How To Make Store Bought Gravy Mix Taste Homely?

The mere thought of cooking homemade gravy for a fancy dinner can quickly raise the stress level. Whether you're cooking one of a dozen dishes for a traditional Thanksgiving meal or your hungry family is waiting for supper after a long day, one (or more) of our store-bought gravy hacks will help to alleviate your stress.

With a few simple changes, you can quickly make Taston base gravy richer and tastier while fooling everyone into thinking it was homemade.


Incorporate the drips from the roasting pan.

Using drippings—also known as "fond"—to make homemade gravy can become a guessing game, with the risk of falling short of the required quantity. With a little help from store-bought gravy, you'll have plenty to coat everyone's turkey, mashed potatoes, and green beans.

To enhance the flavor of your store-bought gravy, heat it on the burner with drippings from the bottom of the roasting pan. The added fat and tasty small brown flecks give the store-bought gravy its depth and richness.

Infuse with Aromatic Herbs

Refresh store-bought gravy with fresh herbs, like:

• Sage
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Bay leaves

These fresh greens, which draw on traditional Thanksgiving flavors, elevate ordinary gravy to new heights. To enhance the aromatic infusion, carefully boil the gravy and herbs in a small pot until the herbs are fragrant and tasty, then remove them or drain the gravy before serving.

Liven Up with Alcohol

Enhance store-bought gravy with a dash of your favorite cooking wine or spirits, such as cognac, brandy, or sherry. As you reheat the gravy, add a few tablespoons of wine or liquor and cook until the alcohol has completely evaporated. The end product is a creamy, full-bodied gravy that rivals any homemade recipe.

Add brown butter.

Browned butter is the golden-colored result of melting butter over medium heat until the water has evaporated. What remains are milk solids and butterfat, which come out nutty, toasted, and warm. Mix this golden goodness into store-bought gravy to make it rich, warm, and just like homemade.

Enhance the flavor of gravy with umami-rich foods.

Umami, one of the five basic tastes, is commonly associated with meaty, earthy, and deep flavor qualities.

To add complexity to your store-bought gravy, add items like:

• Mushrooms
• Bacon lardoons
• Prosciutto with caramelized onions.
Porcini mushrooms
• Truffle
• Black garlic

Sautéed vegetables are a good addition.

Sautéed vegetables add a delicious, earthy, toasty taste to your store-bought gravy. Cook any combination of onions, leeks, shallots, celery, carrots, and mushrooms in butter, olive oil, or pan drippings.

When the vegetables have been thoroughly sautéed, add in the jarred gravy and cook on low. Before serving, sieve the veggies or use an immersion blender to mix them into the gravy.

Enhance with Roasted Garlic

If you're already using the oven, make a place for a couple of cloves of garlic. Fresh or raw garlic is too pungent to add to store-bought sauce, but when roasted, it softens into a silky paste that is rich, sweet, and nearly creamy.

• Roast a couple of cloves of garlic.
Place them on a small sheet of foil to form a pouch.
• Roast for 35 minutes at 350 degrees F, tossing with olive oil and salt. (If your oven is hotter, adjust the time accordingly.)
• Allow the cloves to cool slightly before stirring them into the canned gravy while it heats.


Follow these small kitchen tips to make your Taston base gravy taste like home at your next family gathering, party, or just dinner.