Melt ¼ cup (4 tbsp) butter in a heavy bottomed medium-sized pot. If you’re using fat drippings instead or in addition to the butter, add them now too.

Sprinkle ¼ cup flour over the melted butter or fat, then whisk in until the clumps are gone and the mixture has formed a loose paste, also called a roux. For a thicker gravy, you can add more flour (½ to 1 tbsp more for this recipe), which will give you a thicker paste.

Slowly whisk in 2 cups of warm broth, stock, or drippings (fat separated out) to the roux until it’s fully mixed in.

Season with pepper, salt (you may not need much or any if your broth or drippings are salty), and poultry seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, if using.

Cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, whisking often, until small bubbles form and the gravy thickens up slightly.

For an extra smooth gravy and to remove any unwanted clumps, you can pour it through a fine mesh strainer before serving.

If your gravy isn’t as thick as you want it, you can add a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch whisked with 1 tbsp cold water) and bring the gravy to a low boil again.