If you’ve ever wondered, “How do you make bacon grease gravy from scratch?” you’re going to love this recipe. It’s flavorful, versatile, and easy to prepare.
This luscious bacon gravy has a rich, complex flavor that makes everything it touches taste amazing. That’s because in addition to the base of bacon fat, butter and flour, the broth for the gravy is infused with cooked bacon and caramelized onions for extra flavor.
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For more creative ways to cook with bacon grease, you might enjoy:
Why You’ll Go Hog Wild for This Recipe
Flavor: The complex, bacon-infused flavor and rich brown color is everything you want in a gravy. The texture is amazing, too.
Texture: The perfect ratio of bacon fat, butter and flour makes a gravy that’s smooth and never greasy.
The BEST Condiment: You can improve anything with this creamy bacon gravy. Even plain buttered toast is transformed into a meal when you drizzle it with this elixir!
Lots of Uses: Bacon fat gravy is versatile, and makes a tasty addition to so many sides and dishes. See our serving suggestions below.
Recipe Inspiration
Perhaps you’ve had country bacon gravy made with whole milk, or seen a similar sausage gravy that’s lighter in color. If you’re looking for a milk-based bacon grease gravy, head on over to Food.com and check out their bacon gravy recipe with milk.
For this recipe, I wanted a beautiful brown gravy that really highlighted the savory flavor of bacon.
I was intrigued and inspired by the technique used by the Stay at Home Chef of blending partially-cooked bacon in liquid. After testing, I made some recipe modifications for the deeply colored, richly flavored gravy I was craving:
- I fully cooked the bacon to bring out its deep color and flavor.
- Replaced the olive oil with butter for added flavor.
- Reduced the amount of total fat a bit.
- Used flour instead of cornstarch. Using flour allows this gravy to be prepared in advance and reheated. (Cornstarch breaks down and isn’t recommended for reheating after refrigeration.)
- Used unsalted stock for better control of final sodium level.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Shown from the top, these are the ingredients you’ll need to make this delicious bacon gravy recipe. (Full directions and measurements are in the printable recipe card below.)
Turkey, chicken, beef, pork or vegetable stock – Use whichever stock you like, depending on how you’re going to serve the gravy. If you have time to make the stock from scratch, the flavor will be amazing and you can better control the sodium level to suit your taste.
This is my favorite homemade chicken stock recipe. I suggest making it without adding any salt. Then you can season your gravy to perfection. You can also use low sodium chicken broth or other prepared broth in a pinch.
All-purpose flour – Just three tablespoons of flour provide the right consistency for this delicious gravy.
Unsalted butter – Because the bacon is salty, I recommend unsalted butter for this recipe. If you only have salted butter, just adjust the seasonings accordingly.
A large sweet yellow onion such as Vidalia – A regular yellow or white onion is fine, too.
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 strips thick sliced smoked bacon – To make the best gravy the thick cut bacon slices work best for this recipe, as the chopped bacon gets nicely brown and crispy without any hard little pieces.
Equipment Needed
Large skillet – for frying the bacon and onion. (Read about our favorite frying pan for cooking bacon.)
Whisk – for combining the stock with the roux mixture.
Food processor or blender – for blending the gravy mixture until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender if you prefer.
Wire strainer – for smooth gravy, you’ll want to strain it through a mesh strainer. If you don’t strain it, the mixture will have tasty little bits of bacon in it and be more of a country-style gravy.
Gravy boat – for serving.
Step by Step Instructions
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon.
When fully browned, transfer the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
Pick up the paper towel and add the cooked bacon to the stock so that it can steep and soften.
Allow the bacon to soak in the stock for 15 minutes. This will soften the bacon and infuse the stock with flavor.
Pour out any bacon drippings in excess of 2 tablespoons. (In our kitchen we save every drop of bacon fat for cooking. Here’s what to do with bacon grease.)
Add the butter to the skillet and heat the mixture over medium heat until butter melts. Cook the onions in the butter until golden brown.
Sprinkle the flour over the mixture.
Whisk it to blend. Cook, whisking constantly, until the flour becomes a light golden color, about 2 minutes. This step is important! Cooking the flour well gives the gravy better flavor and insures that it doesn’t taste “flour-y.”
Still stirring, slowly add the bacon-stock mixture to the skillet. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens. It will look like sort of a thin gravy soup at this point. Stick with me! It gets better!
Transfer the mixture in batches to a blender or food processor. Process on high until the bacon breaks down and is pureed into the broth, about 3 minutes. Hang in there! It gets better!
For smooth gravy, strain through a mesh strainer.
Use a spoon to press on the solids and extract all the goodness!
Return the mixture to the skillet and continue cooking until it bubbles. (If it seems too thick, add a little extra stock. If it seems too thin, cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it reduces and thickens.) Remove from the heat, cool briefly and season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately, or cool and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 2 days. (See reheating directions below.)
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Gravy
Let the gravy cool to room temperature and store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
To reheat, pour the gravy in a skillet over medium-low heat. Whisk the gravy, adding a little more stock or broth to the pot if needed, until it’s heated through, smooth, and the perfect consistency.
What to Serve with Bacon Grease Gravy
The question is, what can’t you drizzle with this savory bacon gravy? Here are some of our favorite things to serve with bacon fat gravy:
- Mashed potatoes, like my favorite recipe for Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes – the best comfort food!
- Homemade biscuits, like our flaky buttermilk Old Fashioned Bacon Grease Biscuits. Warm biscuits and gravy are the ultimate hearty breakfast!
- Roast turkey. (Check out our roundup of best turkey recipes with bacon!)
- Fried chicken.
- Meatloaf or meatballs.
- Pork chop recipes like Becca’s Chicken Fried Pork Chops.
- Open-faced roast beef sandwiches.
- French fries.
Let’s make gravy! Here’s the full, printable recipe:
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Bacon Grease Gravy
Equipment
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Large skillet
- Whisk
- metal cooking spoon
- ladle
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 large sweet yellow onion such as Vidalia, diced
- 8 strips thick-sliced smoked bacon, chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups turkey, chicken, beef, pork or vegetable stock, warmed, plus more if needed
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon until browned. Transfer the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Pour out any drippings in excess of 2 tablespoons.
- In a large measuring cup or bowl, combine the cooked bacon with the stock. Allow the bacon to soak in the stock for 15 minutes. This will soften the bacon and infuse the stock with flavor.
- Pour out any drippings in excess of 2 tablespoons. Add the butter and heat the mixture over medium heat until butter melts.
- Cook the onions in the butter until golden brown and starting to caramelize.
- Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and whisk it to blend. Cook, whisking constantly, until the flour becomes a light golden color, about 2 minutes.
- Still stirring, slowly add the stock-bacon mixture to the skillet. Bring to a boil and cook, whisking constantly, until the gravy thickens slightly.
- Transfer the mixture in batches to a blender or food processor. Process on high until the bacon breaks down and is pureed into the broth, about 3 minutes.
- Pour through a metal strainer, pressing on solids, back into the skillet and continue cooking over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture bubbles. If it's too thick, add a little more stock until it's the consistency you like. If it's too thin, cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it reduces slightly and thickens.
- Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Makes about 3 cups.
Notes
ADD YOUR OWN PRIVATE NOTES
Whenever you come back to this recipe, you’ll be able to see your notes!
Nutrition
Got questions? Just ask! I’m happy to help.
If you post your creations on social media, tag #BENSABaconLovers so I can share! Thank you for your support. – Eliza
Nutrition Disclaimer: All nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation. I am not a certified nutritionist, and any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline.
More Unique Bacon Recipes
Looking for more out-of-the-ordinary ways to cook with bacon? Check out these recipes:
- Bacon Salt (shown above)
- Bacon Fat Cookies
- Bacon Vodka
- Bacon Aioli
- Bacon Butter
- Bacon Swizzle Sticks
- Bacon Jerky
Save for Later
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The most amazing flavor of any gravy! Our new favorite.
We make bacon almost every morning, so I Can’t wait to use the grease to use it to make this delicious gravy!
The flavor of this gravy is off the charts delicious always a big hit!
This is my kind of gravy. Now I know what to do with all that leftover bacon grease. Yum!
I had actually never thought to make gravy using bacon grease but that’s such a brilliant idea! Can’t wait to try this soon!
Oh my so delicious, love the flavour and perfect served over mashed potato!
This recipe is unbelievable! I was looking for a sausage gravy and this one popped up – incredible over biscuits! Thank you!