White Gravy Recipe (2024)

Published Dec. 6, 2023

White Gravy Recipe (1)

Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(19)
Notes
Read community notes

Smooth and creamy white gravy, one of the American South’s most beloved and versatile sauces, is really just a variation of béchamel, which was brought to Louisiana by French explorers in the 17th century. Excellent draped over chicken fried steak, biscuits or mashed potatoes, it comes together in no time. Start by making a white roux; this version uses butter, but you can also use bacon fat. To ensure the gravy doesn’t seize or clump, bring the milk to room temperature or heat it slightly, or slowly whisk in cold milk ½ cup at a time. Be mindful that the gravy will continue thickening off the heat, so remove it just before it reaches the desired consistency.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 cups

  • ¼cup unsalted butter
  • ¼cup all-purpose flour
  • 2cups whole or 2-percent milk, plus more as needed
  • Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

192 calories; 14 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 4 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 0 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 336 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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White Gravy Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a medium saucepan or frying pan, melt the butter over medium. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of the flour until smooth; repeat with the remaining flour. Continuously whisk the roux until the flour releases a nutty aroma, 1 to 2 minutes.

  2. Step

    2

    Slowly pour in the milk, ½ cup at a time, whisking continuously so there are no lumps. It will thicken quickly at first, but will loosen as you add more milk. Season with salt and pepper. Continuously whisk or stir with a wooden spoon, scraping down the sides of the pan, until the gravy is smooth and almost reaches desired consistency, 4 to 6 minutes. It should pour off the spoon without clumping. (The gravy will continue thickening off the heat; add more milk, if needed.)

  3. Step

    3

    Remove from the heat, adjust seasoning and serve. White gravy will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in a pan, using milk to thin out the gravy, if necessary.

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4

out of 5

19

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White Gravy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is white gravy made of? ›

The basic recipe for white gravy consists of butter, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. Some people use bacon or sausage fat in place of butter, and others further season the gravy beyond salt and pepper.

What is southern gravy made of? ›

What is Southern gravy made of? Southern gravy is a white country gravy made with pan drippings (usually bacon, sausage, or poultry) or butter, flour, whole milk, salt, and pepper.

What is Cracker Barrel white gravy made of? ›

It consists of milk or cream, meat grease, flour, salt, and plenty of pepper. It can be either a white or light brown gravy, depending on the fat (butter or meat drippings).

Why is white gravy called sawmill gravy? ›

The term "sawmill gravy" comes from early logging camp food and old-time sawmills. It was originally made with cornmeal, bacon drippings, milk, and seasonings. This resulted in a somewhat gritty gravy; in fact, rumor has it that the loggers would accuse the cooks of putting sawdust in the recipe!

Why does my white gravy taste 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. Homemade stock, even made with chicken stock rather than turkey, will produce a superior gravy—so it's worth the effort.

What is the KFC gravy made from? ›

What is the gravy at KFC made of? The restaurant uses a simple combination of gravy powder, water, and – their secret ingredient – chicken crackling. This is a collection of the browned bits and pieces leftover from frying their world famous chicken.

How to thicken white 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 traditional gravy made of? ›

What is gravy anyway? 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.

What do Americans call white gravy? ›

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.

What is creamy gravy made of? ›

It's a simple concoction, made with pan drippings, flour, milk and cracked black pepper. But while it may appear plain, it's infinitely delicious. Sometimes it goes by the name country gravy or white gravy, but in Texas we always call it cream gravy.

What is broken gravy? ›

Broken Gravy

If your gravy looks curdled or has an oily top layer, it's likely the emulsion of flour and fat that thickens the mixture has split or broken. Fix it by adding a splash of warm water or two and whisking vigorously to restore the balance of liquid and fat.

What do British people call gravy? ›

Onion Gravy or Traditional British Gravy is what British people call gravy. Americans call it Brown Gravy, White Gravy (sawmill gravy or Breakfast Gravy), which is topped on biscuits. Brits don't put gravy on biscuits.

What is another name for white gravy? ›

Cream gravy, or white gravy (sawmill gravy) is a bechamel sauce made using fats from meat—such as sausage or bacon—or meat drippings from roasting or frying meats.

What's the difference between gravy and white 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.”

What is gravy mostly made of? ›

What is gravy anyway? 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.

Does white gravy have beef? ›

White gravy is a staple sauce down South. It's made from the pan drippings left from roasting or pan frying some sort of meat, whether it be steak or poultry or pork. Flour is added to form a roux, and then this is thinned with milk, a touch of onion (usually), and salt and pepper. And that's it!

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