A big splash of this delicious All-Purpose Gravy will add the perfect amount of zesty creaminess to your favourite dishes like roast turkey, mashed potatoes and even a plateful of French fries, like my recipe for Smoked Meat Poutine. This beef gravy is made without pan drippings, but don't let that fool you because the flavour and savouriness of this not-so-classic All-Purpose Gravy will surprise you.
The richness of this creamy condiment is due in part to an ingredient called nutritional yeast which adds a huge amount of umami to the gravy, and its silky texture comes from using Beurre Manié (which is a kneaded butter and flour thickening paste). My post about Beurre Manié goes into more detail if you want to learn more about the wonders of this thickening paste.
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Salt is not a stand-alone ingredient in this recipe because the nutritional yeast is already salty, as is the Worcestershire sauce and low-sodium beef broth.
- The thickening agent in this All-Purpose Gravy comes from using Beurre Manié, a paste of butter and all-purpose flour. Read on as I explain how to make it, or read my post for Beurre Manié, which goes into more detail.
See the recipe below for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- I used beef broth because I wanted a savoury gravy with a strong flavour. Chicken broth, vegetable broth or even mushroom broth would make suitable substitutes.
- You can add coarsely chopped thyme, rosemary or sage to replace the bay leaf. Before serving, strain the gravy through a fine mesh sieve to remove the solid pieces.
Secrets for Success
- Nutritional yeast adds a lot of umami to this gravy, so don't skip it.
What is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional yeast is a type of deactivated yeast from the strain called Saccharomyces cerevisiae. It comes sold in flakes, as I used for this recipe, and in powdered and granular form. Nutritional yeast adds a nutty flavour to your dishes and is often described as having a robust cheesy taste. It is packed with B vitamins as well as other vitamins and minerals. It's not to be confused with the yeast you use to make bread! It's not the same thing; don't substitute bread yeast for nutritional yeast. You can find nutritional yeast at the grocery store, usually in the organic section or health food stores.
How to Make All-Purpose Gravy
Combine ingredients: To a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all the ingredients except the butter, all-purpose flour and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
Combine butter and flour: As the beef broth and spices come up to a boil, in a small bowl, combine the butter and flour. Using a fork or your hands, mash the two ingredients together to form a dough-like paste.
Form the paste into a log and slice: Once combined, empty the bowl onto your work surface. Shape the butter and flour mixture into a log, and cut into equal-sized slices, about ¼" thick.
Add butter and flour mixture: When the broth has reached a boil, lower the heat to medium. Begin whisking the gravy while dropping in one butter slice at a time. Keep whisking. This will take less than one minute.
Add bay leaf: Lower the heat and add in the bay leaf. Simmer the gravy without the lid for 8-10 minutes, whisking every few minutes until the gravy has thickened.
Gravy is ready: The gravy is ready when it coats the back of a wooden spoon, leaving a visible trace as you pass your fingertip through it. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
FAQ
Nutritional yeast is the secret. When you are short on time, and a roast is not on the menu, making gravy with nutritional yeast will replace the rich taste you would have gotten from roasting a turkey or making a roast beef and using the pan drippings.
Making a beurre manié is a foolproof method to help you make a smooth lump free gravy. This method is different than a roux in that the flour is coated in butter, and when you add the mixture to hot liquid, the butter melts, and the flour gets distributed throughout the liquid, naturally thickening it.
Storage & Reheating
- The gravy can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three days. Or freeze the gravy for up to three months.
- Reheat refrigerated gravy gently over low heat. If previously frozen, let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Add the thawed gravy to a small saucepan and reheat gently over low heat.
Recipe
All-Purpose Gravy
Equipment
- small saucepan
- wooden spoon
- measuring cups & spoons
- small bowl
- fork
- whisk
Ingredients
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, room-temperature
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 bay leaf
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: To a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all the ingredients except the butter, all-purpose flour and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.2 cups low-sodium beef broth, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon oregano, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Combine butter and flour: In a small bowl, combine the butter and flour. Using a fork or your hands, mash the two ingredients together to form a dough-like paste. This will take 3-5 minutes.¼ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Form the paste into a log and slice: Once combined, empty the bowl onto your work surface. Shape the butter and flour mixture into a log, and cut into equal-sized slices, about ¼" thick.
- Add butter and flour mixture: When the broth has reached a boil, lower the heat to medium. Begin whisking the gravy while dropping in one butter slice at a time. Keep whisking. This will take less than one minute.
- Add bay leaf: Lower the heat and add in the bay leaf. Simmer the gravy without the lid for 8-10 minutes, whisking every few minutes until the gravy has thickened.1 bay leaf
- Gravy is ready: The gravy is ready when it coats the back of a wooden spoon, leaving a visible trace as you pass your fingertip through it. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
Notes
- This recipe yields 2 cups of gravy.
- The nutritional information is based on 4 servings of ½ cup each.
- The recipe can easily be doubled.
Helen says
I must try this, I’ve heard so many good things about nutritional yeast.
Donna Poirier says
Yes, give it a try and let me know what you think.