Our Homemade Southern White Country Gravy recipe is so easy and you only need 5 simple ingredients, including salt and pepper! In this post I will give you tips so you don’t have to struggle to make gravy like I did. Watch the video below to see exactly how to make it.
Gravy is one of those dishes that I struggled for many years to make. Lee’s buddy gave me a helpful tip and the next time I made it after that it wasn’t awful. It took another try and that time it actually tasted good!
So what he told me was that you have to let the flour cook for a good minute or two in whatever fat you are using. This allows the flour to develop nice flavor so it doesn’t have that raw flour taste. That is the single most helpful thing he told me. Once I got this down it was easy peasy.
Southern White Country Gravy is one of those southern dishes that has several variations known by other names such as sawmill gravy (made from meat drippings), white pepper gravy, milk gravy, southern gravy, or country-style gravy. All of these versions are made from a simple roux (a mixture of flour and fat cooked together) and are pure comfort food.
Table of contents
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
Butter – I like unsalted butter for this, if using salted butter then you will not need as much salt as the recipe calls for.
Flour – regular ol’ all purpose flour works best in this homemade country gravy.
Milk – I have used whole milk, 2% milk and even skim milk for this and still end up with delicious gravy.
Salt & Black Pepper – we keep it simple, you can add a little cayenne pepper for extra flavor.
How to Make Simple White Gravy
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, add the flour, salt and pepper to the melted butter; cook whisking constantly for about 1-2 minutes. You want the butter and flour mixture to get nice and bubbly.
- Slowly add the milk and continue to cook over medium to medium-high heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens to the desired consistency, about 5 minutes.
- Serve over hot biscuits, mashed potatoes, or cooked meat.
Check out this video of how I make Bacon Gravy (also embedded below)for a visual of how to make this gravy recipe. Just start when I add the bacon grease to the pan. Also keep in mind that this video is not in real time, it is sped up quite a bit.
How thick should homemade white country gravy be?
This is personal preference, really. We like our gravy to be stick to your ribs thick. For this easy white gravy recipe we use 2 cups of milk. You can use a bit more milk for thinner gravy if you want, maybe an additional half cup.
Tips
The longer the flour and butter cook the less it will thicken the gravy.
I almost always make this in a nonstick skillet and use a silicone covered whisk.
For best results whisk constantly over high enough heat that the flour and butter mixture will still get nice and bubbly. Then again after you add the milk.
Gravy will thicken more as it cool downs.
If gravy becomes too thick add a splash of milk to thin it down a bit.
This recipe can easily be cut in half or doubled. If doubling it is helpful to know that 4 tablespoons is equal to 1/4 cup.
How to make southern country gravy using meat drippings
This creamy gravy can be made using bacon grease, breakfast sausage grease, or the pan drippings after making chicken-fried steak, fried chicken tenders or pan fried pork chops (basically any pan-fried meat). You just need the same amounts as specified in the recipe card below. If I make chicken fried steak or chicken fingers then I measure out the fat after the meat is cooked, if I don’t quite have 4 tablespoons of fat leftover then I just add enough canola oil to it to equal 4 tablespoons.
Watch the video to see how I make bacon gravy
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. According the USDA you can freeze it for 4-6 months.
What we love about this homemade gravy recipe
- We always have everything on hand to make this.
- It is an easy recipe that only takes about 8 minutes to whip, that’s quick!
- This gravy is versatile and can be served over biscuits, potatoes, or meat.
- It has a creamy texture that is so comforting.
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Easy Homemade Southern White Country Gravy Recipe ↓
Easy Homemade Southern White Country Gravy
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups milk
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Instructions
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the flour, salt and pepper to the melted butter; cook whisking constantly for about 1-2 minutes until bubbly.
- Slowly add the milk and continue to cook over medium to medium-high heat, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens to the desired consistency, about 5 minutes.
- Serve over hot biscuits, mashed potatoes, or cooked meat.
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