How to Fix (and Prevent) Lumpy Gravy, According to a Chef

Good gravy is the icing on the cake of your holiday feast. Made with pan drippings from your turkey (or other protein) and thickened with a starch like flour or cornstarch, this make-ahead sauce evokes strong memories for many cooks. 

“I still make turkey gravy the same way my grandma and my mom did,” says Nicole Pederson-Bates, the director of culinary operations at Food Gallery Catering in Minneapolis, “starting with the stock made from turkey necks and gizzards and livers, and always onion and bay leaf. As the turkey is in the oven that beautiful stock sits on the stove and just simmers away.” 

The only thing standing between you and a grandma-worthy gravy? Lumps, which form when your starch cooks before it’s incorporated into the stock. Here’s a guide to keeping lumps at bay, and what you can do to give a lumpy gravy some TLC. 

Whisk, whisk, whisk

Your first line of defense against a lumpy gravy is using a whisk rather than a spoon, so you can get into the nooks and crannies of your saucepan. While a balloon whisk will work just fine, you might even consider a flat whisk, which allows you to scrape the surface of the entire pan. Whether you’re thickening your gravy with a roux or a slurry (more on that below), be sure to whisk constantly to prevent lumps.  

Consider making a slurry or beurre manié instead of a roux

Many professional and home cooks build their gravy from a cooked roux, which involves heating flour and fat together in your pan until they form a dark paste before adding your stock. If you’re making a roux, be sure to whisk your stock into it gradually.

But there’s an easier way to prevent lumps: Pederson suggests thickening your gravy with a slurry, i.e., adding an uncooked flour-and-water or cornstarch-and-water combination to your already simmering liquid.

To make a slurry: Whisk flour (or cornstarch) and water (using a ratio of one tablespoon flour/cornstarch to two tablespoons water) in a small bowl, then pour (a little at a time) that slurry into the simmering stock mixture, stirring constantly as it comes back to a boil. Like with a roux, it’s important to take your time. Resist the urge to dump all the slurry in at once, and instead whisk it in gradually.

Texture aside, many cooks still prefer a roux for its depth of flavor. If you’re looking for the best of both worlds, consider thickening your gravy with a beurre manié, made by kneading together equal parts softened butter and flour. Whisk knobs of the mixture into the gravy (about two tablespoons at a time) until it comes to a simmer and thickens into a rich, silky consistency. 

Push through a strainer

You’ve whisked carefully, you’ve simmered thoroughly, and you’ve seasoned perfectly, but your gravy still has lumps. What to do? A tried-and-true fix for lumpy gravy is a good old fashioned strainer. Pour the sauce through a fine mesh round or conical strainer, pushing on the solids with a spatula, into the clean pan you'll use to reheat it. 

Use an immersion blender

Pederson-Bates prefers power tools here. “I would get out my little stick blender,” she says. An immersion blender can be a godsend for smoothing and emulsifying sauces, even directly in the hot saucepan. Alternatively, you can transfer the gravy to a blender or food processor to whiz away lumps. Do this ahead of time, then reheat in a clean saucepan for piping hot gravy at dinnertime.

Add any extras at the end

Pederson-Bates suggests adding extra ingredients, such as fresh herbs or cooked mushrooms, to your gravy at the very end of cooking, so they don’t get in the way of your de-lumping.

Her final pro tip? “Finish your lump-free gravy with a knob of butter and a splash of sherry vinegar” for a little acidity and brightness. Then, season it and serve in an eye-catching gravy boat.