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TO FILE » how to » Cooking 101 Basics Week #3 – Gravy, Gravy, Gravy

By Wendy O'Neal 85 Comments

Cooking 101 Basics Week #3 – Gravy, Gravy, Gravy

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.

Gravy, Gravy, Gravy…oh how I love thee. It is delicious and makes almost everything taste better. I’m going to share a secret with you…my pet peeve is people who don’t make gravy from scratch. It is so, super duper easy and tastes 1000 times better than jarred  canned, store bought, or dry packaged gravy. I promise…I’ve got a great gluten and dairy version of traditional white/cream gravy for you. It was one of the first things I mastered when I was diagnosed with my allergies. The techniques are the same for most of the recipes….and I’ve even included a video in case you need more help!

cooking 101_final

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If you’d like to join the cooking classes challenge, sign up by joining the Cooking 101: The Basics group on Facebook. Over there you can ask questions, post tips and recipe photos, and help each other along the way.

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If you are following along, the please grab a class button. Put it on your sidebar and/or in your recipe posts you link up (just link it to my home page). I’d love for you to share the classes with your family, friends, on Facebook, and on Twitter!

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How the Classes and Challenge Work:

Cooking 101: The Basics is a 16 week class on Wednesdays. I will post a new recipe with tips on getting great results along with pictures. It’s like your own personal online cooking school! Take as long as you need, but once you make the recipe (or a similar version) come back and add your link to the post to share with everyone. No blog…no worries…add your pictures to the Facebook group, we’d all love to see them!

Got questions? Email, leave a comment, but the best place will be the facebook group!

Grab your aprons and let’s get cooking!

The Cooking 101 ebook is HERE! 21 Easy Scratch Recipes

WEEK #3 – GRAVY, GRAVY, GRAVY

I learned how to make gravy in junior high or high school. It only took a couple tries and I had it mastered. When I got married, it was one of the first things I taught hubbyman how to make. It was important to marital happiness. My favorite breakfast is biscuits with cream gravy and bacon. Yeah, yeah…not so healthy, but we only have it once every month or so.

I realize you can make gravy in just about any type of pan, but I’ve had the best results with a good non-stick pan. (Keep reading…there is a giveaway). The other key is to monitor the heat of the stove. I think I change temperatures for my pan three times when I make gravy…don’t worry, it’s not going to be overwhelming. Promise!

How to Make the Perfect Pan of Gravy: 4 recipes (vegan & gluten free options) plus a Video!

 

Red Eye Gravy

Ham and coffee are the basis for red eye gravy, a Southern favorite. This is not for the faint of heart, but it sure is tasty! The name “red-eye gravy” comes from the fact that a circle or oval of liquid fat with a slightly reddish cast will form on the surface of the gravy when it is reduced.

Cream Gravy

White Gravy, Sawmill, and Country Gravy…they are all the same. And totally hits home with my Southern roots. It’s so easy and I promise you can make it (check out my video below for some awesome tips). It’s perfect over mashed potatoes, chicken fried steak, and of course biscuits. Once you learn this gravy, you can easily make alfredo sauce or a yummy mac & cheese. Yep, this gravy is pretty much the base for each of those.

Sausage Gravy

This is just a fancy version of cream gravy. It’s a cream gravy with bits of breakfast sausage cooked in. Seriously, my mouth is just drooling thinking about it. Sausage gravy is usually served over biscuits.

Brown Gravy

This gravy is the traditional gravy for pot roast, meatloaf, chicken, and turkey. Add some giblets from a turkey or chicken when it’s served and you have the best gravy for Thanksgiving!

 

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Gravy

Oh yes I did! This is the first thing I mastered when I got my allergy diagnosis. It’s super easy and tastes amazing!

Continue to Content
homemade gravy in white gravy boat

Homemade Gravy (Cooking 101 Basics - Week #3)

Yield: 2 cups of each gravy

4 recipes for the perfect pan of gravy (including gluten free and vegan options)!

Ingredients

Red Eye Gravy

  • Country ham
  • 4 tbsp hot black coffee

Cream Gravy

  • 4 tbsp butter (or bacon drippings)
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • salt and pepper
  • 3/4 cup cooked pork sausage (if making sausage gravy)

Brown Gravy

  • 2 cups beef or chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 3/4 cup cooked chopped giblets (for giblet gravy)

Dairy Free / Gluten Free Gravy

  • 4 tbsp dairy free butter (or bacon drippings if you're not vegan)
  • 4 tbsp sweet rice flour (other flours will be too gritty)
  • 2 cups rice milk or soy milk
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

Red Eye Gravy

  1. Take a slice of uncooked ham with a lot of the fat left on. Fry the ham, in a large skillet, in its own fat until nicely browned on both sides. When it is cooked, transfer the ham to a platter. Add boiling black coffee to the skillet, scraping to dissolve the particles that cling to the bottom and sides.
  2. Pour over the ham and serve.
  3. Note: This gravy can be made from the drippings of pan-fried country ham, bacon, or other pork.

Cream Gravy

  1. In a large skillet, melt butter and flour together over medium high heat. Cook flour mixture for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
  2. Lower heat to low and slowly pour in milk while constantly stirring. Keep stirring and work out any lumps that may have formed. Once lumps are gone, turn heat up to medium high and bring to a slow boil. Gravy will begin to thicken (add sausage if making sausage gravy) and keep stirring for 30 seconds-1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Gravy will continue to thicken as it cools.

Brown Gravy

  1. Add stock to large skillet over medium high heat. Bring to a boil. While stock is coming up to a boil, combine corn starch and water in a small bowl. Mix well to combine and work out any lumps.
  2. Gently pour corn starch mixture into boiling stock. Stir constantly until gravy starts to thicken. (Add giblets for giblet gravy.) Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Gravy will continue to thicken as it cools.

Gluten Free and Dairy Free Gravy

  1. In a large skillet, melt "butter" and rice flour together over medium high heat. Cook flour mixture for 1-2 minutes, stirring often.
  2. Lower heat to low and slowly pour in milk while constantly stirring. Keep stirring and work out any lumps that may have formed. Once lumps are gone, turn heat up to medium high and bring to a slow boil. Gravy will begin to thicken (add sausage or soy-based sausage to keep it vegan) if making sausage gravy) and keep stirring for 30 seconds-1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Gravy will continue to thicken as it cools.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 42Sodium: 4mgCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

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© Wendy O'Neal

Leave a comment here or jump on the Facebook group page so we can chat about it.

{Last week: Tools of the Trade       Next Week: Brownies}

MY SPONSOR

Please welcome the sponsor this week…Teflon! Teflon brand provides superior nonstick performance  on your pots and pans. Pans with Teflon nonstick coating lasts about 7x longer than pans that have ceramic or silicon coatings. Plus they are dishwasher safe. That’s a bonus for me….I won’t buy it if it can’t go in the dishwasher! You so need one of these pans for all the gravy making you’ll be doing!

Teflon

Disclaimer: Teflon provided me with a set of pans and is providing the winner with a set of pans. All opinions are my own.

 

The Cooking 101 ebook is HERE! 21 Easy Scratch Recipes

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Filed Under: Cooking 101: The Basics, how to, sauces

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Comments

  1. Bryan E. says

    June 12, 2013 at 8:22 pm

    Thanks for the giveaway…Brown Gravy !!!

    Reply
  2. Cara says

    June 12, 2013 at 8:12 pm

    I love sausage gravy but can not wait to try your new gluten free, dairy free version 🙂

    Reply
  3. Marie Muckey says

    June 12, 2013 at 8:05 pm

    I am a vegetarian so I like the Dairy free gravy option thanks for posting it

    Reply
  4. Beverly Metcalf says

    June 12, 2013 at 7:04 pm

    My favorite is brown gravy on my hot hamburger and french fries. Thanks for this contest.

    Reply
  5. Michelle Cain says

    June 12, 2013 at 6:42 pm

    I like milk gravy … over biscuits …. Mmmmm! Thanks!

    Reply
  6. Bud L says

    June 12, 2013 at 6:26 pm

    Chicken like my Granny use to make

    Reply
  7. Vikki Billings says

    June 12, 2013 at 6:09 pm

    I love cream gravy! It is my favorite.

    Reply
  8. Breanne says

    June 12, 2013 at 4:15 pm

    Brown gravy

    Reply
  9. Lisa Garner says

    June 12, 2013 at 2:44 pm

    I love country style gravy.

    Reply
  10. Emily Mahr says

    June 12, 2013 at 10:07 am

    Brown gravy is my favorite

    Reply
  11. Tammy Sigond says

    June 12, 2013 at 8:53 am

    I love white country gravy with the sausage bits the best YUM

    Reply
  12. Kim Smith says

    June 12, 2013 at 5:05 am

    country gravy is the best.

    Reply
  13. Karen Gonyea says

    June 12, 2013 at 3:42 am

    I love a turkey gravy 🙂

    Reply
  14. Melissa Tippie says

    June 12, 2013 at 1:47 am

    I love thick white sausage gravy with fluffy buttermilk biscuits. Soooo tasty ~ YUMO! Thank-you for a great giveaway 🙂

    Reply
  15. Richard Hicks says

    June 11, 2013 at 9:58 pm

    chicken gravy for me!

    Reply
  16. Ellie W says

    June 11, 2013 at 8:59 pm

    I’m a Texas gal…gotta be cream gravy.

    Reply
  17. Jennifer says

    June 11, 2013 at 8:42 pm

    I make a vegetarian cream gravy with veggie sausage! Yummy!

    Reply
  18. Laurie Emerson says

    June 11, 2013 at 8:01 pm

    I like cream of chicken gravy on my potatoes.

    Reply
  19. Christine says

    June 11, 2013 at 7:44 pm

    Country gravy is my favorite!

    Reply
  20. Miz Vickik says

    June 11, 2013 at 7:29 pm

    Beef gravy for me!

    Reply
  21. Karrie Millheim says

    June 11, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    Chicken gravy

    Reply
  22. Michaela says

    June 11, 2013 at 6:37 pm

    country gravy

    Reply
  23. Deb K says

    June 11, 2013 at 6:36 pm

    Brown gravy is my favorite.

    Reply
  24. Tim Stephens says

    June 11, 2013 at 5:57 pm

    I love a very spicy white sausage gravy… with all my breakfast foods but especially my dad’s homemade biscuits

    Reply
  25. Scarlett G says

    June 11, 2013 at 5:27 pm

    I like gravy on my biscuits.

    Reply
  26. Jan Lee says

    June 11, 2013 at 4:48 pm

    I like beef gravy the best 🙂

    Reply
  27. Elena says

    June 11, 2013 at 4:09 pm

    turkey gravy

    Reply
  28. Deb S says

    June 11, 2013 at 12:28 pm

    I like sausage gravy – the best

    Reply
  29. Starr Greenwell says

    June 11, 2013 at 11:32 am

    I love sausage gravy, yum:)

    Reply
  30. Rebecca Peters says

    June 11, 2013 at 10:40 am

    Brown gravy

    Reply
  31. Laura O in AK says

    June 11, 2013 at 9:23 am

    We do a LOT of brown gravy in the house for over mashed potatoes as the boys love it that way.

    Reply
  32. Tabathia B says

    June 11, 2013 at 9:16 am

    I like the plain gravy

    Reply
  33. Jenn McCullar says

    June 11, 2013 at 6:42 am

    sausage gravy with biscuits, my son loves it and says I want a hot breakfast 🙂

    Reply
  34. Nancy Reid says

    June 11, 2013 at 6:30 am

    I love Country gravy especially if it is over Country Fried steak!

    Reply
  35. Janissa says

    June 11, 2013 at 3:16 am

    I like brown gravy the best

    Reply
  36. Valerie Taylor Mabrey says

    June 10, 2013 at 11:50 pm

    cube steak
    vmkids3 at msn dot com

    Reply
  37. Meghan says

    June 10, 2013 at 7:06 pm

    Red gravy, like we call it in the Philly area…just gravy or spaghetti sauce which it’s more commonly known by! LOL Thank you for the chance to win.

    Reply
  38. Susan Smith says

    June 10, 2013 at 6:59 pm

    My favorite gravy is sausaage gravy

    Reply
  39. Stephanie Larison says

    June 10, 2013 at 5:45 pm

    White country style gravy is my fave

    Reply
  40. Kirsten says

    June 10, 2013 at 4:18 pm

    I miss my father’s white gravy. I wish I had learned how to make it before he passed away.

    Reply
  41. Suzanne Lewis says

    June 10, 2013 at 1:59 pm

    I love mushroom gravy. Yum.

    Reply
  42. Katherine says

    June 10, 2013 at 12:07 pm

    Beef gravy on mashed potatoes

    Reply
  43. Theresa D says

    June 10, 2013 at 10:24 am

    I don’t make gravy very often but I love beef gravy with meatloaf.

    Reply
  44. Linda F says

    June 10, 2013 at 9:09 am

    I like Brown Gravy

    Reply
  45. ruksana M says

    June 10, 2013 at 7:49 am

    Chicken Gravy with Wheat bread

    Reply
  46. Nicole Herman says

    June 10, 2013 at 7:15 am

    I love cream gravy on everything! Meat, potato, veggies mmmmm

    Reply
  47. rich morris says

    June 9, 2013 at 6:52 pm

    Sausage Gravy for me

    Reply
  48. Kristi C says

    June 9, 2013 at 1:14 pm

    My favorite is Sausage gravy.

    Reply
  49. Robin says

    June 9, 2013 at 12:49 pm

    I love Sausage gravy the most, especially for breakfast over biscuits.

    Reply
  50. Mary Casper says

    June 9, 2013 at 9:43 am

    I like beef gravy over a hot roast beef sandwhich

    Reply
  51. Laura Jacobson says

    June 8, 2013 at 10:25 pm

    Oh I love turkey gravy the best!

    Reply
  52. dani marie says

    June 8, 2013 at 4:16 am

    i love sausage gravy.

    Reply
  53. Kelly H. says

    June 7, 2013 at 9:50 pm

    I love sausage gravy and biscuits!

    Reply
  54. Renee G says

    June 7, 2013 at 7:52 pm

    I love cream gravy — especially with chicken or pork chops.

    Reply
  55. Lynne T. says

    June 7, 2013 at 6:34 pm

    I love turkey gravy.

    Reply
  56. Paula Michele Hafner says

    June 7, 2013 at 12:57 pm

    I make country style gravy with milk, flour, black pepper, and a little ground sausage.

    Reply
  57. McKim says

    June 7, 2013 at 12:28 pm

    I like beef gravy.

    Reply
  58. Tari Lawson says

    June 7, 2013 at 11:57 am

    I like chicken gravy.

    Reply
  59. Ashley T says

    June 7, 2013 at 10:38 am

    I like country gravy!

    Reply
  60. Monique Rizzo says

    June 7, 2013 at 9:58 am

    Turkey Gravy.
    Thanks for the chance.
    mogrill12@gmail.com

    Reply
  61. Mary Calabrese says

    June 7, 2013 at 8:34 am

    I actually don’t like gravy at all, but my husband loves cream gravy.

    Reply
  62. Patricia says

    June 7, 2013 at 6:12 am

    I just started experimenting with gravies. I cannot believe how easy they are to make. I love a brown gravy.

    Reply
  63. Sharold says

    June 6, 2013 at 6:28 pm

    sausage gravy is the best!!

    Reply
  64. Susan Chester says

    June 6, 2013 at 6:16 pm

    I love country gravy on biscuits or potatoes.

    Reply
  65. Abby @ The Frosted Vegan says

    June 6, 2013 at 6:08 pm

    Vegan gravy?! Oh my heart!

    Reply
  66. karen b says

    June 6, 2013 at 5:43 pm

    My favorite gravy is sausaage gravy, but I would love to try the cream gravy, thanks

    karenb834atyahoo.com

    Reply
  67. Ann Fantom says

    June 6, 2013 at 5:32 pm

    I love turkey gravy the most

    Reply
  68. shannon Baas says

    June 6, 2013 at 1:44 pm

    I love chicken gravy.

    Reply
  69. Nicole Newby says

    June 6, 2013 at 12:14 pm

    I’ve never made my own gravy, but I’d like to give it a try! I would say sausage gravy is my favorite!

    Reply
  70. Jackie says

    June 6, 2013 at 10:21 am

    I love making my own gravy be it sausage, chicken or beef. I just like gravy especially homemade. I have never made red eye but am going to try that soon.

    Reply
  71. Heather Hayes Panjon says

    June 6, 2013 at 9:48 am

    I Love Country Style Gravy!

    Reply
  72. diandra hinson-vega says

    June 6, 2013 at 8:01 am

    i love white pepper gravy nut my husband loves red gravy

    Reply
  73. Tamar says

    June 6, 2013 at 6:20 am

    Normally I like gravies that are sweet.

    Reply
  74. ang says

    June 6, 2013 at 6:14 am

    I guess au jus might not be considered a gravy, but I love it!

    Reply
  75. Wendy Owen says

    June 6, 2013 at 5:21 am

    My dad has red eye gravy every year on thanksgiving while everyone else has focus on the turkey gravy. I have never been able to learn how to do it as many times as I have tried. Gravy is not an easy thing to do.

    Reply
  76. julieann r says

    June 5, 2013 at 9:48 pm

    I love cream gravy the best.

    Reply
  77. latanya says

    June 5, 2013 at 6:04 pm

    country gravy

    Reply
  78. Belinda @zomppa says

    June 5, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    Brilliant! That red eye gravy is fascinating!

    Reply
  79. Steve @ The Black Peppercorn says

    June 5, 2013 at 4:25 pm

    I love almost any gravy – but Country gravy is my favorite!! Love that you are doing a giveaway. I have one going today as well!!

    Reply
  80. Shana says

    June 5, 2013 at 4:00 pm

    I like country gravy mainly because I like a thick gravy.
    We won’t eat brown gravy unless I make it from scratch (pan gravy)
    I need to try the red gravy!

    Reply
  81. Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says

    June 5, 2013 at 1:28 pm

    This is so helpful to me! I love to make gravy with drippings from my Thanksgiving turkey, but I always tend to mess it up. Thanks for sharing your tips, Wendy!

    Reply
  82. Jessie Goodwin says

    June 5, 2013 at 12:16 pm

    Love to make sausage gravy with buttermilk biscuits.

    Reply
  83. Dan Duffy says

    June 5, 2013 at 9:23 am

    I love making my own gravy – it allows me to control what is in it.

    Reply
  84. Emily H says

    June 5, 2013 at 8:13 am

    I had always heard of Red Eye Gravy but never knew what was in it. Sounds good!

    Reply

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