View source for Gravy

{{Short description|Sauce made from the juices of meats}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Infobox food
| name               = Gravy
| image              = Wine sauces on the sauceboat.jpg
| caption            = Brown gravy, served in a [[sauce boat]]
| alternate_name     = 
| place_of_origin    = [[France]] <br /> [[United Kingdom]]
| creator            = 
| course             = Sauce
| served             = 
| main_ingredient    = Juices of meats and vegetables, [[thickeners]], gravy salt, [[gravy browning]], [[bouillon cube]]s|
| other              = Main uses: [[Sunday roast]] or with chips ([[United Kingdom]]), turkey stuffing and American biscuits ([[North America]]), poutine ([[Canada]]), bread-based dishes ([[Mediterranean cuisine]])
}}
'''Gravy''' is a [[sauce]] made from the juices of meats and vegetables that run naturally during cooking and often thickened with thickeners for added texture. The gravy may be further coloured and flavoured with gravy salt (a mix of salt and caramel food colouring) or gravy browning (gravy salt dissolved in water) or [[bouillon cube]]s. Powders can be used as a substitute for natural meat or vegetable extracts. Canned and instant gravies are also available.<ref>{{cite book | last=Peter | first=K.V. | title=Handbook of Herbs and Spices | publisher=Elsevier Science | series=Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition | year=2012 | isbn=978-0-85709-567-1 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P4FwAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA112 | access-date=May 23, 2017 | page=112}}</ref> Gravy is commonly served with [[roasting|roasts]], [[meatloaf]], [[sandwich|sandwiches]], [[rice]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.realcajunrecipes.com/recipe/rice-and-gravy/|title=Rice and Gravy &#124; RealCajunRecipes.com: la cuisine de maw-maw!|date=January 1, 1970|website=RealCajunRecipes.com}}</ref> [[noodles]], [[French fries|fries]] (chips), [[mashed potato]]es, or [[biscuit (bread)|biscuits]] (North America; see [[biscuits and gravy]]).

== History ==
One of the earliest recorded mentions of gravy is in a 14th-century British recipe book, ''[[The Forme of Cury]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pegge |first1=Samuel |date=1390 |title=[[The Forme of Cury]] }}{{pn|date=April 2025}}</ref> The term gravy originates from the Old French word for meat or fish bouillon, which in fourteenth century French manuscripts was "gravé" or "grané". It is suggested that  the French word grané is associated with grain, connecting grain’s usage in culinary terms as a sauce made from meat and served with meat.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tebben |first1=Maryann |title=Sauces: A Global History |date=2014 |publisher=Reaktion Books |isbn=978-1-78023-351-2 }}{{pn|date=April 2025}}</ref>

=== Popularisation in different cultures ===

The long history of British colonization and immigration in North America has influenced food production and consumption in Canada and the United States. In North America, gravy is considered a popular sauce to accompany traditional Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations and food, such as turkey and potatoes.

In the Southern United States, gravy and biscuits are popular breakfast foods that originated in Southern Appalachia in the late 1800s.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hutcherson |first=Aaron |date=2019-07-22 |title=The surprising history served with a plate of biscuits and gravy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2019/07/22/today-even-fancy-restaurants-serve-biscuits-and-gravy-but-the-dish-comes-from-modest-beginnings/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |newspaper=The Washington Post }}</ref> While the South has developed various types of gravy, most contain sausage, flour, butter, and milk, affordable ingredients for working-class families.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hutcherson |first1=Aaron |last2=Fowler |first2=Geoffrey A. |last3=Frankel |first3=Todd |last4=Natanson |first4=Hannah |last5=Voght |first5=Kara |last6=Amenabar |first6=Teddy |last7=Valiño |first7=Álvaro |last8=Galocha |first8=Artur |last9=Andrews |first9=Travis |date=2019-07-22 |title=The surprising history served with a plate of biscuits and gravy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/voraciously/wp/2019/07/22/today-even-fancy-restaurants-serve-biscuits-and-gravy-but-the-dish-comes-from-modest-beginnings/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |newspaper=The Washington Post }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Lauren |date=2020-03-12 |title=The BEST Biscuits and Gravy recipe |url=https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/sausage-gravy-biscuits/ |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Tastes Better From Scratch |language=en-US}}</ref>

Gravy is one of three ingredients in the French-Canadian dish [[poutine]], made up of French fries, cheese curds, and a salty, light brown sauce combining beef and chicken stock. Poutine emerged in rural Québec in the 1950s and has become one of Canada’s most iconic meals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ricardocuisine |title=Brown Gravy Sauce for Poutine and Hot Chicken |url=https://www.ricardocuisine.com/en/recipes/4854-brown-gravy-sauce-for-poutine-and-hot-chicken |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Ricardo |language=en}}</ref>

=== Instant gravy ===
The first instant gravy was developed by the British company Bisto in 1908, as a meat-flavoured powder that can be combined with water and served with meat.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davies |first=Jeffrey |date=2023 |title=Everything You Never Knew About Bisto |url=https://www.britshop.ca/blogs/britshop-blogs/everything-you-never-knew-about-bisto |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Britshop}}</ref> Instant gravy is now sold by various companies, including Heinz, Knorr, and McCormick.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gravy and Sauces |url=https://www.mccormick.com/spices-and-flavors/recipe-mixes/gravies-and-sauces |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=McCormick |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gravies Classic and delicious |url=https://www.knorr.com/ca/en/knorr-products/knorr-gravies.html |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=Knorr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Make Every Day a Gravy Day {{!}} Heinz |url=https://www.heinz.com/everyday-gravy |access-date=2025-03-24 |website=www.heinz.com}}</ref>

==Types==
{{more citations needed section|date=July 2021}}
: ''See also [[wikt:gravy#Hyponyms|Wiktionary > gravy § Hyponyms]]''
* {{anchor|brown}}Brown gravy is the name for a gravy made from the drippings from roasted meat or fowl. The drippings are cooked on the stovetop at high heat with onions or other vegetables, and then thickened with a thin mixture of water and either wheat flour or cornstarch.
* Cream gravy, or white gravy (sawmill gravy), is a [[bechamel]] sauce made using fats from meat—such as sausage or bacon—or meat drippings from roasting or frying meats. The fat and drippings are combined with flour to make a roux, and milk is typically used as the liquid to create the sauce; however, cream is often added or may be the primary liquid. It is frequently seasoned with black pepper, and complementing herbs and bits of meat may be added such as sausage or diced chicken liver. It is an important part of many Southern U.S. meals, and frequently used as an ingredient in casseroles and other Southern dishes such as [[biscuits and gravy]] and served alongside other regional dishes including [[mashed potato]]es, [[fried chicken]] and [[chicken-fried steak]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thespruceeats.com/tys-southern-cream-gravy-3057039|title=Homemade Southern Cream Gravy With Drippings|website=The Spruce Eats}}</ref> Other common names include country gravy, sawmill gravy, milk gravy, and [[sausage gravy]].
* Egg gravy is a variety of gravy made starting with meat drippings (usually from [[bacon]]) followed by flour being used to make a thick [[roux]]. Water, broth, or milk is added and the liquid is brought back up to a boil, then salted and peppered to taste. A well-beaten [[Egg (food)|egg]] is then slowly added while the gravy is stirred or whisked swiftly, cooking the egg immediately and separating it into small fragments in the gravy.
* Red gravy can refer to several different dishes. It is a simple, basic tomato sauce in New Orleans.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gumbopages.com/food/sauces/red-gravy.html|title=New Orleans Red Gravy|website=www.gumbopages.com}}</ref> In some Italian-American communities it refers to a complex long- and slow-cooked tomato sauce, frequently with meats and vegetables,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-you-prefer-sauce-or-gravy | title=Do You Prefer Sauce or Gravy?| date=22 March 2018}}</ref> although the distinction between "sauce" and "gravy" in the Italian-American tomato world is debated.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://orderisda.org/culture/language/lets-finally-settle-the-decades-old-sauce-vs-gravy-debate/. | title=Let's Finally Settle the Decades-old Sauce vs. Gravy Debate | date=17 May 2020}}</ref> There are several red gravies from India, which are variations of tomato-based curry.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vegetariantastebuds.com/restaurant-style-red-gravy/|title=Restaurant Style Red Gravy: All-purpose curry base|website=www.vegetariantastebuds.com/|date=29 August 2022 }}</ref>
* Giblet gravy has the [[giblets]] of turkey or chicken added when it is to be served with those types of poultry, or uses stock made from the giblets.
* [[Mushroom gravy]] is a variety of gravy made with mushrooms.
* [[Onion gravy]] is made from large quantities of slowly [[Sweating (cooking)|sweated]], chopped [[onion]]s mixed with [[stock (food)|stock]] or [[wine]]. It is commonly served with [[bangers and mash]], eggs, [[meat chop|chops]], or other grilled or fried meat which by way of the cooking method would not produce their own gravy.
* [[Red-eye gravy]] is a gravy made from the drippings of ham fried in a skillet or frying pan. The pan is [[Deglazing (cooking)|deglazed]] with coffee, giving the gravy its name, and uses no thickening agent. This gravy is a staple of Southern United States cuisine and is usually served over ham, [[grits]] or [[biscuit]]s.
* Vegetable gravy or vegetarian gravy is gravy made with boiled or roasted vegetables. A quick and flavourful vegetable gravy can be made from any combination of vegetable broth or vegetable stock, flour, and one of either butter, oil, or [[margarine]]. One recipe uses vegetarian [[bouillon cube]]s with [[cornstarch]] (corn flour) as a thickener ("cowboy [[roux]]"), which is whisked into boiling water. Sometimes vegetable juices are added to enrich the flavour, which may give the gravy a dark green colour. Wine could be added. Brown vegetarian gravy can also be made with savoury [[yeast extract]] like [[Marmite]] or [[Vegemite]]. There are also commercially produced instant gravy granules which are suitable for both [[vegetarians]] and [[vegans]], though some of the leading brands are not marketed as being vegetarian.

==Cuisines==
{{More citations needed section|date=July 2021}}
[[File:-2019-12-22 Roast turkey served vegtables, pigs in blanket, stuffing, cranberry sauce tartlet, and gravy, Trimingham.JPG|thumb|Roast meal with gravy]]
[[File:2021-11-25 21 30 25 Mashed potatoes with gravy from Wegmans in the Franklin Farm section of Oak Hill, Fairfax County, Virginia.jpg|thumb|[[Mashed potato]]es and gravy from an American supermarket]]

In the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], a [[Sunday roast]] is usually served with gravy. It is commonly eaten with [[beef]], [[pork]], [[chicken (food)|chicken]] or [[Lamb and mutton|lamb]]. It is also popular in different parts of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland to have gravy with just [[French fries|chips]] (mostly from a [[fish and chip]] shop or [[Chinese takeaway]]).

In [[British cuisine|British]] and [[Irish cuisine]], as well as in the cuisines of [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] countries like [[Australia]], [[Canada]] and [[New Zealand]], the word gravy refers only to the meat-based sauce derived from meat juices, stock cubes or gravy granules. Use of the word "gravy" does not include other thickened sauces. One of the most popular forms is [[onion gravy]], which is eaten with sausages, [[Yorkshire pudding]] and roast meat.

Throughout the United States, gravy is commonly eaten with [[Thanksgiving]] foods such as [[turkey meat|turkey]], mashed potatoes and [[stuffing]]. One Southern United States variation is sausage gravy eaten with [[Biscuit (bread)|American biscuits]]. Another Southern US dish that uses white gravy is [[chicken-fried steak]]. [[Rice and gravy]] is a staple of [[Cajun cuisine|Cajun]] and [[Louisiana Creole cuisine|Creole cuisine]] in the southern US state of [[Louisiana]].<ref>{{cite thesis |id={{ProQuest|1425348034}} |last1=Istre |first1=Elista Dawn |date=2013 |title='Honey, We's All Creoles': Exploring South Louisiana's Creole Identity, Culture, and Heritage }}{{pn|date=April 2025}}</ref>

Gravy is a key ingredient in the Canadian dish poutine which is a combination of french fries, gravy and cheese curds. The dish emerged in Quebec and is associated with the province’s identity.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sicotte |first1=Geneviève |title=La légende dorée de la poutine: Tentative de décodage d'un récit des origines |journal=Ethnologies |date=8 October 2024 |volume=46 |issue=1 |pages=153–174 |doi=10.7202/1113963ar }}</ref>

In some parts of [[Asia]], particularly [[India]], gravy is any thickened liquid part of a dish. For example, the liquid part of a thick [[curry]] may be referred to as gravy.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://indianfood.about.com/od/masalarecipes/r/basicgravy.htm |title=Basic Indian gravy |access-date=2009-12-07 |archive-date=2017-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170122195639/http://indianfood.about.com/od/masalarecipes/r/basicgravy.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.daawat.com/recipes/indian/veg/gravy.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091211213011/http://www.daawat.com/recipes/indian/veg/gravy.htm|url-status=dead|title=List of Indian gravy dishes|archivedate=December 11, 2009}}</ref>

In the Mediterranean, [[Maghreb]] cuisine is dominated with gravy and bread-based dishes. [[Tajine]] and most Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) dishes are derivatives of oil, meat and vegetable gravies. The dish is usually served with a loaf of bread. The bread is then dipped into the gravy and then used to gather or scoop the meat and vegetables between the index, middle finger and thumb, and consumed.

In gastronomy of [[Menorca]], it has been used since the English influence during the 17th century in typical Menorcan and Catalan dishes, as for example ''macarrons amb grevi'' (pasta).<ref>Xim Fuster i Manel Gómez: ''Menorca: gastronomía y cocina''. Sant Lluís. 2005. Ed. Triangle Postals. {{ISBN|84-8478-187-9}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Food}}
* [[Au jus]] – beef juice
* [[Cuisine of the Southern United States]]
* [[Gravy train (disambiguation)]]
* [[List of sauces]]
* [[Sauce boat]], also referred to as a gravy boat

==References==
{{Wiktionary}}
{{Commons category|Gravy}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Lists of prepared foods|state=collapsed}}
{{English cuisine}}

[[Category:Sauces]]
[[Category:Non-Newtonian fluids]]
[[Category:Thanksgiving food]]
[[Category:Meat-based sauces]]