How to Fix Gravy (Lumpy, Thin, Thick, Greasy or Salty)

The quick-fix chart

Find the problem, do the fix, then taste again before you do anything else. Keep a quart of warm, unsalted or low-sodium stock on the stove. It solves half of these by itself.

Lumpy gravy

Pull the pan off the heat and whisk hard, getting into the corners, for 30 seconds. Small lumps usually give up. If they don't, pour the gravy through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot and press the lumps through with a spoon, or blend it smooth with an immersion blender right in the pan. Bring it back to a simmer before serving.

Next time: Cook the flour in the fat first (a roux), then add warm liquid a ladle at a time while whisking, letting each addition smooth out before the next. Or shake flour and cold water together in a sealed jar until smooth before adding it.

Thin gravy

First make sure it has simmered for at least 3 to 5 minutes. Flour doesn't thicken all the way until it bubbles, and gravy also thickens as it cools on the plate.

Still thin? Use one of these:

• Cornstarch slurry, fastest. Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water for every 2 cups of gravy. Whisk it into the simmering gravy and simmer 1 minute, until glossy.
• Beurre manié, richest. Mash 1 tablespoon soft butter with 1 tablespoon flour. Whisk in small bits and simmer 3 to 5 minutes after each, until it coats a spoon.
• Reduce it. If it's thin but well seasoned and not too salty, simmer it uncovered in a wide pan. Five minutes makes a difference.
• Instant flour. The granular, quick-mixing flour sold for gravy can be whisked straight into hot gravy without lumping. Add a teaspoon at a time.

Too thick, greasy or broken

Too thick: Whisk in warm stock, a few tablespoons at a time, until it pours like heavy cream. Avoid plain water; it thins the flavor along with the texture. Gravy that has been sitting will set up again, so loosen it just before serving.

Greasy: Tilt the pan and spoon off the fat pooling on top. A fat separator (a cup with a spout at the bottom) makes it easy: pour the drippings in, let them settle a minute, and pour off the juices from under the fat. Paper towel laid on the surface and lifted off picks up the last film. A good rule is about 1 tablespoon of fat for each tablespoon of flour; anything beyond that floats.

Broken (fat sitting in puddles): Whisk in a splash of hot stock, or give it a few seconds with an immersion blender. If there's far too much fat, skim the extra first.

Bland, salty or pale gravy

Bland: Simmer it to concentrate the flavor. Then add savory depth in small amounts: a teaspoon of soy sauce or Worcestershire, a spoonful of skimmed pan drippings, a pinch of dried thyme or sage, or a splash of sherry or dry white wine simmered for 2 minutes. Season with salt and plenty of black pepper last. A small squeeze of lemon can wake it up.

Salty: The only real fix is dilution. Add unsalted stock or water, then thicken again with a little slurry. A splash of cream also softens the edge. The old trick of simmering a raw potato in it doesn't do much; it absorbs salty liquid, not just salt. To prevent it, use low-sodium stock and taste the drippings before adding them, especially from a brined or dry-brined turkey.

Pale: Next time, cook the roux to the color of peanut butter, and roast the bones or wings until deep brown before making stock. Right now, a teaspoon of soy sauce darkens it, and so do a few spoonfuls of deeply browned onions, blended in.

How to make gravy ahead

1. A day or two ahead, or weeks ahead if you'll freeze it, roast 3 to 4 pounds of turkey wings or necks with a chopped onion, carrot and celery at 425°F until deep brown, about an hour. That's where the roasted flavor comes from.
2. Simmer them with 10 cups of water or low-sodium stock for 1 to 2 hours, then strain. You want about 8 cups.
3. Make a roux with 1/2 cup each of butter and flour, cooked to the color of peanut butter, then whisk in 6 cups of the stock. Simmer until it coats a spoon. That makes about 6 cups.
4. Cool it quickly and cover it. Gravy made ahead from fresh stock keeps up to 3 days in the fridge; leftover gravy from the meal, 1 to 2 days. Either freezes for up to 3 months.
5. On the day, reheat it over medium heat, whisking, and bring it to a boil. Whisk in the skimmed turkey drippings and scrape the roasting pan with a little hot stock to add those browned bits. Adjust thickness and salt.

Common mistakes

• Adding flour straight to hot liquid. Instant lumps. Mix it with fat or cold liquid first.
• Thickening before it simmers. It thickens as it bubbles; give it a few minutes before reaching for more starch.
• Salting the drippings blind. Drippings from a brined bird can be very salty. Taste first.
• Using all the fat in the pan. Measure what you need for the roux and pour the rest off.
• Making it last. The gravy is the most rushed job of the meal. Make it ahead and just finish it at dinner.