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ham gravy with cornstarch on mashed potatoes, served on gray plate with baked ham, green beans, and a fork

How to Make Ham Gravy with Cornstarch

Learn how to make ham gravy with cornstarch and either drippings or broth. This easy recipe will help you cook and thicken any gravy, including ham, turkey, chicken, or brown gravy. It's especially good at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter; but it's also great for family dinner!
4.92 from 12 votes
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Course: Condiments, Sauces & Dressings
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 56kcal
Author: Mel Lockcuff

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • First, whisk together the water, heavy whipping cream, and cornstarch in a liquid measuring up, and set aside.
  • Add the ham drippings* or pan juices from the roasting pan, to a medium saucepan, and start to cook on medium heat.
  • Add the cornstarch mixture to the ham drippings in the pan, and continue whisking and stirring constantly 'til the gravy begins to thicken.*
  • Once your gravy has thickened, it's ready to pour into a gravy boat for serving.

Notes

*You can substitute broth for drippings if you're not making a big roast. You can use beef broth to make brown gravy, chicken broth for chicken gravy, etc. You can also substitute other types of drippings to make homemade turkey gravy, roast beef gravy, etc.
*Depending how salty your gravy is, you may need to add a little extra water to bring that saltiness down. If you add extra water, you'll need to add a pinch of cornstarch, as well, in order to keep a thicker consistency. Always, always, if you're going to add more cornstarch, whisk it together with liquid in a separate dish first to avoid lumps.
How to Avoid Lumpy Gravy
Here are a few tips to help prevent lumps in your gravy…
  • It's important to start by mixing together the cornstarch, water, and heavy whipping cream in a small small bowl or glass measuring cup. Whisking this together in the beginning will help prevent lumps in your gravy.
  • Use a whisk to stir your gravy while it's cooking. It’s pretty much a given that you may have a few lumps, but you can minimize them by whisking the gravy.
  • Also, there's no hurry. Take your time to avoid any lumps in your gravy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 220mg
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