This is basically how I make my gravy because I am notoriously bad at making the real thing. I don't strain mine.

Easy Gravy
Servings: 6

6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g)
½ cup all-purpose flour (60g)
3 cups warm broth (or pan drippings) (720mL)
¾ teaspoon onion powder
Salt to taste
Ground black pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns golden brown, about 4 minutes.

While whisking, slowly pour in the broth and whisk until smooth. Stir in the onion powder. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Simmer, stirring frequently, for about 6 minutes, until the gravy thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve.


Notes
Strain the gravy for a silky smooth texture: I like to strain my gravy after it has thickened to catch any potential lumps of flour that didn’t incorporate or little pieces of herb or meat from the drippings. This is totally optional, though!

For a white gravy, substitute whole milk for the broth. Perfect for serving with my buttermilk biscuits recipe and even more delicious with the addition of browned ground sausage for the perfect biscuits and gravy.

Add salt and pepper at the end. Finish the gravy with salt and black pepper to taste and additional onion powder if desired. Especially when using pan drippings, it is important to taste it before adding salt or pepper because the flavor of the drippings will vary depending on the seasonings used on the meat.

Use other fats for the roux. Unsalted butter is an easy way to make a roux for gravy, but you can certainly use other fats like the fat skimmed off of the drippings, duck fat, or dairy-free butter.