How to Make Gravy

1. Stage

Remove all but 1/4 cup of fat from pan: Remove the roast from the pan. Remove excess fat leaving 4 tablespoons of fat, plus juices and browned drippings in the pan.

2. Stage

Scrape up the drippings and place the pan on the stovetop on medium heat: Use a metal spatula to scrape up any drippings that are sticking to the pan. Place the pan on the stovetop on medium high heat. If you are using a roasting pan that won't work well on the stovetop, scrape up all of the drippings and fat and put into a large shallow sauté pan.

3. Stage

Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of flour onto the drippings: Quickly whisk so that the flour gets incorporated. Let the flour brown a bit if you want, before adding liquid in the next step. (You can also start with a slurry of flour and water—equal amounts flour and cold water whisked together.)

4. Stage

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. Allow the gravy to simmer and thicken, continuing to slowly add liquid until you have about 2 cups of gravy. (You'll probably need to add 3 to 4 cups of liquid.)

5. Stage

Taste and season: Taste first and then add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

6. Stage

Remove all but 1/4 cup of fat from the pan: Remove the roast from the pan. Remove excess fat leaving 4 tablespoons of fat, plus juices and browned drippings in the pan.

7. Stage

Scrape up the drippings and place the pan over medium heat: Use a metal spatula to scrape up any drippings that are sticking to the pan. Place the pan on the stovetop on medium high heat. If you are using a roasting pan that won't work well on the stovetop, scrape up all of the drippings and fat and put into a large shallow sauté pan.

8. Stage

Make the cornstarch slurry: Dissolve 4 tablespoons of cornstarch in the minimum amount of water needed to make a thin paste—about 1/2 cup.

9. Stage

Pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan and whisk while slowly adding liquid: Whisk until the gravy begins to thicken. As the gravy thickens, slowly add stock, water, milk, or cream, or some combination to the pan (I like to use stock, my mother usually uses water). Alternate stirring and adding liquid, maintaining the consistency you want, for several minutes (about 5 minutes). You will probably add about 3 to 4 cups of liquid all together. Taking into consideration the evaporation that is occurring while the gravy is simmering, you will end up with about 2 cups of gravy. If the gravy isn't thick enough, make more cornstarch slurry and whisk it into the pan.

10. Stage

Taste and season: Taste first and then add salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Did you enjoy this recipe? Which is your favorite way to make a thick gravy? Let us know in the comments below!