This easy homemade beef gravy recipe is so much better than a powdered mix or jar! The perfect gravy to accompany virtually any beef dish or potatoes.
Gravy is a sauce, often made from meat juices that remain in the pan after cooking, and usually thickened with flour or cornstarch. When I think of gravy, I think of holiday meals when my mom would take dripping from the pan, mix them up with flour, and create a gravy for our turkey or beef roast.
But sometimes you want gravy for a sandwich, meatloaf, or mashed potatoes, and you don't have any drippings. Sure, you can grab a packet of powder mix or a jar of gravy at the store, but if you're like me, you try to avoid the preservatives that come with prepared foods or mixes as much as possible. I use a beef broth with no additives, add a few spices, and in 10 minutes I have a simple and delicious homemade gravy!
Ingredients For Homemade Beef Gravy Without Drippings
- Beef broth
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Dried Thyme
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- Cornstarch
- Butter
- Cream
Helpful Hints For Making Gravy
- Taste the gravy before serving and adjust the salt and pepper if needed, taking into account the food it will be served with.
- Use very cold water when mixing up the cornstarch, and mix it thoroughly, until no white powder is left. If there is any unmixed powder remaining when it is poured into the gravy, it will turn into tiny white lumps.
- Increase cornstarch by up to one tablespoon if you want an even thicker gravy. Always fully dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of cold water before adding.
Beef Gravy Variations
To make a lighter brown gravy, use 4 ounces of chicken broth and 12 ounces of beef broth. This variation has a lighter brown color and a savory taste that is less beefy.
To make gravy with meat drippings, replace up to 4 ounces of beef broth with the beef drippings from the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beef Gravy Without Drippings
Yes! I like cornstarch because it is flavorless and gluten-free, but if you prefer to use flour, you need to use 4 tablespoons of flour dissolved in 5 tablespoons of cold water. Mix it fully, then add the slurry to the broth mixture. If you use flour as the thickener, add an additional 5-10 minutes to the cooking time after it is added to the saucepan to allow the flavors to blend, otherwise you will be able to taste the flour in the gravy.
You can gradually add more broth to the gravy and stir until it reaches desired consistency.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Bring to a full boil when reheating. Throw away gravy that has been out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
Store in the freezer in a freezer bag or air-tight container for up to 2 months.
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Beef Gravy Recipe Without Drippings
Ingredients
- 14.5 oz. can low sodium beef broth
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon thyme
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon cream
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, stir together beef broth, onion powder, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then turn down heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- While broth mixture is simmering, mix together cornstarch and cold water until cornstarch has completely dissolved.
- Add cornstarch mixture to broth mixture, and stir until well combined. Bring to a boil then reduce and simmer for another 5 minutes, until broth has thickened.
- Stir in butter and cream. Serve immediately.