American · Quick Meals

Brown Gravy

A rich, glossy brown gravy made from a butter and flour roux browned to a nutty colour and beef stock, with no pan drippings needed. Ready in 20 minutes.

Not yet ratedThis recipe has no ratings yet 20 min total Serves 6 servings Easy
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Storing and Planning Ahead

Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. It thickens as it cools, so reheat it gently with a splash of stock or water. Freezes for 3 months.

Making Brown Gravy

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  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes, until the roux turns a deep nutty brown.

  2. Take the pan off the heat and pour in about a quarter of the stock, whisking hard until smooth. Add the rest a little at a time, whisking after each addition.

  3. Return the pan to the heat and add the Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, onion granules, garlic granules and pepper. Bring to the boil.

  4. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon. Taste and add salt if it needs it, and pour through a sieve if you want it perfectly smooth.

Tips for Success

  • Use hot stock and add it slowly. Cold stock poured onto hot roux makes lumps, and hot stock stirs in smoothly.
  • Cook the roux to the colour of milk chocolate for the deepest flavour, but watch it and stir constantly, because it burns in seconds.
  • Season at the end. The soy sauce and stock are salty, and the gravy reduces as it simmers.

Behind the Recipe

Brown gravy is the sauce that goes with a mound of mashed potatoes, a meatloaf, a plate of biscuits, a hot roast beef sandwich or a bowl of chips and cheese curds. It is usually made from the drippings of a roast, but there are plenty of times when there are no drippings, and the version here makes a deep, savoury gravy without them. It starts with a roux, which is butter and flour cooked together, and the roux is cooked for longer than it would be for a white sauce, until it turns a nutty brown and smells like toasted biscuits. That colour is the flavour. The more it is cooked, the darker and more roasted the gravy tastes, though it also thickens a little less, so a slightly darker roux needs a slightly longer simmer. Beef stock is whisked in slowly, so that no lumps form, and then Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce add the depth and saltiness that would come from the meat. An onion and garlic seasoning gives it savoury depth without needing to chop and fry an onion. It is the sort of recipe that is worth learning once, because it takes a plain plate of vegetables or potatoes and makes it into a meal, and it takes only twenty minutes.

Good Alongside

Mashed potatoes · Roast beef · Meatloaf

Quick Answers

How long does Brown Gravy take to make?

About 20 minutes in total — 5 minutes of preparation and 15 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 6.

What are the key tips for making Brown Gravy?

Use hot stock and add it slowly. Cold stock poured onto hot roux makes lumps, and hot stock stirs in smoothly. Cook the roux to the colour of milk chocolate for the deepest flavour, but watch it and stir constantly, because it burns in seconds. Season at the end. The soy sauce and stock are salty, and the gravy reduces as it simmers.

What should I serve with Brown Gravy?

Mashed potatoes; Roast beef; Meatloaf.

Can Brown Gravy be made ahead or frozen?

Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. It thickens as it cools, so reheat it gently with a splash of stock or water. Freezes for 3 months.

Is Brown Gravy suitable for a special diet?

This recipe is low-carb, keto and no added sugar. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.

How many calories are in Brown Gravy?

About 86 kcal per serving, with 2 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate and 6 g fat. The figures are calculated from the ingredient list and are an estimate.

What's in a Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.

86Calories
2gProtein
6gCarbs
6gFat
0gFibre
0gSugar
410mgSodium

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Written and tested by Turab

One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.