Fix Lumpy Gravy—and Prevent It From Happening Again (2024)

FAQs

Which of the following can be done to prevent the formation of lumps in a gravy? ›

One common mistake is adding too much flour at once. A little flour goes a long way, and reacts very quickly with hot stock; dumping in a whole cup will almost always lead to lumps. Instead, load a mesh strainer with some flour and dust it gently over the gravy.

Don't give up when your gravy clumps! There are four simple tricks you can use to smooth out lumpy gravy - use a wire whisk to break up large lumps, use a wire strainer to strain out the lumps, mix in a flour and water mixture, or run it through a blender.

Blender to the rescue

Use a food processor, blender or immersion blender to whizz those lumps out of sight. Return to heat and whisk until warmed through. Now that you will never serve up a lumpy white sauce to your guests again, try some of our trending recipes below!

Lumps usually form in a sauce when you add too much flour or cornstarch at once. Instead of adding a spoonful of flour to the sauce, rather melt two tablespoons of butter per cup of sauce and then add two tablespoons of flour bit by bit – stirring continuously.

Cook the sauce gently and stir constantly until it thickens and becomes glossy and smooth. Using a whisk will be much easier than a wooden spoon to avoid lumps.

If your goal is airy baked goods and lump-free batters, you'll need to learn how to sift flour. This simple kitchen technique involves pouring flour through a sieve to add air and break up lumps.

To separate fat from drippings or gravy, first put a large resealable plastic bag in a large bowl. Pour in the drippings or gravy; seal the bag and let it stand for several minutes, until the fat rises to the top. Then, carefully lift the bag over a cup or bowl.

Boost the Flavor Profile With Umami-Rich Ingredients

Adding ingredients like mushrooms, bacon lardons, prosciutto, caramelized onions, porcini mushrooms, truffle, or black garlic can give store-bought gravy the complexity it might be lacking.

Pureed Vegetables

This smart way to thicken gravy allows you to use what's in your veggie crisper. Roast any kind of potato, parsnip, beet, or carrot, puree in a blender or food processor, and stir into gravy until completely incorporated.

Is gravy better with water or milk? ›

Water, broth, or milk: Any of the three will work here. I actually like gravy made with water best, but experiment and see what works for you. Broth will give you a really flavor-packed gravy and gravy made with milk will be richer (but a little sweet for my taste).

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.

The Roux Method

Flour is added, then mixed into the fat until smooth—this is the roux. It is cooked until browning some to cook out the raw flour taste, usually only a few minutes. The browner the roux, the browner the gravy, and the less thickening power as the starch breaks down with a Maillard reaction.

If you still have a few small lumps you should be able to disperse them with a small wire hand whisk (sometimes called a vinaigrette whisk) or you can use a small spatula or wooden spoon to break them up by pressing them against the side of the pan.

If you just dump dry flour into the pot, it'll form stubborn lumps. Instead, you need to make a paste of roughly equal parts flour and softened butter, mashing them together until completely smooth, then whisk this paste into the gravy a tablespoon or two at a time, until the gravy has thickened appropriately.

By about a teaspoon, slowly sift the cornstarch through the sieve. It won't clump, and you won't have to add any more liquid (as you would with a slurry). Easy peasy.

The reason why your gravy is lumpy to begin with is that starch used, whether that be flour or corn starch, cooked before it was intergraded into the liquid. So it forms a mass. It's kind of like dumplings, only smaller and unwanted!