You Probably Have The Ingredient That Gives Store-Bought Gravy A Rich, Homemade Taste

Whether we like to admit it or not, making gravy from scratch can be such a Herculean task, and the result is not always guaranteed either. Some nights, meticulously whisking flour and drippings into a proper roux is simply not an option, and so we turn to the jar of store-bought gravy that's been sitting in the fridge. All of a sudden, the meal comes together at a much quicker pace, and with some extraordinary ways to make store-bought gravy taste homemade, it's no less toothsome than before. Dairy cream is your friend on this particular journey, and trust us, even a small splash can make a huge difference.

No matter how good they try to be, store-bought gravy brands always leave something to be desired as they hopscotch between flavor gaps and textural inconsistency. And that's where the dairy comes in handy. It casts a classic creamy richness over the savory base, making even the plainest gravy feel much more well-rounded. That buttery complexity, coupled with the steaming hot warmth, is all you need to mask the gravy's monotonous depth. From there on, if there's anything that can make it better, it's the texture thickening into a velvety smoothness, clinging to every morsel of mashed potatoes and roasted turkey. Full-bodied and impeccably satisfying, your store-bought gravy is finally ready to grace the dining table.

At the last minute, just about any thick cream you have in the fridge will do. However, there are still various types of cream to choose from, so which one actually works best for store-bought gravy? Heavy cream is a top-notch choice for many, not only for the extreme thickness, but also for its ability to balance out any gravy that's overly salty. For those familiar with Southern cuisine, this addition probably also brings white gravy to mind. Indeed, sprucing up your store-bought gravy with half a cup of heavy cream might give you something similar to country gravy, which is fantastic over fried chicken and biscuits. The same goes for whole milk and evaporated milk, although of course, these ingredients tend to lean heavier on the sweet side.

If you'd prefer something with a lower fat percentage, half-and-half would be a more suitable pick as it contains only about one-third to half the amount of milk fat compared to heavy cream. It also doesn't have any extra sweetness, which is perfect when you want to maintain the gravy's distinctive savory depth. Keep in mind that with this ingredient, you will need to temper it beforehand to prevent curdling due to temperature changes. Do this by gradually adding a bit of hot gravy to the half-and-half, then stir and repeat until the dairy has sufficiently warmed up before actually pouring the mixture into the pot of gravy on your stove.