How to make a basic pan sauce or gravy?

A luxurious cream sauce that comes together in the pan in five minutes, no roux required. Cream reduces into a silky coat for chicken, pork, mushrooms, or fish. A squeeze of lemon at the end keeps it from feeling heavy.

A clear, glossy sauce that thickens in under a minute with no flour or gluten. A cornstarch slurry is the fastest thickener in the kitchen and leaves no raw-flour taste — perfect for stir-fry sauces, clear gravies, and pan sauces at the last minute.

The foundational gravy every home cook should know. A roux (butter + flour cooked together) thickens broth into a smooth, rich sauce with no lumps. Works for turkey, chicken, beef, and any pan drippings.

The foundation of restaurant-style sauces: deglaze the fond (browned bits) left in the pan after cooking meat, reduce, and finish with cold butter. Five minutes, one pan, no flour — and a glossy, luxurious sauce.

For speed and consistency, use a store-bought gravy base like Better Than Bouillon or Knorr gravy mix. Better Than Bouillon is a paste that dissolves into broth and can be thickened into gravy with a roux or cornstarch. Packet mixes require only water and a few minutes.