Homemade White Gravy Recipe

5 from 10 votes

An easy Southern white gravy made with butter or meat drippings, flour, whole milk, salt, and black pepper until thick and creamy.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Sauce

Cuisine: American, Southern

Keyword: country gravy, easy white gravy, homemade white gravy, pepper gravy, southern white gravy, white gravy recipe

Servings:

Calories: 167kcal

Begin this country-style gravy recipe by cooking the meat and reserving the meat drippings (pan drippings) or melt ¼ cup butter in a cast iron skillet (or large skillet) over medium heat.
While the fat is hot or the butter has completely melted, sprinkle the ⅓ cup all-purpose flour evenly over the fat.
Whisk constantly until the roux is smooth and light blond to pale golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the 3 cups whole milk while whisking constantly. Add in the ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Taste before adding additional salt when using meat drippings.
Continue whisking until the gravy is thick and smooth, about 5 to 10 minutes, until the gravy coats the back of a spoon. If you notice that it’s becoming too thick, then add a little of the 1 cup of milk at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
Carefully remove the gravy from the heat and serve warm with chicken tenders, country fried steak, or some hot biscuits. Enjoy!

For best results, constantly whisk the gravy and adjust the ingredients as necessary. Add more milk and fat as needed.
A small whisk helps to give the gravy a creamy texture, but you may also use a wooden spoon.
If not beginning with meat, then use salted or unsalted butter instead.
Make sausage gravy by cooking some pork sausage or breakfast sausage first, then use the reserved grease to make the gravy.
Cook some ground beef and use the grease to make the gravy, add the cooked beef before serving over biscuits.
Fry some bacon first and leave the bacon grease in the pan to make the gravy. Chop the bacon and add it to the gravy before serving.
To make brown gravy, add in a few dashes of Kitchen Bouquet. This will make the white color of the gravy brown.
Add a bit of heat by adding in some cayenne pepper along with the salt and ground black pepper.