My garandmother on my Dad's side made the best white gravy for chicken fried steak I've every had. It was so good for desert we'd have a piece of white bread with gravy on top at times.
She has passed and at one time we had her index card for white gravy but cannot find it. Could you all post your basic white gravy recipes or better yet your grandmother's or great grandmothers?
Much appreciated.

I make gravy by feel and taste. Couldn't really write it down. It's more of a process than a recipe.

Two table spoons of flour per to one cup of whole milk with salt and pepper. Stir it until thickened.

This came from my Grandma and my mom to me:

Remove from heat. Leave about an 1/8th inch of grease and crust pieces in the bottom of pan. Dump about a half a cup off flour, Salt and pepper to taste, add a little sugar maybe a tablespoon. Stir it together and if it gets thick. (High Heat) Return to heat and once it bubbles you're good to go. If still runny add more flour until it thickens. You don't want it too thick to stir but right on the edge.

Have your milk handy.

(High Heat) Once done add milk according to how much gravy you want (about a half of a gallon usually) and stir without stopping to make sure it never sticks. Be sure to scrap the bottom all the time when stirring. I use a spatula. It will start to thicken before boiling. Once the gravy starts bubbling and once you get the consistency you want remove from heat.

You'll have to play with it. I never measure anything so I'm guessing on most of that. The secret is the thick base with the flour. Get that right and you will be good. It is great the next morning for biscuits and gravy too.

I use this recipe on Chicken and chicken friend steaks. I fry in a tall pot like a spaghetti pan. Like this:

Are you looking for real old-school white gravy, or country/pepper gravy... Growing up in south Georgia, my grandmother and aunts would make regular white gravy (with butter) for every meal, and it could be used on every component of the meal. Used to eat it on biscuits, rolls, and white bread too. For just using on meat dishes, they used the grease drippings and meat bits, but only put black pepper in the country gravy for fried foods.

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 1/2 cups milk

salt and white pepper, to taste

Heat a large saucepan over low heat.
Add the butter and stir until it is melted. 


Stir in the flour, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. You want a pretty blonde roux.


Gradually add the milk while stirring (a whisk works best for this part, rather than a spoon). Add about a 1/2 cup at a time to prevent lumps. Stir until smooth.
Add the salt and pepper, as desired. 


Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let boil, while stirring, for about 1 minute, or until the mixture is thickened to your desire

Important things to remember is to cook the flour for a couple minutes in either method, so it doesn't taste like flour. If you want really creamy white gravy, then don't use low fat milk and substitute in a 1/2 cup of half and half, or heavy cream for the same amount of milk.

Thanks Bobcat1 and Blank! Writing these down. I think my grandmother always used of the oil after she chicken fried the steaks. Got some rabbits I'm frying up this week and want some good old school white gravy/country gravy.

Tpack that’s exactly what I use too

Good stuff!

White bread and gravy...I used to make a meal on it as a kid.

That sounds delicious. That’s a lot of gravy!

Me too and it’s delicious.

I ran out of flour one day and used pancake mix….I think it made better gravy.
Alway make mine with bacon grease and half and half

Whatever recipe you use out a tablespoon of your frying oil in it as well.

bobcat, yours sounds very close to how I learned years ago from my parents & grandparents ... only exception was the sugar was added after the milk was stirred into the roux to prevent caramelization ... and years later learned a new twist from an old deer camp cook to add thinly sliced onions into the mix while browning the flour, takes it to a whole different flavor profile

Try some finely chopped jalapeno, just a little. Don't want to overpower the gravy or the dish. Love it on chicken fried chicken.

Always try to use Half and Half, the cream makes a difference.