Step 1

Heat 1 cup of broth (stock) in a pot over medium heat. What kind of stock? Whatever you want! Chicken, beef, and vegetable are all good – it just depends on what you're pairing it with (chicken goes with chicken, etc.) and what your personal preferences are.As this recipe only makes 2-4 servings, you won’t need a very large pot. However, you can easily double (or even triple) the recipe if need be. The more gravy you need to make, the bigger the pot you’ll need.

Step 2

Put 2 tablespoons each of butter and flour into a small bowl and cream together. Make sure your butter is soft, but not melting (otherwise it will be nearly impossible to cream). It will eventually turn into a smooth paste – what the French call a “beurre manié.”If your butter is just chunking up, leave it alone to sit for a bit – it's too cold. Move your broth to low and come back in 5 or 10 minutes. Then resume as normal.

Step 3

Add the butter-flour paste to the stock, whisking vigorously. It’ll start out just like the butter and flour – a bit chunky and not at all appealing to the eye. Then slowly the paste will infuse into the broth, thickening it slowly.Keep whisking throughout the rest of this recipe. This keeps the air flowing and will result in your gravy thickening more quickly.

Step 4

Turn down the heat to low and wait for it to thicken. If the gravy is too hot, it will start to boil – which is not what you want, as that thins it and makes it foamy. On low, keep whisking lightly, keeping an eye on how thick it is getting. This could take up to 10 minutes. Be patient!Once you think it's thick enough, give it the spoon test. Dip a spoon in and then lift it out. Does it stay covered? Does it drip off like a gravy should?

Step 5

Season to taste. Especially with quick gravy (that doesn’t have pan drippings or cream), you may find that you prefer it with a bit of salt and pepper, or any other spice you're particularly fond of. Give it a taste test regularly to make sure you don't over-season it.Remember that the gravy will likely be eating in tandem with another food. If the gravy itself isn't strong, that's fine. It will be combining with other flavors anyway.