The Easiest Addition To Fix Greasy Gravy

Many people might only make gravy for special occasions like holiday feasts. The result may be that our gravy falls into some common gravy pitfalls we'd rather avoid. Maybe you used too much flour, maybe you've ended up with the dreaded lumpy gravy, or maybe your gravy is too thin. If you don't make gravy very often, it can feel like there are just a million ways it can go wrong. Luckily, there are also a ton of ways to get that gravy train back on the right track.

That's right, folks, no need to worry, the big mistake you're making with your gravy can almost certainly be undone. Too much flour or thickener? Thin your gravy out with water or stock (per Serious Eats). Lumpy gravy? Even that worst of gravy sins can be undone by using a mesh strainer or, if all else fails, passing your gravy through the blender. Unorthodox, but effective. Thin or greasy gravy? Luckily you can remedy this gravy issue.

Of course, there's always gravy short cuts, but even those often need a little adjusting. You can choose to doctor your canned gravy with pan drippings for the delicious flavor without the minefield that is making it from scratch. But what if you choose to make your own gravy and after all that effort you're left with a greasy mess? No worries, there's a quick and easy solution to this gravy disaster, too.

The problem behind greasy gravy is that there isn't enough starch for the lipids to bind to (per Taste of Home). You can fix the problem by carefully stirring in a pre-mixed cornstarch slurry. Start with a slurry made of ½ teaspoon of cornstarch and a teaspoon of water. The thickness of your gravy will dictate how much of the slurry you need. You may need to go up to as much as a tablespoon of cornstarch blended into a few tablespoons of water.

This same trick can be used to thicken thin gravy. Real Simple recommends using one tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid you're trying to thicken, and starting at 1 tablespoon and seeing how things go before jumping to two. As you would with greasy gravy, mix the cornstarch with a little water first to prevent ending up with lumps.