The encyclopaedia of gravy
How to thicken a gravy that is too thin, ranked by how much time you have and whether flavour or speed matters more.
First, check it actually is too thin¶
Gravy thickens as it cools and as it sits. Take it off the heat, let it stand two minutes, then do the spoon test: dip a metal spoon, lift it, and draw a line through the film on the back with your finger. If the line holds its edges, the gravy is right.
Also remember it will be poured onto hot food, which loosens it again — and that chip-shop gravy and jus are supposed to be thin.
The four fixes¶
1. Reduce it (10–15 minutes, best flavour)¶
Simmer uncovered in a wide pan. Water leaves, everything else concentrates. This improves the flavour as well as the texture — the only fix that does. Do not add salt until afterwards.
See reducing stock.
2. Cornflour slurry (1 minute, fastest)¶
- Mix 1 tbsp cornflour with 2 tbsp cold water until smooth.
- Whisk into the simmering gravy.
- It thickens in under a minute. Add more in small amounts if needed.
Gives a glossier finish than the rest of the gravy, and thins again if boiled hard.
3. Beurre manié (3 minutes, classic)¶
- Mash 1 tbsp soft butter with 1 tbsp plain flour to a smooth paste.
- Drop it into the simmering gravy in small pieces, whisking.
- Simmer 3–4 minutes to cook out the flour.
Adds richness and gloss along with body. The professional choice.
4. Another roux (5 minutes)¶
Make a small roux separately — 15 g butter, 15 g flour, cooked 2 minutes — then whisk the hot gravy into it. More work, but it never lumps and it tastes clean.
What not to do¶
| Don't | Why |
|---|---|
| Sprinkle dry flour in | Instant lumps — see avoiding lumps in gravy |
| Boil it hard for ages | Splits enriched gravies, makes them cloudy, concentrates salt |
| Add gravy granules by the spoon | Works, but the flavour lurches; use a teaspoon at a time if you must |
| Add mashed potato | Muddies the flavour and looks grey, unless you meant to make a rustic sauce |
💡 Chef's tip
If the gravy is thin because you made too much, don't thicken it — ladle some into a tub for the freezer and reduce what's left. You end up with better gravy now and free gravy later.