Easy Gravy Recipe

I have been on a quest to create a simple recipe with consistent results requiring easy preparation for perfect gravy. After trial and error I have been able to narrow down a simple ratio of butter, flour, and meat broth  for superb smooth great tasting gravy results every time! Photos courtesy  A Cook And Her Books,  and  BBC Good Food.

 For 2 cups of perfect gravy, melt 1/4 cup of butter in a small saucepan.

Add 1/4 cup of all purpose flour to the melted butter. Blend with a whisk. Stir this roux mixture over low to medium heat for 4 minutes. Cooking the roux slightly in this manner takes away any "floury" taste and commences the thickening ability of the gluten.

These photos courtesy White Coat Pink Apron

After 4 minutes, remove the roux from the heat for a few minutes. Measure out 2 cups of broth. Of course the more flavorful your broth is, the better tasting your gravy will be. Add the broth to the roux and stir to blend. Put the saucepan back on medium heat and stir with a whisk. Allow the gravy to thicken.You are finished!
If you like, you can fry up some onions and mushrooms and add them to your finished gravy for extra flavor. Beef gravies benefit from the addition of port, or red wine. White wine can be added to chicken gravies and white sauces.
For a simple white sauce or Bechamel, use this ratio and use milk or light cream instead of broth.To this add some cheese for a smooth cheese sauce, just remember that the addition of cheese will thicken your white sauce so use extra milk.
Recently, we made one of our infamous late night poutine dinners which prompted me to publish this recipe.
Of course while we were cutting up potatoes for fries, we discovered that we didn't have any ready made broth.
The following is a quick and easy remedy if you don't have broth on hand, and you are having a poutine emergency! I simply added one Knorr Homestyle chicken stock cup to the finished gravy. These little parcels of concentrated stock are intended to be dissolved in  3 1/2 cups of water, but dissolved in the 2 cups of water used in this recipe gave us a full flavored homemade tasting gravy! No additions needed.

Feel free to double the recipe for a crowd, or cut it in half to make a cheese sauce for your broccoli. It works every time. Enjoy!