Are you on the hunt for a white gravy recipe? White gravy is a creamy gravy that is made with flour and milk. It has a couple of other ingredients that we will cover below.
White gravy is often served on top of chicken fried steak or here in the south, we love to eat biscuits and gravy. I grew up with white gravy served with just about every meal. It was a staple dish.
However, since I didn’t grow up learning how to cook, I had to learn to make white gravy as an adult. So if you don’t know how to make white gravy, don’t fret. For years, I didn’t know how to do it either.
Ingredients in white gravy?
White gravy from scratch is a very basic gravy to create. It only requires 4 ingredients.
- Butter – I prefer to use butter because it provides such a rich flavor. However, you can use lard or even bacon grease.
- Flour – This recipe uses regular ol’ all-purpose flour. I don’t recommend any alternates in this recipe.
- Milk – I use whole milk when making homemade white gravy. You can use heavy cream if you would like a richer taste. My experience though is that this gravy recipe is rich enough with good ol’ fashioned whole milk.
- Salt and pepper – Salt and pepper are crucial to the flavor of gravy from scratch. Without these two ingredients, it will just be weird.
How to make white gravy
Step 1: Gather all of your ingredients. Since you need to be whisking the gravy constantly, it is important everything is close by.
Ingredients:
- Milk
- All-purpose flour
- Butter
- Salt and pepper
Supplies:
Step 2: Heat up your skillet on medium heat. Add your butter to a hot pan. Allow your butter to melt. Rotate the pan around a bit so that the butter coats the entire bottom of the pan. You can also use your whisk to move the butter around.
Step 3: Once the butter is melted, add in the flour.
Also, add in a dash of salt and pepper. Now whisk the mixture until a smooth paste forms.
This will take a while so be patient. Just keep whisking until there are very few clumps left
Step 4: Slowly start adding in the milk and whisking non-stop. Reduce the temperature to low and allow the gravy to simmer.
Continue whisking until you have a smooth consistency. This will likely take 3 or so minutes.
Can you use bacon grease to make white gravy?
Yes, you can absolutely use bacon grease to make white gravy. If I am starting with a fresh pan, I use butter to make homemade white gravy. However, you can use sausage grease, bacon, lard, or any kind of oil or fat that you would prefer. My advice is to experiment with the different flavors and see which one you prefer.
What if my white gravy is too thick?
If you are making white gravy at home and suddenly your gravy is too thick you can fix that pretty easily. Start slowly adding milk to the plan of gravy and whisking it in. Just add a few tablespoons at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
What if my white gravy is too thin?
If your white gravy is too thin, you can thicken it up pretty easily. One of the advantages of making white gravy at home is that you can easily control the consistency. To thicken your gravy slowly add in one tablespoon of flour at a time. Whisk it constantly and simmer the gravy to see if it starts to thicken up as desired. Also, keep in mind that the gravy will thicken up some as it starts to cool on the plate.
How long will white gravy last?
You can store white gravy in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. So this means that you can make the gravy in advance and then have it for breakfast for a few days. Considering that white gravy thickens when it is cold, I advise that you make it thinner than you normally would if you are preparing in advance for storage.
Can I freeze white gravy?
You can freeze white gravy. The key to freezing white gravy is to store it in an airtight container. I recommend storing the frozen gravy in a freezer bag that you can seal and squeeze all of the excess air out of. The white gravy will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months.
How to reheat white gravy?
The best method for reheating white gravy is in the skillet. Place the white gravy in the pan and turn the heat to low. Slowly reheat the gravy and stir often. The second best method for reheating white gravy is in the microwave. Place the leftover white gravy in a microwave-safe bowl and heat up on high for 30 seconds. Remove the bowl and stir. Repeat the process in 30-second increments until it is reheated.
What to serve with white gravy?
There are so many delicious ways to eat white gravy. My favorite way to eat white gravy is served over biscuits. However, there are several other ways to use white gravy.
- Mashed potatoes
- Over toast
- On top of fried eggs
- On top of chicken fried chicken
- On top of chicken fried steak
- Dip fried okra in it
- Dip chicken strips in it
- On top of pot roast
White gravy recipe
This is how to make white gravy at home. It only takes butter, flour, and milk. I love to make gravy in a cast iron skillet.
Ingredients
- 3 T butter
- 2 T flour
- 1 1/2 c milk
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- add the butter to a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.
- Add in the flour, pepper, salt. Whisk until everything is fully combined and smooth.
- Slowly add in the milk, whisking the entire time
- Bring to a boil. Stir.
- Reduce the temp to a simmer.
- Stir constantly until the gravy thickens and reaches your desired consistency. Note: Add more milk if the gravy gets too thick.