Homemade Hamburger Gravy (Printable Version)
Hearty ground beef gravy with onions, perfectly seasoned and creamy. Ideal over mashed potatoes or biscuits.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1 lb ground beef, 80/20 blend recommended
→ Aromatics & Vegetables
02 - 1 small onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids & Dairy
04 - 2 cups beef broth
05 - 1 cup whole milk
→ Thickener
06 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
→ Fats
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Seasonings
08 - 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
09 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 1/4 teaspoon paprika
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
# How-To Steps:
01 - Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the ground beef. Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and cook until fully browned with no pink remaining, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
02 - Add the finely diced onion to the browned beef and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and continue cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Carefully drain any excess rendered fat from the skillet, leaving approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons in the pan to coat the mixture.
04 - Add the unsalted butter to the skillet and stir until completely melted. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the beef mixture and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly to form a smooth roux.
05 - Slowly pour in the beef broth and whole milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Continue whisking until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
06 - Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt, ground black pepper, paprika, and dried thyme. Mix thoroughly to distribute the seasonings evenly throughout the gravy.
07 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gravy reaches your desired consistency and coats the back of a spoon.
08 - Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately ladled over mashed potatoes, steamed rice, or split biscuits.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- It transforms a pound of ground beef into something that feels like a full restaurant worthy meal with almost no effort.
- The gravy comes together in one skillet, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent and you get all the credit.
02 -
- Adding the broth too fast or all at once is the fastest way to create a lumpy mess, so pour slowly and whisk aggressively.
- The gravy will continue to thicken as it sits off the heat, so pull it from the stove when it looks slightly thinner than you want.
03 -
- Use a whisk, not a spoon, when adding liquids to the roux because it breaks up flour clumps before they become permanent.
- Toast the flour in the butter for the full 2 minutes before adding liquid, because raw flour taste is the one flaw this recipe cannot recover from.