Beef Gravy
Updated Nov 17, 2025
Easy beef gravy recipe (brown gravy) made with beef drippings, a simple roux, beef broth, fresh thyme, and seasonings.
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Make your own homemade beef gravy from drippings!
I love a good gravy, and I may be biased but this Beef Gravy is arguably the best gravy. It uses drippings from a beef tenderloin roast (plus stock and herbs!). I used to think making gravy was complicated, but it’s not! This homemade beef gravy basically just involves some sauteing and simmering. The hardest part about it is making the roux, which is a mixture of beef drippings and flour that’s cooked to remove the starchy taste and used to thicken the brown gravy. As long as you make sure this mixture doesn’t burn, your beef gravy will be great.
Happy Cooking!
– Yumna
Beef Gravy Ingredients
- Beef drippings: After you roast the beef, reserve all of the drippings! If you don’t have beef drippings, you can substitute butter at a 1:1 ratio.
- Beef stock: I recommend buying low-sodium beef stock. Beef bone broth is a great option for this brown gravy.
- Shallot: Read my tips on how to dice a shallot. Or, you can use half a small yellow or white onion if that’s what you have.
- Carrot: Here’s how to chop a carrot. A rough chop is okay because they won’t be in the final gravy.
- Celery: Here’s a quick tutorial on how to chop celery. A rough chop is okay here, too.
- Soy sauce: Buy low-sodium soy sauce if you can. Tamari also works in the beef gravy recipe.
- Worcestershire sauce: Don’t skip it; it adds flavor to the beef.
- All-purpose flour: You can also use cornstarch.
- Herbs and seasonings: Fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.
How to Make Beef Gravy
Beef Gravy Recipe
Homemade beef gravy recipe made from pan drippings. Just let it simmer and thicken, then serve with beef, mashed potatoes, and vegetables.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons beef drippings plus more for flavor
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 carrot roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk roughly chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 thyme sprigs
- ½ teaspoon salt or as needed, to taste
- pepper as needed, to taste
Instructions
- After you roast the beef, transfer the beef drippings to a heat-safe bowl. Return about 4 tablespoons of the fat that rises to the top back to the same pan, reserving the remaining drippings. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add the shallot, carrot, and celery and cook for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables start to brown. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon and enjoy on their own or repurpose in another recipe. Be careful to reserve as much of the fat in the pan as possible.
- Add the flour to the beef drippings and whisk to form a thick paste. Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 1–2 minutes, or until the roux turns golden brown.
- Whisk in the beef stock, reserved beef drippings, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the thyme and salt, and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the gravy thickens slightly. Taste and see if it needs additional salt and pepper. Discard the thyme and serve warm.
Equipment
Notes
- My Top Tip: Watch the roux closely. The flour mixture can burn easily! Keep an eye on it and add the beef stock as soon as it turns golden brown.
- Storage: Store the gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a saucepan over low heat, whisking to bring it back together.
- Freezing: Store the gravy in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in a saucepan over low heat.
Nutrition
Serving: 3tbsp, Calories: 65kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 337mg, Potassium: 154mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 1171IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 11mg, Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Variations
- Mix in fresh herbs: After you remove the thyme sprigs, stir in chopped fresh parsley, chives, or tarragon.
- Make it creamier: Stir in a tablespoon or two of heavy cream for an even richer gravy.
Recipe Tips
- Leave enough fat in the pan. Once you remove the vegetables, there should be a good amount of fat left in the pan. If there’s not, add some more drippings.
- Watch the roux closely. The flour mixture can burn easily! Keep an eye on it and add the beef stock as soon as it turns golden brown.
- Whisk it well. Whisk the gravy constantly when you add the beef stock. This makes the gravy smooth.
- Don’t rush the simmer. It’ll take about 20 minutes for the gravy to simmer and thicken. If it doesn’t look thickened, give it more time.
Serving Ideas
- Mains: Beef Tenderloin Roast, Garlic and Herb Crusted Prime Rib, Garlic Butter Steak Bites
- Mashed Potatoes: Simple Mashed Potatoes, Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Vegetables: Roasted Green Beans, Roasted Carrots, Creamed Corn
FAQs
What do I do if my beef gravy isn’t thick enough?
If you let the gravy simmer long enough and it’s still not thickened, try a cornstarch slurry: Whisk a tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water together, then whisk it into the gravy. Let the gravy simmer, and it’ll begin to thicken.
