Don’t wash the pan. I repeat — do not wash that pan. That’s where the flavor lives. You see those brown bits stuck to the bottom? That’s called fond. A fancy word, but it just means “tastes amazing.”

Scoop out most of the grease if there’s a ton, but leave a couple tablespoons.

Sprinkle flour right into that hot fat. Stir it around. It’ll look weird at first — thick, kinda clumpy. Keep moving it. You’ll smell it change after a minute or two — turns nutty, deep. That’s when you’re ready.

Slowly — and I mean slowly — add your broth while whisking. It’s gonna sizzle, maybe steam up a bit. Keep whisking like you mean it.

Don’t panic if it looks wrong halfway through. It’ll come together.

Turn the heat down, let it bubble soft for five-ish minutes. Watch it thicken. Give it a taste. Add salt, pepper, whatever feels right.

If you’ve got butter or cream, toss it in now. Makes it smooth, glossy, kinda fancy without even trying.

And that’s it. Done.

Here’s a tip: if it ever separates or looks oily, whisk in a little splash of hot water or broth. It’ll come right back together like nothing happened. Gravy’s forgiving like that.