A classic beef gravy recipe that will bring tasty, rich flavor to any dinner. Learn how to make gravy with beef drippings and it'll soon become a staple for your favorite potatoes, pot roast, and other family meals.
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No family meal is complete without a holder full of meat gravy on the table. Making beef gravy from drippings is an easy way to bring a comforting flavor to any dish it touches. And this beef gravy does that in just five minutes.
Made with both beef stock and drippings, a touch of cream and a dash of balsamic vinegar, all to give it a bold, rich taste that no one can refuse.
Best of all? You can use the same basic recipe and adapt it to make turkey gravy for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy to make: this beef gravy recipe uses minimal ingredients but maximizes flavor
- Quick and all done in 5 minutes from start to finish
- Bold comforting flavors that you know and love
- Well balanced with the classic rich and savory taste being balanced by balsamic vinegar
- Pairs well with most proteins (pork, chicken, and turkey) - just adjust the drippings & stock you use
- Made without flour, which means it's naturally gluten-free
What you need to make it
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Beef drippings: this can be replaced by turkey, chicken, or pork drippings, depending on the protein you're having. Don't forget to use the corresponding stock as well.
- If you don't have enough drippings, replace them with double the amount of beef stock and reduce it to half. Or, make my gravy without drippings instead.
- If you have homemade beef broth this is even better than using a stock cube. Use the same amount as the water added with the stock cube, and skip the water and stock cube entirely.
- Heavy cream gives the gravy a super rich feel, but it can also be substituted for half and half or even milk
- Balsamic vinegar helps to balance the flavors, but if you don't have it on hand, you can skip it. You can use regular or white balsamic vinegar.
- Corn starch is used to thicken the gravy which makes it gluten free. You can swap this for instant roux mix (make sure it's gluten free if that's important). Follow the instructions for use on the package, you probably don't need to add water.
How to make it
- Pour the pan drippings into a saucepan and heat to a boil over medium-high heat
- Crumble up the beef bouillon cube and add it to the pan
- Pour in the water and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking until the stock cube is dissolved
- Pour in the cream
- Lower the heat to medium-low as you bring the gravy to a simmer
- Mix in the cornstarch slurry and continue to stir regularly until thickened
- Turn off the heat and mix in the balsamic vinegar
- Taste test and season with salt and pepper if needed
Tips & tricks
- Don't add salt until the gravy is done and you have taste tested. Stock cubes an drippings can be very salty, so you want to add just as much salt as needed (if any).
- Don't let the gravy boil over after adding in the cream. Keep a close eye on it.
- Whisk frequently so the ingredients mix well together and nothing clumps
- Balsamic vinegar is a game changer - definitely try adding it if you have it
- Make it dairy-free: use a dairy free cream alternative. Also, make sure the drippings do not contain any butter or other dairy products.
- Make it the day before and heat it in a small pot on the stove over low heat
- Serve this easy homemade brown gravy any way you enjoy gravy: over beef roast, sandwiches, or as part of a Holiday dinner complete with steak and mashed potatoes
Storing, Freezing & Reheating
Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Let the gravy cool completely before storing it in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first.
Reheating: Pour the beef gravy into a small pot and heat it on the stove over low. You may need to add a bit of water to thin it out initially. Mix well to ensure a nice even texture before serving.
You can also reheat it in the microwave, but you'll need to do it in 30-60-second intervals and stir in between.
Recipe FAQ
Yes. Replace the beef drippings with double the amount of stock and then reduce it to half. This will yield the same delicious texture as the drippings but will alter the flavor a bit.
The best gravy starts with delicious drippings. Season the protein well to ensure this.
When making the gravy, stir frequently so that all the ingredients combine well and don't clump. Also, make sure not to cook the gravy at too high heat so that it boils over or burns.
And don't forget the finishing touches of balsamic vinegar, and taste testing to ensure you have the seasoning just right!
It's easy to vary your beef gravy based on personal preference as well as when you're serving it. Adding in a dash of Worcestershire sauce, onion powder or garlic powder brings out a lot of flavor.
I suggest matching the herbs and spices used to season the protein. If you used thyme or rosemary to season the protein, add some fresh (or dried) thyme or rosemary to the gravy as well.
More quick & easy sauces to try
Looking for more quick & easy sauces to try?
- Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- 2-minute Gluten Free BBQ Sauce
- Dijonnaise
- Garlic Parmesan Sauce
- Garlic Dipping Sauce
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Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup beef drippings can be swapped for turkey/chicken/pork drippings
- 1 beef stock cube or 1 cup beef stock and skip the water
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup heavy cream or milk or half and half
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar optional but recommended
Corn Starch Slurry
- 5 teaspoon corn starch
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together corn starch and water for the corn starch slurry. Set it aside for now, close at hand.5 teaspoon corn starch, ¼ cup cold water
- Pour beef drippings in a sauce pan and heat to a boil over medium-high heat.½ cup beef drippings
- Crumble up the stock cube and add to the sauce pan, then pour in water. Bring to a boil while whisking to ensure the stock cube is well dissolved.1 beef stock cube, 1 cup water
- Lower the heat to medium-low and pour in cream. Bring to a simmer.1 cup heavy cream
- Mix in the corn starch slurry and simmer 2 minutes, stirring often, until thickened.
- Turn off the heat and mix in balsamic vinegar, then taste test and season with salt and pepper only if needed.1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Equipment (may contain affiliate links)
- Skillet or sauce pan
- Measuring cups (metric or US)*
Notes
- If you don't have enough drippings, replace them with double the amount of beef stock and reduce it to half. Or, make gravy without drippings instead.
- Corn starch can be swapped for instant roux mix. Follow the instructions for use on the package, you probably don't need to add water.
- Don't add salt until the gravy is done and you have taste tested
- Make it dairy-free:Â use a dairy free cream alternative. Also, make sure the drippings do not contain any butter or other dairy products.
- Make it the day before and heat it in a small pot on the stove over low heat
- Storing: Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days
- Freezing: Let the gravy cool completely before storing it in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge overnight first.
- Reheating:Â Pour the beef gravy into a small pot and heat it on the stove over low. You may need to add a bit of water to thin it out initially. Mix well to ensure a nice even texture before serving. You can also reheat in the microwave in 30-60-second increments, stirring in between.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.
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