How to Make Country Gravy Taste Less Like Flour

One of the signature recipes of Southern cooking is country gravy, a less-refined version of the classic bechamel sauce used in fine-dining restaurants. Also known as white gravy, it's traditionally made with milk, flour and lard or the drippings from a meal of ham, chicken or sausage. In unskilled hands, the gravy can be unpleasantly pasty, with a heavy taste of flour. That taste goes away if the flour is cooked long enough.

Things You'll Need

  • Lard, butter or other cooking fat
  • Saucepan
  • Flour
  • Milk
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Melt your lard, butter or other fat in a saucepan over medium heat, then stir in the flour.

  2. Cook the flour for seven to 10 minutes over moderate heat, stirring frequently to prevent it sticking and scorching. The mixture -- called a "roux" -- should develop a pale tan color and begin to smell nutty.

  3. Stir in your cold milk in a slow, steady stream, whisking briskly until the roux is well dispersed throughout the milk. Bring the milk to a boil, then turn it down immediately. Add salt and pepper to taste.

  4. Simmer the gravy for three to five minutes, until it's fully thickened. It should just coat the back of a spoon, sliding off in slow drips. If it's too thick, thin it with a little more milk.

  5. Taste the gravy. If there is still a detectable flavor of flour, let it simmer for another five minutes and then taste it again. Repeat until the floury taste is gone. Stir the gravy continuously to prevent it from sticking and scorching while it cooks.

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