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How to Make Pork Gravy from Scratch: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Make homemade roast pork gravy in about 10 minutes. It’s easy, delicious, and perfect to serve over slices of pork and mashed potatoes.

This homemade pork gravy recipe is the perfect finishing touch for your pork dinner. It’s quick to make and only needs a few ingredients.

As long as you get some drippings, you can use this to make a great gravy. It works best when you make gravy after cooking a pork roast.

To find out more about how it all works, scroll down or click here. Now you can go straight to the recipe.

A rich, savory pork gravy can take a meal from basic to spectacular. The creamy, meaty flavor pairs perfectly with pork chops, roast pork, mashed potatoes, stuffing, biscuits – the possibilities are endless. But making gravy from scratch can seem daunting to home cooks.

Have no fear – I’m here to walk you through pork gravy step-by-step. With just a few simple techniques and basic ingredients, you’ll be whipping up delicious homemade pork gravy in no time.

Why Make Homemade Pork Gravy?

Before we get cooking let’s look at why homemade gravy is worth the small effort

  • Packed with flavor – Gravy made from pan drippings and stock absorbs all the meaty flavor of the pork, Store-bought has nothing on homemade taste,

  • Total control over texture – Get it as thick or thin as you prefer by adjusting roux and drippings amounts

  • Ingredients you can see – With homemade, you know exactly what’s going in your gravy. No mystery thickeners or preservatives.

  • Money saver – Gravy costs just pennies per serving to DIY versus store-bought.

  • Adaptable recipe – Flavor it with spices, herbs, wine, mustard – the options are endless for customization.

Let’s get cooking to see just how easy it is to whip up flavorful homemade pork gravy from scratch!

Ingredients for Pork Gravy

Gravy requires just a few humble ingredients you likely have on hand:

  • Fat – Pork drippings or butter provide rich flavor. Bacon or sausage fat work too.

  • Flour – Thickens the gravy to desired consistency. All-purpose flour is most common.

  • Broth – Chicken or pork broth provides moisture and pork flavor.

  • Salt and Pepper – Season to taste.

Step 1 – Prepare the Drippings

The foundation of flavorful pork gravy comes from the pan drippings. As your pork roast or chops cook, the fat and browned bits sticking to the pan are pure flavor gold.

If you don’t have drippings, substitute butter, oil, or bacon grease. Pour off excess grease, reserving just 2-3 tbsp. drippings.

![Pork roast cooking in pan with drippings][Pork roast dripping]

Pork roast drippings provide the base for homemade gravy.

Step 2 – Make a Roux

A roux gives gravy its thickness and richness. To make one:

  • Heat reserved drippings over medium heat.

  • Whisk in an equal amount of all-purpose flour.

  • Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly.

The flour absorbs the fat, forming a thick paste. This simple roux lends body to the gravy.

![Roux cooking in pan.][Roux]

A quick roux of equal parts fat and flour thickens the gravy.

Step 3 – Slowly Add Broth

The roux forms the glue, while broth provides the moisture for an easy homemade gravy:

  • Pour in 1-2 cups broth, whisking constantly.

  • Add more broth until gravy reaches desired consistency.

Go slowly to prevent lumps. Keep whisking vigorously as you pour!

![Broth being poured into roux.][Add broth]

Whisking vigorously, slowly add broth to the roux to form the gravy.

Step 4 – Simmer and Season

Once all broth is added and smooth:

  • Simmer gravy 5 minutes to meld flavors.

  • Season with salt, pepper, herbs etc.

  • Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

Let it simmer gently – no need to actually boil. The gravy will thicken as it cooks.

![Simmering gravy in saucepan.][Simmer]

Let the gravy simmer 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

And that’s it – easy homemade pork gravy from scratch! Now let’s look at tips for perfecting this simple 4-step method.

Tips for Great Homemade Pork Gravy

With just a few tweaks and tricks, you can take basic pork gravy to new levels of rich, meaty flavor:

  • Use pan drippings – Meat drippings provide the most flavor. Drain off excess fat if desired.

  • Make roux with bacon grease – For extra-savory gravy, use bacon fat instead of butter in the roux.

  • Whisk vigorously – This prevents lumps when adding broth to the roux. A wire whisk makes quick work of it.

  • Use chicken + pork broth – For a richer taste, use half chicken and half pork broth.

  • Simmer in pan juices – For more meaty depth, simmer the finished gravy right in the meat pan.

  • Splash in some wine – A bit of white wine adds acidity to balance the richness.

  • Strain for silky texture – Forultra-smooth gravy, strain through a mesh strainer before serving.

With these tips, you’ll have everyone begging for seconds of your incredible homemade pork gravy. But why stop with just gravy? Kick it up a notch with these amazing flavor twists.

Ideas for Customizing Pork Gravy

Boring gravy is a thing of the past with these creative flavor additions:

  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • Minced garlic
  • Crumbled bacon
  • Caramelized onions
  • Grated Parmesan
  • Chopped parsley
  • Slivered almonds
  • Dijon mustard
  • Smoked paprika
  • Bourbon
  • Maple syrup
  • Coffee
  • Hot sauce

The possibilities are endless! Crank up the porkiness with bacon. Add nuttiness with almonds. Give it a kick with hot sauce or coffee. Have fun and make that basic gravy your own.

Troubleshooting Pork Gravy

Of course, no new recipe comes without a few potential pitfalls. Refer to these tips if your homemade pork gravy goes awry:

It’s too thin – Whisk in more roux a teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

It’s too thick – Splash in additional broth and whisk vigorously to thin it out.

It’s lumpy – Strain through a mesh strainer for silky smoothness.

It’s bland – Stir in more salt, pepper and herbs until the seasoning pops.

It curdled – Whisking constantly, pour in some milk a tablespoon at a time to smooth it out.

With a little practice, you’ll be churning out perfect pork gravy every time. Keep these troubleshooting tips in your back pocket just in case.

Now that you’re a pork gravy pro, let’s look at some insanely delicious ways to enjoy your homemade creation:

Creative Uses for Pork Gravy

A velvety pork gravy takes just about any dish from 0 to 100. Beyond pork, get creative with these gravy pairings:

  • Biscuits and gravy
  • Fried chicken
  • Turkey breast
  • Meatloaf
  • Pot roast
  • Burgers
  • Chicken fried steak
  • Ham
  • Salisbury steak
  • Mashed potatoes
  • Noodles or rice
  • Gravy fries

From Southern classics to unexpected combinations like gravy cheese fries, get ready to pour that DIY pork gravy on everything. It also freezes beautifully, so make a big batch to have on hand whenever a gravy craving strikes.

Top Recipes for Homemade Pork Gravy

Now that you’re a gravy pro, take your skills to the next level with recipe ideas:

Rosemary Pork Gravy – Simmer rosemary sprigs into the gravy for a savory, herbal depth.

Maple Sage Pork Gravy – Whisk in maple syrup and sage for a sweet, woodsy flavor.

Cream Gravy – For an extra silky twist, stir in 1/4 cup milk or cream once gravy has thickened.

Sausage Gravy – Brown 1 lb. sausage and use the rendered fat to make your roux.

Chorizo Gravy – Use Mexican chorizo drippings for a spicy, smoky gravy.

Thyme Mushroom Gravy – Saute mushrooms in butter before making the roux for an earthy flavor.

With your newfound gravy abilities, you can create any flavor your heart desires. The possibilities are endless. Best of all, you now hold the power to say goodbye to boring gluey gravy from a jar!

So grab an apron and get cooking. Treat yourself and your family to the heartwarming comfort of homemade pork gravy. Just be prepared for the chorus of “mmm’s” and calls

how to make pork gravy from scratch

How To Thicken Or Thin Out The Gravy

If your gravy ends up too thick, you can always add more water or stock. Taste the gravy first. If it has nice strong flavor, water will be fine. If it’s on the salty side, water is also a good idea. If it has a milder flavor or is not salty, you can add in drippings, stock, or broth.

If your gravy is too thin, you can cook it over medium-low heat and stir it often until it gets the thickness you want. Taste it first though. If it is salty before you start, it will be too salty once it reduces. If that’s the case, it’s best to thicken it using extra flour. There are two ways to do this. The first one makes the gravy taste less salty, which is good if your gravy is too salty. The second adds extra richness, which is good if your gravy lacks flavor.

Method #1 For Thickening Gravy With Extra Flour: Get out a container with a tight-fitting lid. Add 2-4 tablespoons of flour to the jar, depending on how thick you’d like it. Then add 3 times as much water or unsalted stock. Put on the lid and shake it really well. Stir that into your gravy and bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat while stirring often. It will thicken more as it simmers.

Method #2 For Thickening Gravy With Extra Flour: For this you make a beurre manié, which means kneaded butter. Mix together 2-4 tablespoons of flour with equal amounts of softened butter. Dollop that into your gravy and stir it in. Bring it to a simmer. It will thicken as it simmers.

Can You Use Cornstarch Instead Of Flour?

Yes, but you make cornstarch gravy a bit differently. You’ll mix the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of stock or water. Add two and a third cups of drippings or other liquids, like two and a quarter cups of stock and half a cup of white wine, to a saucepan. Stir and cook over medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and cook stirring often until it is the thickness you’d like. Taste and season.

Note that cornstarch gravy doesn’t hold up as well in the fridge as flour gravy. I don’t recommend that you make it ahead of time because it loses its thickness as it sits.

How to Make Pork Gravy

FAQ

What is pork gravy made of?

Pork gravy is made with butter, chicken broth, cornstarch, water, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper, along with the most important ingredient: pork roast drippings. The drippings from a pork roast add a ton of flavor to a pork gravy.

How is gravy made from scratch?

Melt butter in a medium-sized sauce pan. Add flour and whisk constantly until mixture is golden caramel color and smells fragrant (3-5 minutes). Slowly whisk in liquids, while whisking, until mixture is smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook until thickened and bubbly, 5 minutes or longer.

What is the formula for gravy?

A traditional roux uses roughly an equal amount of flour and fat, but gravies often call for a bit more flour than that, to ensure the gravy is thick enough. (The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.)

How do you make homemade gravy from scratch?

Anyone, and I mean anyone can master making homemade gravy from scratch. Melt a couple of tablespoons of butter, then add the same amount of flour. Sautee for a minute with any spices. Add pan drippings and broth slowly by quickly whisking it together to keep it smooth and creamy. If desired, add a little more black pepper to taste for a kick!

How do you make pork gravy?

Making pork gravy is easy and only requires a few ingredients like pork drippings, butter, cornstarch, Worcestershire sauce and a few minutes!

How do you make pork gravy with pork drippings?

This easy pork gravy recipe is made using pork drippings, butter, cornstarch and a few other ingredients to create a delicious, sauce to go over pork. Mix the ingredients. Place the roast drippings, cornstarch, butter, salt, pepper, broth, and Worcestershire sauce into a medium saucepan and whisk together.

How do you make roast pork gravy without drippings?

It’s this simple Roast Pork Gravy! Made with or without pork drippings and everyday seasonings, it’s a luxurious sauce that’ll add a gourmet touch to your weeknight meals. Add the pork drippings to a small saucepan along with the beef broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.

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