Gravy Shortcuts, Ranked Worst To Best
Charles Brutlag/Shutterstock By Lauren DeMello/Updated: Feb. 2, 2023 2:11 pm EST
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Gravy seems like one of the simplest additions to any meal, but making it from scratch can be anything but simple. Achieving that perfect consistency and texture can prove difficult for many. Frankly, most of us don’t have time to be making gravy from scratch, and we want easy ways to make our food taste rich and comforting all year round (not just on Thanksgiving).
So, we did all the hard work for you to find the worst and best gravy shortcuts on the market. And while there are a ton of options to choose from, there seemed to be a few clear losers and some standout superstars. No matter what your gravy preferences are (white and peppery, golden brown and smooth, dark and velvety, chunky and filled with savory sausage), we’ve found the best ones you’ll want to smother your meat and veggies with ASAP. And the best part may be that no one has to know you didn’t slave over a stove to make it from scratch.
- McCormick Simply Better Chicken Gravy
McCormick
It’s no surprise McCormick is doing all it can to stand out in the market. The company has packaged their gravy rather uniquely in a cardboard container with a pour spout and resealable twist-top lid. In addition to the package design, their packaging states that their gravy recipe is made with “real chicken stock and McCormick spices.” Considering that McCormick has dominated the spice aisle for a while, there’s a good chance that their seasoned gravy would be a winner for any chicken dinner. Many of the favorable reviews appreciated that the gravy wasn’t overly salty, it had a non-greasy texture, and the packaging was a convenient way to save any unused product.
But it wasn’t all good news for this packaged gravy. Many reviewers were displeased with the price, suggesting it wasn’t worth the cost. Unfortunately, price plays a major factor when it comes to where a gravy ranks — we guess McCormick can’t win them all. Because customers should feel they’re getting top value from the products they purchase, we had to rank them lower on our list.
Gravy Shortcuts, Ranked Worst To Best
Charles Brutlag/Shutterstock
By Lauren DeMello/Updated: Feb. 2, 2023 2:11 pm EST
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links. Gravy seems like one of the simplest additions to any meal, but making it from scratch can be anything but simple. Achieving that perfect consistency and texture can prove difficult for many. Frankly, most of us don’t have time to be making gravy from scratch, and we want easy ways to make our food taste rich and comforting all year round (not just on Thanksgiving).
So, we did all the hard work for you to find the worst and best gravy shortcuts on the market. And while there are a ton of options to choose from, there seemed to be a few clear losers and some standout superstars. No matter what your gravy preferences are (white and peppery, golden brown and smooth, dark and velvety, chunky and filled with savory sausage), we’ve found the best ones you’ll want to smother your meat and veggies with ASAP. And the best part may be that no one has to know you didn’t slave over a stove to make it from scratch.
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
So, we did all the hard work for you to find the worst and best gravy shortcuts on the market. And while there are a ton of options to choose from, there seemed to be a few clear losers and some standout superstars. No matter what your gravy preferences are (white and peppery, golden brown and smooth, dark and velvety, chunky and filled with savory sausage), we’ve found the best ones you’ll want to smother your meat and veggies with ASAP. And the best part may be that no one has to know you didn’t slave over a stove to make it from scratch.
20. Trader Joe’s Turkey Gravy
Trader Joe’s
Several reviewers disliked the taste so much they threw out entire meals that had been touched by the gravy. Others ate their food but threw out the remaining gravy after finishing their meals. Sadly, Trader Joe’s has committed a major misstep with this product, and it comes in as the worst-ranked gravy on our list.
18. Orrington Farms Turkey Flavored Gravy Mix
Orrington Farms
Some of the negative comments had to do with texture. It lost points with several customers who said “the texture is really weird,” “it had a powder-like consistency,” and “the texture was gloppy.” It’s certainly not the kind of consistency you’re hoping for in rich, creamy gravy, and for that reason, we had to rank this product lower than others on our list.
17. Heinz Homestyle Gravy
Heinz
Another high point was the fact that you can find this product almost anywhere, though you may want to avoid purchasing it online. Some unhappy customers said that because the jar is made of glass, it can break in the mail. No one wants their gravy served with a side of junk mail. Because its packaging can limit how one gets this gravy safely into their kitchen, we had to knock off a few points and rank it on the lower end of our list.
16. McCormick Simply Better Chicken Gravy
McCormick
It’s no surprise McCormick is doing all it can to stand out in the market. The company has packaged their gravy rather uniquely in a cardboard container with a pour spout and resealable twist-top lid. In addition to the package design, their packaging states that their gravy recipe is made with “real chicken stock and McCormick spices.” Considering that McCormick has dominated the spice aisle for a while, there’s a good chance that their seasoned gravy would be a winner for any chicken dinner. Many of the favorable reviews appreciated that the gravy wasn’t overly salty, it had a non-greasy texture, and the packaging was a convenient way to save any unused product.
But it wasn’t all good news for this packaged gravy. Many reviewers were displeased with the price, suggesting it wasn’t worth the cost. Unfortunately, price plays a major factor when it comes to where a gravy ranks — we guess McCormick can’t win them all. Because customers should feel they’re getting top value from the products they purchase, we had to rank them lower on our list.
But it wasn’t all good news for this packaged gravy. Many reviewers were displeased with the price, suggesting it wasn’t worth the cost. Unfortunately, price plays a major factor when it comes to where a gravy ranks — we guess McCormick can’t win them all. Because customers should feel they’re getting top value from the products they purchase, we had to rank them lower on our list.
15. Simply Organic Vegetarian Brown Gravy
Simply Organic
Some reviewers had a different experience altogether, and it wasn’t a happy one. Some said the consistency was too loose and that this product was more like a glaze than a gravy. Others didn’t care for the taste all that much, Unfortunately, we had to take these negative marks into account and rank it on the low end of our list.
14. Campbell’s Chicken Gravy
Campbell’s
While this product received high praise for its consistency and ease of use, we ranked it lower on our list for the fact that this also makes the product less versatile. While many customers like to use gravy as a meat and potato topper, others like to use it as a seasoning packet. With the gravy already made as an actual gravy, it limits the customer’s ability to use it for anything else.
13. Libby’s Country Sausage Gravy
Libby’s
However, not all customers were happy with their gravies. A good number of negative comments had to do with sausage quality. Some were disappointed that the sausage tasted cheap and more like hot dogs than actual sausages. Others felt the gravy took on a chemical taste they couldn’t get past. For these reasons, we couldn’t rank this gravy too high on our list.
12. Simply Organic Brown Gravy Mix
Negative reviewers said they needed to “doctor it up” and add more spices and seasonings for it to taste good. Others were disappointed by the overall texture, with many stating that it was too lumpy for their taste. Because this product seemed to lack the ease of preparation other gravy mixes have mastered, we ranked this gravy slightly lower on our list.
11. Road’s End Organics Gluten Free Golden Gravy Mix
Road’s End Organics
While there were many happy comments, several reviewers warned that you need to follow the instructions perfectly, otherwise you could end up with big lumps that one reviewer referred to as “dumplings.” Since so many other gravies got high marks on their ease of preparation, we had to take a few points off this product’s scorecard.
10. 365 by Whole Foods Market Organic Brown Gravy Mix
Whole Foods
Customers who value organic ingredients may be drawn to this gravy product and appreciate that there are fewer processed ingredients than some other brands offer. So, what do people make with this packet of gravy? Because this gravy comes as a powder, many customers use it as a seasoning for slow cooker recipes and to create stews with free-range chicken and grass-fed beef. While this gravy mix wasn’t our favorite, we liked the fact that it’s versatile for various cooking needs with organic ingredients you can pronounce.
9. Knorr Classic Brown Gravy Mix
Knorr
Other positive reviews said it tasted better than any canned version on the market, was easy to use, and was an excellent flavoring agent for meat. Because this product is a powdered gravy, you can control the thickness with the amount of water you use. One reviewer even used wine to thin it out. Talk about versatility! Some of the few negative comments suggested this product can be hard to find in stores. And while online shopping can make life easier at times, some still prefer in-store shopping and would like to know that they can find their favorite products on the shelf when they need them. For this reason, we couldn’t give Knorr classic gravy all the stars.
8. Mayacamas Brown Gravy Mix
Mayacamas
While their branding may not pop, many customers rave about how good the flavor profiles are. One happy reviewer said, “Gravy! The life sustaining substance that must be abandoned by all those who choose to convert to a vegetarian lifestyle. Well, not anymore. This lovely gravy is smooth, lightly seasoned, and thick. Flavor to match any beef brown gravy.” Other commenters said that no one in their families knew they were eating vegetarian gravy. So, for those who take a hard pass on meat, don’t pass this product by when you’re at the supermarket.
A couple of unhappy customers remarked on the texture, with several comments saying it just didn’t measure up to thick and creamy gravy. But negative comments for this product were more of an exception than the rule.
7. Bisto Gravy Granules
Bisto
While this product really received mostly high remarks, a couple of negative points about the product suggested the flavor wasn’t for everyone. Some stated it needed a little more oomph with the addition of more spices. These negative comments were essentially drowned out, however, as this is one of the highest-ranking gravies out there.
6. Dynasty Brown Gravy Sauce
Dynasty
While many loved the flavor and color of this product, several reviewers seemed to be a little disappointed about the price, stating that it was too expensive, though prices may vary depending on where you buy it. Also, be careful when ordering this product online. There were a few unhappy customers stating they received cracked glass bottles, which made them unusable. However, this product is widely available in most large grocery chains. Because this product got such high marks for its Asian-style flare, we ranked this gravy as one of our favorites.
5. Knorr Roasted Turkey Gravy Mix
Other commenters said they loved smothering their veggies in this gravy and that it tasted as close to homemade as you could get. The only negative remarks seemed to involve sourcing issues — it was hard to find in local grocery stores. Otherwise, this product was a slam dunk.
4. Pioneer Brown Gravy Mix
Pioneer
A few negative comments suggested disappointment over the fact that the product wasn’t gluten-free and may be too salty for some. But in order to find the negative reviews, you’d really have to push past a lot of positive ones. For this reason, we had to rank this product high on our list.
3. Campbell’s Mushroom Gravy
While most loved this iconic brand’s take on vegetarian gravy, it couldn’t please everyone. A couple of reviewers were put off by the flavor and not impressed by the lack of thickness. For these reasons, we couldn’t give Campbell’s Mushroom Gravy an A+, but we still loved that they offered a product that anyone (including the vegan crowd) could enjoy.
2. Trio Brown Gravy Mix
Trio
