How to Fix Gravy Gone Wrong

Co-authored by Stephen Servis

Last Updated: February 21, 2024 References

Cooking gravy to the right consistency and flavor can be a difficult task and, unfortunately, there will be times when you simply cannot get things to work. Luckily, most gravy problems are fixable. If your gravy is runny, you can let it cook longer or add a roux or slurry to thicken it up. With lumpy or thick gravy, you can use a whisk or strainer to remove chunks or add some more fluid to increase your gravy’s runniness. If your gravy is a little on the bland side, add some more stock, a sprinkle of salt, or a splash of fortified wine. Finally, you can fix salty gravy by adding some sugar, butter, vinegar, or more stock.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Thickening a Runny Gravy

1
Let it simmer. Depending on how much time you have until you need to serve it, simmering your gravy will help it thicken. If your gravy is particularly runny, let it simmer at medium heat for one hour. This will burn off excess moisture and help the sauce congeal.^{[1]
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- Be sure to keep an eye on the gravy and stir it regularly. This will keep it from getting too thick or become lumpy.
2
Make a roux. Take a fat - butter, oil, or meat drippings will do - and melt it in a pan over medium heat. Once the fat has melted and become hot, add an equal amount of flour and quickly whisk the mixture. Gradually add the roux to the gravy, whisking the mixture as you add it.
- The amount of gravy you need to thicken will determine how much of each ingredient you need for the roux. As a rule of thumb, one tablespoon (15ml) of fat and flour will thicken one cup (237ml) of stock or runny gravy.^{[2]
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3
Add slurry. If you are pressed for time and need to thicken your gravy immediately, add slurry to your gravy. Slurry is a mixture of cornstarch and water that you can use to thicken your gravy quickly.^{[3]
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Research source} Mix one 1 tablespoon (15ml) of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water. Then, slowly add the slurry to your gravy while whisking the mixture, letting it boil for a few seconds to thicken.^{[4]
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- If your gravy is particularly runny, you may need to repeat this step a few times to get the thickness right.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Thinning a Lumpy or Thick Gravy

1
Whisk the gravy. If you improperly add your thickening agent, you may get lumpy gravy. One way of working out lumps is to give the gravy a good whisking. This will help break down the congealed clumps of cornstarch or flour. Especially when you are making a roux, be sure to use a whisk to prevent initial lumpiness.^{[5]
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- Avoid using a using spoon to mix your roux. Always whisk it to prevent lumps.
2
Use a strainer. If your gravy is particularly lumpy, you may just have to strain it. Take a mesh strainer and pour your gravy through it and into the serving dish. This should remove most of the clumps from your gravy.
- If you still have lumps, strain the gravy until they are gone.
3
Add more liquid. If your gravy is extra lumpy or thick, you can add stock or water to the mixture. Heat up the stock or water and then pour it into your hot gravy, whisking the mixture as you do it. Continue adding liquid until the gravy is the consistency that you want.^{[6]
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- This is also a great tip for heating up gravy that has congealed in the refrigerator.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Adding Some Flavor to a Bland Gravy

1
Sprinkle some salt. If the flavor of your gravy is a little underwhelming, add a little salt. Take some table salt and sprinkle it onto the gravy. Repeat until the gravy is to your taste. Be sure to taste the gravy as you add the salt so that you do not make it too salty.^{[7]
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- Too much salt can easily overwhelm the other flavors on your plate.
You can also add a small amount of sherry, port, or Madeira to bring out the flavors of the gravy. Give small splashes of wine, tasting it after each addition, to avoid adding too much alcohol. Combine a small amount of fortified wine with some salt for the best results.^{[8]
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3
Add more bouillon or stock. You can also add more stock or bouillon if available. This will enhance the meaty flavor of the gravy. Make sure that you use the correct bouillon or stock. Your beef gravy will taste different with chicken stock added to it.
- If you are less discerning about pairing meat and gravy, you can get away with using chicken stock for turkey gravy and vice versa.
Depending on the type of gravy, you might also add some more seasonings. Black pepper can add an extra bit of flavor to any type of gravy. If you are making a beef gravy, add marjoram, bay leaf, sage, and thyme. For chicken and turkey gravy, add a little oregano, rosemary, sage, thyme, and pepper. For pork, use garlic and onions with small amounts of oregano and sage.^{[9]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Making a Gravy Less Salty

Melt one teaspoon (10ml) of unsalted butter into your gravy. Whisk the butter into the gravy and let it cook for a few minutes. Continue adding butter until the salty taste is less pronounced.^{[10]
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2
Sprinkle a small amount of sugar. Begin by adding about ½ teaspoon (5ml) of sugar to your gravy. Let the gravy absorb the sugar and then taste it after a few minutes. Keep adding small amounts of sugar until the saltiness disappears.^{[11]
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- Be sure to avoid adding too much sugar and making your gravy sweet.
3
Stir in some cider vinegar. Stir in one teaspoon (10ml) of cider vinegar into your gravy. Let the gravy simmer for a few minutes and then give it a taste. Add small amounts of vinegar until the salt flavor is gone.^{[12]
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- Be sure to not to add too much and make your gravy taste like vinegar.
4
Add more liquid. Create a roux using one teaspoon (10ml) each of melted butter and flour. Add two cups (473ml) of stock or water to the roux and whisk it together. Let the mixture boil for a few minutes while it thickens. Then, pour the roux into the gravy, whisking it in as you add it.^{[13]
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- This will also increase the amount of gravy that you have. Only do this step if you are okay with more gravy.
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Community Q&A

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Question

I'm making gravy for Swedish meatballs. Recipe called for beef stock, but now that's all I can taste. It's not thickening, what can I do?

Community Answer

I prefer chicken stock for Swedish meatballs. To thicken, whisk in few tablespoons of flour to a cup of water, whisk well to remove the lumps. Stir gently into your chicken stock and meatballs, bring to a boil. Let the gravy boil a few minutes so that the flour "cooks". Stir so that it does not burn or stick to the pan.

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Question

My gravy tastes like flour, why?

Otterly Badgerific

Top Answerer

Gravy will taste floury when you've added too much flour to it or the flour has not been cooked enough to fold into the gravy ingredients as a whole. To try to fix this problem, add a little more broth and whisk through while heating gently. In future, avoid adding too much flour and try to combine the flour with the liquid more evenly and be sure to cook it sufficiently over a low heat.

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Question

My gravy tastes too beefy.

Am820

Community Answer

If you are using bullion to make your gravy, use less bullion. If you are using meat drippings to make your gravy, use part meat drippings and part water with dissolved bullion. Beef drippings tend to have a very beefy flavor, so diluting it with water and bullion with help.

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