Gravies You don't have to add meat fat to have wonderfully thick gravy. You'll need about a cup of clear, defatted broth, either homemade, canned or made from bouillon cubes. Place the following in a jar with a tight-fitting lid: ½ cup of liquid plus either 1 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of flour or 1 to 2 tablespoons of browned flour. Shake until smooth. Heat the remaining liquid in a saucepan, pour the cornstarch or flour mixture into it and simmer, adding seasonings as desired. If you use browned flour, the sauce will have a rich, mahogany color.