Gravy is always a tasty addition to any meal, but knowing how thick it should be can be tricky.

Whether you’re cooking a turkey, roast ham, or a delicious side of mashed potatoes, gravy thickness is an important consideration to make the meal over-the-top delicious.

But how thick should your gravy be?

When you’re cooking, it’s easy to often forget the proper thickness of the gravy you’ve been pouring over your biscuits.

Sometimes it’s too thin and sometimes it’s too thick – but how do you know? This article gives some helpful tips to help you ensure that your gravy thickness is just right!

Related: How Thick Should Chili Be?

What is gravy?

Gravy is a thick, creamy sauce made from turkey or beef drippings, milk, flour, and sometimes herbs. Gravy is a rich, savory sauce that is typically made by mixing flour and water or milk to make a paste. The sauce is then mixed with butter, salt, and pepper. Sometimes the gravy is enriched with cream or other flavors.

How thick should gravy be?

Gravy has a thick consistency between a solid and liquid with a slight viscosity. Gravy made with meat or fowl drippings is typically thicker and more flavorful than other types of gravy. White gravy is typically very thick. Generally, gravy should be thick enough so that it coats the food completely but still flows easily. If it’s too thick, it will be difficult to pour. On the other hand, if it’s too thin, the gravy won’t coat the food well or it may become watery after cooking.

Some people claim that gravy should be as thick as pancake batter, while others say that it should be thinner.

The truth is that there is no one right answer to this question, as the thickness of gravy depends on the particular recipe being used and on the personal preferences of the cook and eaters.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to gravy thickness since everyone’s taste is different.

Just make sure to whisk your gravy thoroughly to avoid lumps.

How thick should brown gravy be?

There are many variations of brown gravy, but most people agree that it should be thick enough to coat the food without being too watery. Some people like their gravy to be very thick, while others prefer it to be more liquidy. The main goal is to have a gravy that is flavorful and complements the food on which it is served.

Brown gravy is a sauce traditionally made from drippings from roasted meat or fowl. It’s served alongside meat as well as roasted vegetables. It can also be made from beef stock and thickened with a roux made of flour and butter. Classic brown gravy is made with beef, pork, lamb, turkey, or chicken.

Brown gravy should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. It should be stirred often to prevent it from becoming too thick or gloppy. If it is too thick, you can thin it down by adding more broth or water.

How thick should turkey gravy be?

A proper thickness for turkey gravy depends on a few factors, such as the type of turkey you’re using and how much gravy you want. For most turkeys, a thin gravy is best. For darker meat turkeys, such as a Carolina or New Year’s bird, you may want to add a bit more fat so that the gravy does not taste dry.

Many people like to serve their Thanksgiving turkey with gravy that is thick and rich. However, some people worry that the gravy is too thick and that it will not cook through the bird. The correct thickness of gravy can be a matter of personal preference. Some people like their gravy to be very thick, while others prefer it to be more diluted.

How thick should sausage gravy be?

Sausage gravy should be very thick. Enough so that the sausage does not fall apart, but also so that the cooked sausage has a bit of a crust. Sausage gravy should also be smooth and creamy.

How thick should chicken gravy be?

Chicken gravy is thinner since it is not as flavorful. Chicken gravy can be made in a variety of thicknesses, depending on what you are looking for. Thicker gravy will be more flavorful and will stick to the chicken better. However, if you want to make a thinner gravy, it can be done by boiling the chicken before adding the flour and fat. Either way, make sure to taste the gravy and adjust the thickness as needed.

There is no one answer to this question since it depends on a variety of factors, including the type of gravy being made and what ingredients are used. For example, if chicken broth is used as the base, thinner gravy would be desired since it would not contain as much flavor. On the other hand, thicker gravy made with beef or veal broth would be more flavorful and satisfying.

How thick should white gravy be?

White gravy is made with milk, butter, and flour and seasoned with salt and pepper before serving.

Southern style white gravy is much thicker, is usually made from pan drippings or lard instead of butter, never uses onions or nutmeg, and always uses cracked black pepper. It’s even called pepper gravy in some places.

There is no one definitive answer when it comes to how thick white gravy should be. It all depends on personal preference and what you are cooking with the gravy. Some people like it thicker than others, but most people agree that it should be at least a bit thick.

Most people like their white gravy to have a thickness to it. Some people even like to thicken their gravy up even more by adding roux or flour. There is no wrong way to make gravy, as long as you follow the recipe correctly.

Related: Alfredo Sauce Too Salty?

Did you know?

The delicious KFC gravy is made with crackling. Crackling is the leftover juices from chicken fryers.

How thick should onion gravy be?

One of the most popular grais onion gravy, which is eaten with sausages, Yorkshire pudding and roast meat. Throughout the United States, gravy is commonly eaten with Thanksgiving foods such as turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. One Southern United States variation is sausage gravy eaten with American biscuits.

Some people like it very thick, while others prefer it to be more like soup. The thickness of onion gravy is up to the individual cook, and there is no right or wrong answer. As long as the gravy is thick enough to coat the vegetables and has a flavor that people enjoy, it is perfect.

If you want to eat it with bread, then the gravy can be thinner. However, if you want to eat it over mashed potatoes or hot dogs, then the gravy should be thicker. The best way to determine how thick your onion gravy should be is to experiment and find what works best for you.

How to thicken gravy

If your gravy looks too watery, have no fear! You can thicken it with these easy techniques.

Add a thickening agent
Add a roux
Add arrowroot
Add tomato paste
Reduce the liquid
Add butter or heavy cream
Add an egg yolk
Add unflavored gelatin
Beurre manié
Add an emulsifying agent

Notes on thickening:

Be sure to bring the entire sauce up to a heated state gradually. Many thickeners need to be activated by both heat and moisture. Flour, for instance, needs to be hydrated at the microscopic-level and then cooked or you will get an unpleasant floury flavor. So don’t rush it to the table. Give it time to hydrate.
If you have added a lot of thickener, like more than 1 tablespoon per 2 cups of gravy, then consider stirring vigorously early to keep the thickener from settling on the bottom of the pot which is where it will be heat-activated first and start glazing. You’ll want to break up any possible lumps. Use a whisk.
Some techniques like adding potato, potato flour, white flour, and rice flour, will significantly change how the broth/sauce looks. Do you want it shiny? Translucent so you can see layers of food below the surface? If so, don’t use a ‘dirtying’ thickener and consider sticking with corn starch.

Easy Gravy Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups beef or chicken stock
2 beef or chicken bouillon cubes
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional seasonings: dried rosemary, sage, thyme, or onion powder

Instructions

Combine the stock and the bouillon cubes and simmer over medium heat until the bouillon is dissolved
Add the butter until melted
Add the flour and optional seasonings and whisk until smooth
Simmer until reduced
Add salt and pepper to taste
Remove from heat and serve immediately

Gravy Thickness FAQs

Does gravy thicken as it cools?

Gravy is often thicken as it cools. This is because water molecules form a network that makes the gravy more viscous. However, there are some guidelines to follow when making gravy. Gravy should be thick enough so that it coats the back of a spoon but still pourable.

How to make gravy thicker without flour

If you’re looking for a way to make gravy thicker without resorting to flour, you can try thickeners such as xanthan gum or arrowroot. Simply mix the desired amount of thickeners with water until you have the desired consistency, and then add it to your gravy.

What is red wine reduction sauce?

What is a thin gravy called?

Jus is a thin gravy. Au jus is think gravy. Au jus means “with juice” in French culinary terms. The gravy is made from the fluids secreted by the meat as it is cooked. Unlike typical American gravy, it is not thickened with flour. Instead au jus is reduced (evaporated by cooking) until the desired thickness is reached.

Is gravy supposed to be thick?

There’s no right or wrong answer to this question, as gravy thickness depends on personal preference. Some people prefer their gravy to be very thick, while others prefer it to be a little more liquid-like. Ultimately, the thickness of your gravy is up to you!

gravy is supposed to be thick. Some people like it very thick, while others like it a little more fluid. It all depends on your preference.

How do I make gravy thicker?

Making gravy thicker is simple. First, add more roux or flour to thicken. Second, use less broth or liquids to thin the gravy. Third, simmer the gravy for a longer time to desired thickness.

For thicker gravy, add cornstarch or flour to your gravy mix. For thinner gravy, leave out the cornstarch or flour and simmer the gravy until it thickens or reduces.

How do you thin gravy?

If your gravy is hot and still too thick, add broth a little at a time to thin it out. Remember to check the seasoning when you’re done and adjust if needed.

Is there a keto gravy alternative?

If you don’t want to use flour or cornstarch, seasoned yogurt is one of the best substitutes. Yogurt is a great source of calcium, a micro nutrient essential for bone health and many other body functions.

Plain yogurt also has a mild taste that lends itself well to a variety of dishes. Adding in some low-sodium bullion will result in a product that is smooth, creamy and that has the same mild “meaty” taste typically associated with traditional gravies.

To add additional bursts of flavor, fresh herbs such as basil, rosemary and thyme are great options to add a complexity to the yogurt.

How Thick Should Gravy Be?