Easy Ham Gravy Recipe {How to Make with Drippings} - Adventures of Mel (2024)

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by Mel Lockcuff

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How to make an easy homemade ham gravy recipe, made last minute with leftover ham drippings. This gravy makes a delicious side dish with ham, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings at your holiday or family dinner!

Homemade ham gravy (like its counterpart turkey gravy) is a staple side dish whenever we cook a ham in the oven, which is mostly on holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter. Family dinner and holiday dinners just wouldn’t be the same without gravy to smother over our sliced ham and mashed potatoes.

this recipe

Now it's important to remember… The main flavoring for ham gravy comes directly from the ham itself. So if you glaze your ham, like with a brown sugar glaze or something like this sweet pineapple honey baked ham, the sweet flavoring from the glazed ham will go into your gravy for ham, and the end result will be a sweet gravy.

It's so easy to make homemade gravy, and it's super quick too. It's delicious and definitely worth the minimal effort.

Easy Ham Gravy Recipe {How to Make with Drippings} - Adventures of Mel (2)

Why You'll Love Knowing How to Make Ham Gravy

There are a lot of reasons to love this delicious gravy recipe…

  • It's an easy condiment to make, takes less than 30 minutes to make, and it's something you can make last minute just before serving the main meal.
  • It takes a very minimal amount of ingredients to make gammon gravy. In fact, they're all pretty simple, and you likely already have them on hand.
  • It's a delicious ham gravy!
  • Ham gravy is so versatile and can be used in so many delicious ways. Not only does it complement a ham dinner, but it makes a very tasty addition to your nextbaked potato baror mashed potato bar, as well as a tasty dip for leftover ham crescent rolls. And you can use it in place of brown gravy or chicken gravy in a mashed potato bowl.
  • It's a fantastic addition to your holiday dinner spread. I’ve added this ham gravy recipe with drippings to my collections of favorite Thanksgiving recipes,Christmas recipes, and Easter dinner recipes, where you’ll find all the holiday inspiration you need in one place.
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Ingredients and Substitutions Notes

You'll need just a handful of ingredients to make gravy for gammon (or ham). While you should have most of the ingredients on hand, you'll likely need to purchase a ham at the grocery store, in order to have leftover ham drippings.

  • All-Purpose Flour – I prefer to use an unbleached all-purpose flour; you can also use a good gluten-free flour, although it's important to note that gravy made with gluten-free flour doesn't stay thick as long as with regular flour… In other words, it won't store well. If you need a good gluten-free ham gravy alternative, ham gravy with cornstarch is just the thing.
  • Heavy Cream – You can skim heavy cream off of raw milk, or you can use store bought heavy whipping cream.
  • Ham Drippings – You can scoop the ham juices and pan drippings from the roasting pan after baking a spiral ham, bone-in whole ham, or boneless ham. You should have enough drippings to at least make a small batch of homemade gravy. These leftover ham drippings will likely give you all the delicious flavor you need without any extra seasoning, salt, or black pepper. If you don't have any ham drippings, you can always use ham broth made from bouillon to make ham gravy.
  • Water

How to Make This Old-Fashioned Ham Gravy Recipe

Making this easy gravy for ham is actually really simple, but there are a few tips and tricks that will ensure you make a really good gravy from ham drippings.

How to Avoid Lumpy Gravy

Before we get started, here are 3 tips for preventing lumpy gravy…

  • It's important to start with a roux, and you do this by mixing together the flour and heavy whipping cream in a smallmixing bowlor glass measuring cup. Whisking this together in the beginning will help prevent lumps in your gravy.
  • Use a whisk to stir your gravy while it's cooking. It’s pretty much a given that you may have a few lumps, but you can minimize them by whisking the gravy.
  • Take your time to avoid any lumps in your gravy. To me, this right here is the secret to good gravy… Patience and being willing to take your time. Work on medium-low heat, and don't get in a hurry, and you'll make a good gravy.

Now Let's Make Ham Gravy

  1. Mix together the flour and heavy whipping cream in a smallmixing bowl or glass measuring cup.
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  1. Graduallywhisktogether the flour/cream mixture with the pan drippings in alarge saucepanor skillet on medium heat.
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  1. Add in the water.
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  1. Continue whisking and stirring the gravy until it begins to thicken and is ready to serve.

Then just pour the gravy into a gravy boat, and serve it with ham, mashed potatoes, and all the fixin's! It will add such a rich flavor to your mashed potatoes, you'll wish you had that ham flavor the next time you eat potatoes.

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Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ's

How much gravy should you make per person?

The answer to this will really depend on the consistency of your gravy. When we make this recipe, we usually have a lot of leftover gravy. You want to plan on about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per person, again depending on how thick your gravy is.

How do you store and reheat ham gravy?

Store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the fridge; it should keep for about 3-4 days. You can re-heat gravy by placing it in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish for a few minutes, stirring between every 30-second increments of time, 'til heated through; or put the gravy in a saucepan, and heat it up over low to medium heat on the stove, constantly stirring so it doesn't scorch.

Can you freeze gravy?

Yes, you can. Just be sure to put it in an airtight freezer-friendly container, so it doesn't get freezer burn. It should keep for about 4 to 6 months.

Easy Ham Gravy Recipe {How to Make with Drippings} - Adventures of Mel (9)

More Side Dish Recipes to Serve with Ham Dinner

Whenever we make a ham dinner or turkey dinner, we usually serve it with sides like Instant Pot southern green beans, honey glazed carrots, or Jiffy corn casserole. Of course, homemade cranberry sauce is a must at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

If it's more gravy recipes you're looking for, Moscato Mom has a delicious recipe for slow cooker short ribs with gravy (also a keto recipe). And 918 Plate has a very yummy recipe for jumbo drop biscuits with brown butter gravy.

If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a reviewin the comment sectionfurther down the page? I always appreciate your feedback. You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. And subscribe to my email list too!

Easy Ham Gravy Recipe {How to Make with Drippings} - Adventures of Mel (10)

Ham Gravy Recipe

How to make an easy homemade ham gravy recipe with leftover ham drippings. Delicious side dish with ham, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings!

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiments, Sauces & Dressings, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 441kcal

Author: Mel Lockcuff

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 cups ham drippings
  • 1 cup water

Instructions

  • Mix together the flour and heavy cream in a smallmixing bowl or glass measuring cup.

  • Graduallywhisktogether the flour/cream mixture with the pan drippings in alarge saucepan or skillet on medium heat.

  • Add in the water.

  • Continue whisking and stirring the gravy until it begins to thicken and is ready to serve.

  • Serve with ham, mashed potatoes, and all the fixin's!

Notes

*Take your time whisking in the flour mixture to avoid any lumps in your gravy. It’s pretty much a given that you may have a few lumps, but you can minimize them by starting with the roux and taking your time, whisking the gravy.

Store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the fridge; it should keep for about 3-4 days. You can re-heat gravy by placing it in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish for a few minutes, stirring between every 30-second increments of time, 'til heated through; or put the gravy in a saucepan, and heat it up over low to medium heat on the stove, constantly stirring so it doesn't scorch.

Nutrition

Serving: 12servings | Calories: 441kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 67mg

Tried this Recipe? Tag us Today!Mention @mellockcuff or tag #aomrecipes!

Easy Ham Gravy Recipe {How to Make with Drippings} - Adventures of Mel (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for gravy? ›

A traditional roux uses roughly an equal amount of flour and fat, but gravies often call for a bit more flour than that, to ensure the gravy is thick enough. (The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.)

How to make gravy not so thick? ›

The longer you simmer gravy, the thicker it will become, and it's easy to end up with a thick, gloppy gravy. The fix here is super simple: whisk in a little more broth or water until it's thinned to the desired consistency.

When making gravy, do you use hot water or cold water? ›

The liquid needs to be very hot before thickening the gravy with flour. Combine ½ cup cold water and ½ cup flour in a container with a tight-fitting lid and shake to mix it. I find if I use cold water to mix with the flour, lumps do not form in the container.

Is gravy better with flour or cornstarch? ›

Browning adds more flavor to the gravy and gets rid of the raw flour taste. You're basically making a roux. We find that a flour-based gravy holds up better and reheats better later, which is why we tend to prefer using flour over cornstarch to make gravy unless we have a guest who is eating gluten-free.

What can you add to homemade gravy to make it taste better? ›

Bonus: Seasoning for Tasty Gravy

I only season my homemade gravy with salt and pepper, and it's delicious! If you want to add more spices, avoid anything with large pieces (such as dried rosemary) to keep gravy smooth. Thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, parsley, paprika, and oregano all taste great.

What ingredient in the gravy is the thickener? ›

Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one cup of cold water, whisking the mixture together until the cornstarch granules dissolve. Stir this mixture into your gravy on low heat. You can use arrowroot powder, tapioca flour, or potato starch as a thickener if you don't have cornstarch. 3.

Should gravy be thick or runny? ›

When it's hot, gravy should be thick enough to just coat the back of a spoon, but not so thick that it sticks to the spoon like glue. If your gravy is hot and still too thick, add broth a little at a time to thin it out. Remember to check the seasoning when you're done and adjust if needed.

Why is my gravy not tasty? ›

If the gravy lacks oomph, adjust seasoning as necessary with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. If you used canned stock instead of homemade, the gravy might not be as flavorful. Homemade stock, even made with chicken stock rather than turkey, will produce a superior gravy—so it's worth the effort.

Why does my homemade gravy taste like flour? ›

Gravy will taste floury when you've added too much flour to it or the flour has not been cooked enough to fold into the gravy ingredients as a whole. To try to fix this problem, add a little more broth and whisk through while heating gently.

Why does my gravy turn to jelly? ›

Why does my gravy have a jelly-like texture? Gravy gets a jelly-like texture due to too much thickener. Too much flour, for instance, can result in a gummy consistency (particularly when left overnight in the fridge). Reheating with additional liquid can often help soften things up.

What is it called when you mix flour and water for gravy? ›

Flour Slurry

If using flour/water as your slurry, place it in a jar and shake well. This will help make sure you don't get lumps in your gravy, stew, or soup! Place 3-4 tablespoons flour and ½ cup water or broth into a jar, shake VERY well to eliminate lumps.

Can you use the water from boiling potatoes to make gravy? ›

You can also use potato water to make a basic gravy without having to add any thickeners. Pour the hot potato water into a pan, add a broth base from whatever meat you're cooking, and add your favorite seasonings. The gravy will have a creamy consistency and be just as delicious as any other!

What is the ratio of flour to water when making gravy? ›

The ratio I use is: 1.5 tablespoons fat to 1.5 tablespoons flour to 1 cup liquid, which yields 1 cup of gravy. (Note: If you like your gravy thicker, go with 2 tablespoons of fat and 2 tablespoons of flour to 1 cup of liquid, which yields 1 cup of gravy).

How can I make my gravy richer? ›

Use flavorful liquids: Instead of using water, try using chicken or beef broth to make your gravy. This will add depth and richness to the flavor. Add herbs and spices: Consider adding herbs and spices to your gravy to enhance the flavor. For example, you can add a pinch of thyme, sage, or rosemary.

What is the best ingredient to thicken gravy? ›

If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don't add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.

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