Homemade Hamburger Gravy (Printable)
A rich, creamy beef gravy with savory ground beef and aromatic onions, ready in 30 minutes.
# What You'll 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
→ Thickeners
06 - 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
→ Fats
07 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Seasonings
08 - 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
09 - ½ tsp kosher salt, adjusted to taste
10 - ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - ¼ tsp smoked paprika
12 - ½ tsp dried thyme
# How to Make It:
01 - Place ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. 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 off any excess rendered fat from the skillet, leaving approximately 1 to 2 tablespoons in the pan for flavor.
04 - Add unsalted butter to the skillet and stir until completely melted. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour evenly over the meat 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 vigorously to prevent any lumps from forming.
06 - Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried thyme until evenly combined throughout the mixture.
07 - Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until it reaches your desired consistency and coats the back of a spoon.
08 - Taste the finished gravy and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle hot over mashed potatoes, steamed rice, or split biscuits.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It uses pantry staples you probably already have on hand, which means no emergency store runs.
- The gravy thickens into something rich and velvety that tastes like it took hours, not thirty minutes.
02 -
- Add the broth gradually while whisking or you will be fishing out flour lumps for the next ten minutes.
- The gravy continues to thicken as it sits off the heat, so pull it from the stove just before it looks perfect.
03 -
- Let the flour cook in the fat for a full minute before adding liquid to eliminate the raw flour taste that ruins so many gravies.
- Use a whisk, not a spoon, when adding liquids to the roux. It is the single biggest difference between smooth and lumpy.