This Country Gravy is rich, creamy, and uses a combination of butter and bacon grease for maximum flavor! Less than 10 ingredients for the BEST white gravy.
This country gravy is absolute heaven. It’s rich, creamy, flavorful, and *bonus* incredibly quick and easy! Pour it over biscuits, spoon it over fried chicken, or ladle it over mashed potatoes…the options are endless…and delicious!
What is country gravy?
Country gravy aka white gravy is a thick and creamy sauce typically made with butter (or bacon fat), flour, milk (or cream), and seasonings. It’s often served over biscuits, fried chicken, or mashed potatoes.
What is the difference between brown gravy and country gravy?
Both brown and country gravy are typically made with fat (butter/oil/grease), a thickener (cornstarch/flour), and seasonings, but brown gravy has a beef broth base and country gravy uses milk or cream.
Ingredients
Using both butter and bacon grease makes this country gravy extra special!
- Butter – use unsalted butter for this gravy, if possible. This allows you to control how much salt goes into the recipe. If salted butter is the only butter available, reduce the salt in half, or completely omit. Butter provides a rich, creamy flavor and also works with the flour to help thicken the gravy.
- Bacon Grease – aka bacon fat or bacon drippings, is a byproduct of cooking bacon. The grease adds an incredible smoky flavor and, like the butter, works with the flour to create a roux which thickens the gravy.
- Flour – all-purpose flour works with the butter and grease to create a “roux”. A roux is simply equal parts fat and flour which thickens the gravy until it’s the perfect consistency. Be sure to cook the flour and butter together for 1-2 minutes before whisking in the heavy cream to cook out the “raw” flour taste.
- Heavy Cream – makes this gravy extra rich and creamy. If you like a lighter gravy, feel free to replace this with equal parts half-and-half or even whole milk. Keep in mind, if the dairy product used has less fat, it won’t be as creamy.
- Milk – skim milk was used to test this recipe, because that’s what we always have on hand, but any milk: 1%, 2%, or even whole milk can be used. I don’t recommend using all heavy cream, because I think it would become too rich!
- Spices: Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Powder – a simple, but effective seasoning blend that makes this country gravy flavorful. Specific amounts are given in the recipe card below, but feel free to add more or less of each of the spices to suit your tastebuds.
How to make
This gravy recipe is so easy and very forgiving. Not thick enough? Keep simmering. Too thick? Whisk in more milk. Too bland? Add additional seasonings!
- Melt butter and grease in a large skillet, then whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in heavy cream, then add in milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Cook until thickened to your liking. Thin with milk, if necessary, then taste and re-season, if desired.
- Serve over fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and more!
How to thicken
Gravy is thickened with a roux, which is made of equal parts fat and flour. The fat today is a combination of butter and bacon fat to create a rich, salty, smoky, buttery flavor.
This gravy is also thickened by simmering, because the flour absorbs the liquid as it simmers.
What to serve with country gravy
Country gravy is best smothered over biscuits, mashed potatoes, pork, and chicken!
- Air Fryer Biscuits
- Drop Biscuits
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
- Fried Chicken (these are chicken sandwiches, just follow the recipe for the chicken!)
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Baked Pork Chops
How to store
Completely cooled leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
To reheat, thaw in the fridge, if frozen, then heat in the microwave or on the stove until warm. Thin with milk and re-season, if necessary.
– Jennifer
Country Gravy
Equipment for this recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- ¼ cup bacon grease *
- ½ cup all-purpose flour spoon and leveled
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 2 cups milk plus more to thin, if necessary
- 1 teaspoon salt more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper more or less to taste
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder more or less to taste
- Fried Chicken for serving
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes for serving
- Air Fryer Biscuits for serving
Instructions
- Melt butter and grease in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once melted, whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes (it should be bubbling a bit to cook out the flour flavor).
- Slowly whisk in heavy cream, then whisk in milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Cook, whisking regularly, until thickened to your liking.
- Thin with milk, if necessary, then taste and re-season, if desired.
- Serve over fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes, and more!
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Notes
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Nutrition Information
*Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on products used.