I remember my mother making her smooth gravy, she’d always put so much time, love and devotion into her delicious meals. This method and basic recipe below is called in German “Einbrenne”, “Mehlschwitze” or in French “Roux”
This recipe of making Gravy is very old. Basically you’d use your pan drippings (or butter) from your roast or poultry. Then you’d thicken it by stirring in the flour to get an intense flavor and nice texture.

Einbrenne or Roux: After frying the meat remove them from the pan and place them on a plate, remove fat and but leave about 2 tbsp.(fat or butter). Scrape the pan. Set on medium heat, sift into the pan with the drippings the 1 tbsp flour, stirring constantly and sweat through (3 to 5 min). Pour in 200 ml of liquid (clear broth, milk or water), stirring constantly with a whisk to avoid lumps. Bring to the boil once. Remove from heating element. Season gravy with salt and pepper and add a dollop of sour cream. I like to finish off my gravy with Worcestershire sauce and/or white wine at the end. Serve hot.
Note: For a dark gravy see below, whisk the butter and flour on medium heat until it turns dark (7 min). then add the water or broth (not milk). For this version I add 2 tbsp Red wine and/or Worcestershire sauce at the end.
Type of Einbrenne or Roux, light and dark
Whisk flour in dripping for Roux blanc about 3 minutes – Roux blond about 5 minutes – Roux brown about 7 minutes. Important! The flour must not burn. The resulting bitter substances would render the roux unusable.



Other method: 1 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp cornstarch in a cup, add 1/4 cup of cold water slowly while stirring with a fork. Add to warm broth in the pan while stirring and bring to a boil. Season.
Quick method: Light gravy: 1 can cream of mushroom, 3/4 cup of milk, 1/2 bouillon cube. Add to pan, boil, reduce heat and season to taste.
How do you make your gravy? Leave me a comment below
Make a smooth Gravy with Einbrenne or Roux
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp butter
- 200ml broth, milk or water
- Salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp Wine (red or white)
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Type of sauces, light or dark?
Whisk flour in dripping for Roux blanc about 3 minutes – Roux blond about 5 minutes – Roux brown about 7 minutes
Instructions
- Einbrenne or Roux:
- After frying the meat or poultry remove the pieces from the pan and place them on a plate.
- Remove fat and but leave about 2 tbsp.(fat or butter).
- Scrape the pan.
- Set on medium heat, sift in the 1 tbsp flour stirring constantly, sweat through about 3 to 5 min.
- Pour in 200 ml of liquid (clear broth, milk or water), stirring constantly with a whisk to avoid lumps.
- Bring to the boil once.
- Remove from heating element.
- Season gravy with salt and pepper and add a dollop of sour cream.
- I like to finish off my gravy with Worcestershire sauce and/or white wine at the end.
- Note:
- For a dark gravy, whisk the butter and flour on medium heat for about 7 min. until it turns dark.
- Add the water or broth (not milk).
- For this version I add 2 tbsp Red wine and/or Worcestershire sauce at the end.
Notes
Other method to make gravy: 1 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp cornstarch in a cup, add 1/4 cup of water slowly while stirring with a fork. Add to warm broth in the pan while stirring and bring to a boil. Season.
Quick method: Light gravy: 1 can cream of mushroom, 3/4 cup of milk, 1/2 bouillon cube. Add to pan, boil, reduce heat and season to taste.