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This is the easiest, no-fail Roast Pork Gravy Recipe! The trick is my easy time-saving make-ahead gravy base. Mix with pork drippings for a perfect gravy every time!
This Roast Pork Gravy Recipe is thick, creamy, and full of flavor. It starts with simple seasoning on the pork, including garlic and thyme. When roasted, those flavors come out in the fantastic drippings. This homemade gravy is made with these drippings for rich deep flavor.
This is a great option recipe to add to your Freezer Fridays meal planning calendar! Just take a frozen raw pork tenderloin out of the freezer and thaw in the fridge 1-2 days in advance.
Want more tips for making busy family dinners easier? Click here for myFree Printable 5 Simple Steps to Easy Family Dinners!
Time-Saving Gravy Hack!
My trick for this easy recipe is to prepare a thickened gravy base in advance. This makes the actual cooking time for the final gravy so fast!
By making this base in advance, you can perfect the consistency before ever adding it to the good stuff! In other words, you don’t risk ruining the beautiful meat drippings. Have you ever had a roux completely clump or break apart? That’s what I’m talking about! You avoid those issues with the gravy by making the smooth base before adding it to the drippings.
The result is a beautiful gravy with a deep caramel color and smooth texture.
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Simple Ingredients and Swaps for
Fridge and Fresh Ingredients
- Pork Tenderloin – I used a 1.5 pound boneless pork loin roast that had been trimmed. You can use any size you want up to 2 pounds for this gravy recipe. Over that, you probably want to increase the recipe to double. You can also use untrimmed pork tenderloin, which will give you more fat renderings (flavor!). Different cuts of pork you can use: pork chops, pork shoulder roast (I prefer boneless pork roast).
- Salted Butter – Butter is used for making the roux in the gravy base. I really like using salted butter and then adjusting the salt content later in the final gravy. However, you can also use unsalted butter. You can substitute with another fat, but you do really need a fat to make the smooth thick roux. Substitutes for butter can be Ghee (clarified butter), olive oil, coconut oil, or other butter or oil product.
- Milk – I used 1% milk to add the creamy element to the gravy. Any milk will work, including unsweetened soy, almond, or coconut milk. If you want even creamier, you can add half and half or heavy cream. You can also eliminate the milk and replace it with water or chicken stock.
Pantry Ingredients
- Pork Seasonings: Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic powder, Fresh or dried Thyme leaves (or ground thyme). You can also add onion powder, crushed bay leaves, dried oregano, or dried or ground rosemary.
- All purpose white flour – This is the thickener to mix with the butter/fat.
- Chicken or beef stock – This is for the gravy base and the final gravy, so you want something with rich flavor. Stock will you give you the richest flavor, but you can also use chicken broth or even reconstituted bouillon or chicken base.
Recipe Equipment Needed
I seared the pork tenderloin on the stove, then finished it in the oven. A adutch oven was perfect for this. I then use the same dutch oven to make the gravy. You could also use cast iron skillet or a small roasting pan.
Time Saving Prep-Ahead Steps for this Recipe
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are steps you can prepare ahead to save time on busy nights! (See the full recipe below)
Make the gravy base. Add the butter and the flour to a small saucepan and whisk on low heat until combined. Slowly whisk in ½ cup of the stock/broth until smoothly combined. Then whisk in the milk. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Cooking Steps for Roast Pork Gravy
In a small bowl, mix the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and thyme. Rub the outside of the pork tenderloin with olive oil and then the seasoning mixture. To a dutch oven preheated on medium-high heat, place the top of the roast tenderloin in the pan to sear for 4 minutes, then using tongs, flip the tenderloin over to sear the other side for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup water to the pot and then move the pork in the dutch oven into the oven, center rack and cook at 400 F degrees for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 F using a meat thermometer.
When the pork tenderloin is done cooking, remove it and place roast on a plate or cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes tented with aluminum foil to allow the juices to redistribute.
Place the dutch oven on the stove on low heat and add ½ cup of water to the pot and whisk to get all of those yummy pork browned bits up from the bottom of the pan while bring it up to a simmer. Whisk in ½ cup of the stock and the gravy base you made in advance. Whisk everything together until it start to look like a thick gravy. Add more stock if needed to thin out the gravy and achieve the desired thickness and consistency. Add a pinch of ground black pepper and taste for salt. If it needs salt, add a pinch.
Using a sharp knife, slice the pork and pour the gravy over top, serving the remaining on the side. Enjoy!
What to Serve with Roast Pork and Gravy?
Let’s start with the veggie side. You can make simple Roasted Carrots with Cumin and Avocado Crema. A salad is always a good idea too. Try my Herb Parmesan Crisps and Shallot Vinaigrette Salad.
For the starch, I love potatoes with pork. Since you have gravy, mashed potatoes, or my Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash would be amazing with this. However, you could also make my Baby Potatoes with Garlic Butter and Sage.
You could also go the polenta route with Creamy Parmesan Polenta Recipe using Cornmeal.
Roast Pork Gravy Recipe FAQS
Can I make this Pork roast gravy ahead and reheat it?
This roast pork gravy recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. You can reheat the gravy on the stove or in the microwave. On the stove, pour the gravy into a small saucepan and then over medium heat, gently reheat. Whisk the gravy to smooth out any lumps. For the microwave, transfer the gravy to a microwave safe container and heat on medium heat for 1-3 minutes, depending on how much you have. Remove it from the microwave and whisk it to smooth it out.
Can I add wine to this gravy?
You can add white wine to this roast pork gravy recipe if you like. To do so, in Cooking Step 3, before adding the stock, add ¼ cup white wine to the drippings in the pan and let that cook for 1 minute. Then add the stock and follow the rest of the recipe.
How do I make this gravy Gluten Free?
To make this gravy gluten free, I recommend using cornstarch rather than a flour roux. In this case, you really don’t need to make the gravy base ahead, as cornstarch is so much easier to add right to the gravy on medium heat to thick it. So, skip the gravy base Prep-Ahead step. Once the pork is cooked and removed from the dutch oven in Cooking Step 3, you will add the entire 1 cup of stock. Then, to the cold milk, whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until it dissolves. Once the stock is simmering, whisk in the milk-cornstarch slurry. Continue to whisk as it starts to thicken so that you do not get lumps. You can add a tablespoon of butter to add richness.
Can I use this gravy recipe with other meats?
This gravy base trick and gravy recipe can be used for roast chicken, turkey, duck, beef, or any other roast. You follow the same exact instructions, with the exception of roasting times.
Can I freeze this roast pork gravy recipe?
You can freeze this gravy after it is prepared in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in this fridge the night before. It is best to reheat slowly over medium heat on the stove while whisking to smooth out any lumps.
ENJOY! 😍 Carrie
Have you tried this recipe? If so, please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe below! I love to hear your feedback and your rating helps others to find this recipe. Thanks so much!
5 from 2 votes
Roast Pork Gravy Recipe
This is the easiest, no-fail Roast Pork Gravy Recipe! The trick is my easy time-saving make-ahead gravy base. This gravy is thick, creamy, and full of flavor. It starts with simple seasoning on the pork, including garlic and thyme. When roasted, those flavors come out in the fantastic drippings. The gravy is made with these drippings for rich deep flavor. Mix the gravy base, stock, and pork drippings for a perfect gravy every time!
CourseMain Course
CuisineAmerican
Keywordgravy, pork, sauce
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 314 kcal
Author Carrie Tyler
Ingredients
- 1.5poundPork Tenderloin(1-2 pound trimmed pork tenderloin)
- 1teaspoonsalt
- ½teaspoonpepper
- 1teaspoongarlic powder
- ½teaspoonDried Thyme leaves
- ¼cupSalted Butter
- ¼All purpose Wheat flour, unbleached
- 1cupchicken or beef stock or broth(divided ½ for the gravy base, ½ to finish)
- ½cupmilkI used 1%
Instructions
Prep-Ahead Steps
Make the gravy base. Add the butter and the flour to a small saucepan and whisk on low heat until combined. Slowly whisk in ½ cup of the stock/broth until smoothly combined. Then whisk in the milk. Remove from the heat and set aside. You can store the base in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Cooking Steps
In a small bowl, mix the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and thyme. Rub the outside of the pork tenderloin with olive oil and then the seasoning mixture. To a dutch oven preheated on high heat, place the tenderloin in the pan to sear the bottom for 4 minutes, then using tongs, flip the tenderloin over to sear the other side for 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup water to the pot and then move the pork in the dutch oven into the oven, center rack and cook at 400 F degrees for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 145 F.
When the pork tenderloin is done cooking,transfer it to a plate or cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes tented with aluminum foil to allow the juices to redistribute.
Place the dutch oven on the stove on low heat and add ½ cup of water to the pot and whisk to get all of those yummy pork bits up from the bottom while bring it up to a simmer. Whisk in ½ cup of the stock and the gravy base you made in advance. Whisk everything together until it start to look like a thick gravy. Add more stock if needed to thin out the gravy and achieve the consistency you want. Add a pinch of ground black pepper and taste for salt. If it needs salt, add a pinch.
Slice the pork and pour the gravy over top, serving the remaining on the side. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Can I make this Pork roast gravy ahead and reheat it? This roast pork gravy recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days in an airtight container. You can reheat the gravy on the stove or in the microwave. On the stove, pour the gravy into a small saucepan and then over medium heat, gently reheat. Whisk the gravy to smooth out any lumps. For the microwave, transfer the gravy to a microwave safe container and heat on medium heat for 1-3 minutes, depending on how much you have. Remove it from the microwave and whisk it to smooth it out.
- Can I add wine to this gravy? You can add white wine to this roast pork gravy recipe if you like. To do so, in Cooking Step 3, before adding the stock, add ¼ cup white wine to the drippings in the pan and let that cook for 1 minute. Then add the stock and follow the rest of the recipe.
- How do I make this gravy Gluten Free? To make this gravy gluten free, I recommend using cornstarch rather than a flour roux. In this case, you really don’t need to make the gravy base ahead, as cornstarch is so much easier to add right to the gravy on medium heat to thick it. So, skip the gravy base Prep-Ahead step. Once the pork is cooked and removed from the dutch oven in Cooking Step 3, you will add the entire 1 cup of stock. Then, to the cold milk, whisk in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch until it dissolves. Once the stock is simmering, whisk in the milk-cornstarch slurry. Continue to whisk as it starts to thicken so that you do not get lumps. You can add a tablespoon of butter to add richness.
- Can I use this gravy recipe with other meats? This gravy base trick and gravy recipe can be used for roast chicken, turkey, duck, beef, or any other roast. You follow the same exact instructions, with the exception of roasting times.
- Can I freeze this roast pork gravy recipe? You can freeze this gravy after it is prepared in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in this fridge the night before. It is best to reheat slowly over medium heat on the stove while whisking to smooth out any lumps.
