastes a little flat to you, just a tiny squeeze of lemon will brighten up the flavor without making it taste lemony.

A fine-mesh strainer: Finally, straining your gravy through a fine-mesh strainer will make sure your gravy is perfectly smooth and creamy with no lumps or solid bits.

How to Make Gravy From Drippings

Start by pouring off all but two tablespoons of fat from your pan (I like to reserve the rest of the drippings just in case something goes wrong or for later use), leaving any solid, stuck-on bits in the pan.

Heat over medium-high heat until any remaining solids are golden brown. Watch out, the fat will splatter during this step. Just turn the heat down if it’s splattering too much.

Whisk in flour and cook until lightly golden, about 30 seconds to a minute.

Very slowly at first, pour in water, broth, or milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Once the flour seems incorporated, you can speed up your pour.

Cook, whisking continuously for 5 to 8 minutes (possibly longer if making a larger batch), until gravy is thickened and bubbly.

Turn stove off and whisk in butter and salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add a small squeeze of lemon to taste.

Serve over Roast Chicken, Cooked Chicken Breasts, Mashed Potatoes, biscuits or anything else that sounds good topped with gravy.

Gravy From Pan Drippings Recipe Notes

If your roux (fat and flour mixture) comes out lumpy and does not look like the roux in the photo, don’t worry. You probably had a lot of cooking liquid in with the fat and it evaporated during the browning step. Just make sure to whisk in the water/broth/milk slowly to get rid of the lumps and your gravy will be just fine.

For more How-to Tutorials, you might also enjoy:

How to Cook Chicken Breast for Salads and Sandwiches
How to Cook Shredded Chicken
How to Cook Chicken for Recipes

How to Make Gravy From Drippings

How to Make Gravy From Drippings: your guide to making the best, easy homemade gravy from pan drippings.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings (Hover or Click to Change Yield): 6 servings

Calories: 115kcal

Author: Tracy

Ingredients

Special Equipment

▢ Fine-mesh Strainer

Gravy From Drippings

▢ 2 tablespoons fat from pan drippings
▢ 2 tablespoons (15g) all-purpose flour
▢ 2 cups water or chicken broth or milk
▢ 4 tablespoons (2oz) salted butter
▢ Salt and pepper to taste
▢ Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste optional

Instructions

If Cooking in Original Roasting Pan/Skillet

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from skillet, retaining any browned solid bits in the pan.

If Transferring Drippings to Skillet

In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of fat from pan drippings. Scrape solid, browned bits from the original cooking pan and add them to the skillet (skip this step if you don't have a fine-mesh strainer).

Gravy From Drippings

Heat fat over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until any solid bits in the drippings are well-browned. Add flour and whisk until lightly golden, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slowly pour in the water/broth/milk, whisking out any lumps as they form.
Whisk continuously until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Add butter and, if desired, lemon juice to taste—just enough to brighten up the flavor a little. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer if desired. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups of gravy.

Approximate nutritional information is for 1/4 cup of gravy made with water.

Did you make this recipe?I'd love to see it! Tag @BakingMischief or hashtag it #BakingMischief.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using them. There is absolutely no additional cost to you.

FAQs

How do you thicken pan drippings for gravy? ›

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 the formula for gravy? ›

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.)

Get More Info ›

Is it better to make gravy with flour or cornstarch? ›

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.

Discover More ›

What is the best thickener for beef gravy? ›

Add cornstarch: To thicken your gravy with cornstarch, make a slurry, which is a liquid-based paste. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one cup of cold water, whisking the mixture together until the cornstarch granules dissolve. Stir this mixture into your gravy on low heat.

Read On ›

What do chefs use to thicken gravy? ›

Another way to thicken gravy with flour is by making a roux. A roux is a mixture of fat and flour, and it's an easy way to thicken a sauce. If you make a roux, it should also be added incrementally. A final option is making a beurre manié, which is made by rubbing flour into butter to create a dough or paste.

Keep Reading ›

How much flour does it take to thicken 1 cup gravy? ›

However, when using flour as a gravy thickener, you must double the amount—use 2 tablespoons of flour per 1 cup of liquid. Use a whisk or wooden spoon to incorporate, stirring constantly until you thicken the gravy to the desired consistency.

Why does my homemade gravy taste like flour? ›

Your gravy might taste doughy or chalky if you didn't cook the flour enough when making your roux. You'll want to cook the flour for at least five minutes, until it smells nutty and begins to turn light brown. But if you don't notice until it's too late and you've already added your broth, bring the gravy to a simmer.

Discover More Details ›

What to add to gravy to make it taste better? ›

Add an umami-rich condiment.

Just as you might add condiments like soy sauce, miso paste, Worcestershire sauce, or even a splash of sherry or cider vinegar to your favorite gravy recipe, incorporate them into store-bought gravy for a more complex flavor.

Tell Me More ›

Why should you never add flour or cornstarch directly to a liquid? ›

Cornstarch is a common thickening agent in the culinary arts, but if you add it directly to the liquid you want to thicken, it will clump up. To thicken a sauce or soup with cornstarch, you first need to make a slurry, which is a mixture of equal parts cornstarch and liquid (usually water, stock or wine).

Get More Info Here ›

Do you remove fat from drippings to make gravy? ›

When making gravy or other sauces, the drippings or other ingredients often contain a lot of fat. While this adds a lot of flavor as it cooks, it's too much for the final product—and it's certainly not healthy. So the best way to make flavorful gravies and sauces that are lean is to remove the fat before serving.

Keep Reading ›

What is the best way to thicken a pan sauce? ›

Whisk in Cold Butter

Whisking in butter will fully emulsify it, so the butter will thicken your sauce, and also round out the flavors and give the sauce a terrific mouthfeel from the fat. How much butter to add is up to you; start with two pats of butter, then taste the sauce and decide if you want more.

Keep Reading ›

How do you thicken drippings without cornstarch? ›

Flour Slurry

Combine equal parts of flour and cold water in a cup. Mix it until it's smooth and stir it into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer for 5 minutes. A general rule is use 2 tsp (3 grams) of flour to thicken 1 L (34 fl oz) of liquid.

Keep Reading ›

How do you thicken a sauce that's too watery? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

Learn More Now ›