Gluten Free Country Gravy or White Gravy

This gluten free country gravy, or white gravy, is made without flour and is perfect to top many Southern classics.

Country gravy, also known as white gravy, is popular in the South.

It is served over classic Southern dishes as chicken fried steak and chicken fried chicken.

Typically, the best way to make this sauce is to use a roux.

A roux is flour and fat cooked together until it reaches a specific color.

Rouxs have been used in French cooking for hundreds of years to thicken sauce.

The flour is added to the melted fat or oil on the stove top, blended until smooth, and cooked to the desired color. 

A roux can be white and used for white sauce, blond for classic gravies, or brown and used in gumbo and jambalaya.

The lighter the roux ,the more thickening power it has.

Once the roux is the desired color, liquids like stock are added.

The reason a roux is ideal for gravies and sauces is because it doesn’t clump the way just adding flour to liquid does.

However, since a roux is not gluten free, we are going to use a slurry.

WHAT IS A SLURRY

Slurries are commonly used in Asian cooking and Chinese-American cuisine. It is used to make sauces needed for recipes like Beef and Broccoli and Pepper Steak.

A slurry, like a roux, is used to thicken gravies, sauces, stews, and soups. However, unlike a roux, it is added at the end of the recipe.

It is a combination between corn starch or potato starch and water and provides a silky texture. 

While it is less common, slurries can be made out of flour.

WHITE GRAVY VS BROWN GRAVY

White gravy and brown gravy are just what they sound like. White gravy is white and brown gravy is brown.

However, what gives them their colors also makes a big difference in their flavor profiles.

White gravy is made with milk or water, so it keeps the natural color of the flour.

Brown gravy is made from beef stock and is often served over mashed potatoes or dishes like loco moco.

Traditionally, regular table gravy can be a brown gravy, but is usually made with whatever drippings and stock of whatever it’s being served with.

So, brown gravy should be served with beef rather than chicken or turkey. However, there aren’t any strict rules about these things.

WHITE GRAVY VS WHITE SAUCE

White gravy is a particular kind of white sauce.

WHITE GRAVY VS SAUSAGE GRAVY

The key difference between white gravy and sausage gravy is simply that white gravy doesn’t include sausage.

Cornstarch

Starch is a natural component of almost all grains and some fruits and vegetables.

One of starch’s compelling properties is its ability to absorb and retain lots of liquid.

Starches are incredibly versatile ingredients. They cause the liquid to thicken and add moisture as well as a tender and delicate texture in baked goods.

They can also be combined with water as an egg replacement for eggless and vegan recipes, working as a binder and to add moisture.

In addition, starches are sometimes used to make a coating for frying, which creates a crispy texture on fried foods like fried chicken.

It’s also not uncommon to find starch used as a stabilizer.

Cornstarch is one of the most versatile starches there are. It is a terrific ingredient for thickening sauces, puddings, soups, and pie fillings and is also used in many baked good recipes.

Cornstarch Uses

Cornstarch is an underrated and underused ingredient in home kitchens. Here are a number of ways cornstarch can be used:

Cornstarch for thickening soups, stews, and gravies

Cornstarch is often used as a thickening agent when added to soups, stews, and gravies.

This is usually done by making a slurry which is then added to whatever is in need of thickening.

Cornstarch in baked goods

Starch helps keep breads, cakes, quick breads, muffins, cupcakes, and brownies fresh by absorbing and holding liquid.

For breads, you can replace up to 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour with cornstarch out of every three cups of flour.

For cakes, quick breads, muffins, and cupcakes, you can replace 2 tablespoons out of every cup of all-purpose flour.

Cornstarch in Cookies

Cornstarch gives cookies a soft center, helps prevent them from spreading, and adds chewiness.

Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of cornstarch per cup of flour called for in the recipe.

Cornstarch for Chewy Brownies

For chewy brownies that taste like those from the box, add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per 1/2 cup of flour.

How to substitute Cornstarch

Cornstarch is one of a number of starches available – though it tends to be the easiest to find.

The best alternative to cornstarch in my opinion is potato starch.

You should substitute potato starch for cornstarch in a 1:1 ratio. This means if you need 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, use 1 tablespoon of potato starch instead.

Which dairy free milk should I use?

Honestly, it’s whatever you have on hand or prefer.

My go-to is a neutral flavored full fat oat milk because I find that they are the most similar to regular full fat milk.

Almond milk works well here, too. I personally like using an unsweetened barista almond milk because it is more similar to regular full fat milk, but whatever you have will work.

You can also use coconut milk, though it may have a subtle coconut flavor if you do. Coconut milk has more fat and is similar to using a light cream, but it won’t make a noticeable difference.

I’ve never used soy milk, so I don’t have any opinions on it, but you can use that as well.

CAN IT BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes. You can make this gravy a day or two before and simply reheat it shortly before you’re ready to serve.

Let sauce cool completely. Cover it with wax paper or pour a film of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming.

HOW TO STORE

Once the gravy has cooled, place it in an airtight container. Keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator. 

HOW TO FREEZE

Once the gravy has cooled, place it in an airtight container or a resealable freezer bag. 

You can freeze gravy for up to 5 months. After that, it is still safe to eat, but the quality begins to degrade.

How to Reheat

Gravy will thicken as it cools. When you reheat it, add dairy free milk or water until it is smooth and reaches your desired consistency again.