Homemade BBQ gravy
- Preparation 15 min
- Cooking 1 h 10 min
- Servings 4 cups
- Freezing Absolutely
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🍗 Not a classic poutine sauce
My homemade BBQ gravy is a brown barbecue gravy. It’s the one I make for dipping my BBQ chicken, for a traditional hot chicken and for a BBQ poutine. The difference matters: my turkey gravy, online, looks a lot more like a poutine sauce. This one goes another way.
🔥 Smoky and sweet
What gives it its character is the store-bought BBQ sauce I like: smoky and sweet. The rest is chicken broth and well-browned chicken thighs. And it’s way less salty than the ones you buy.
🍟 Chicken, hot chicken, poutine
For poutine, I want it just a tiny bit thicker. For dipping chicken, it’s perfect as is. And it freezes in portions.
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🍗 Thighs, not wings
Even boiled in the sauce, the thighs are good to eat afterward. With wings, there’s nothing left to eat.
🥣 The chicken broth
I prefer it: it’s more subtle. Beef broth works too, if that’s what you have. And for an alcohol-free version, you simply leave out the rum.
🧂 Salt lightly, adjust at the end
Once it’s too salty, there’s no going back. Salt lightly at the start, taste at the end, and adjust gently.
To strain, a fine-mesh strainer is enough. No need for cheesecloth.
🍟 For poutine, a bit thicker
Add a little more diluted cornstarch, just a tiny bit. Starting from the broth alone, without browning the thighs and vegetables, is possible, but it defeats the purpose of the recipe.
❄️ How many poutines, and freezing
It makes about 3 to 4 poutines, depending on how much sauce you like. Same for hot chicken. Freeze it in portions: easily one cup per poutine.
In the fridge, it sets. Reheat it with a little broth. It keeps 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
✅ What to serve with my homemade BBQ gravy
With BBQ chicken, like my BBQ chicken thighs. On a hot chicken, like my hot chicken with crispy chicken, prosciutto and OKA. On a poutine, like my poutine with wild mushrooms and beer brown sauce. For a more classic sauce, there’s my homemade demi-glace.
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil, plus a small drizzle
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 5 large white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large carrot, halved lengthwise then sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) dark rum (omit for an alcohol-free version)
- 8 cups (2 L) low-sodium chicken broth, hot
- 1/2 tablespoon (7.5 ml) tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) store-bought barbecue sauce
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) cornstarch mixed with 1/3 cup (80 ml) cold water
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
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Preparation
- In a large pot over medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil then brown the chicken thighs on all sides, for about 15-20 minutes in total. You want a nice color!
- Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, carrot and Italian seasoning, then a small drizzle of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and keep cooking for 5-6 minutes to caramelize. Stir regularly.
- Add the rum (if you’re using it) and stir. Cook for about 2 minutes until it has reduced to dry.
- Add the chicken broth, tomato paste and bay leaf then stir. Cover, bring to a boil then reduce to medium-low heat. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and return the liquid to the pot.
- Add the BBQ sauce and the cornstarch mixture then stir well. Simmer at a good bubble, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes or until the sauce has thickened! Serve with chicken, on a hot chicken or even on a poutine!
BBQ gravy is a brown gravy made with barbecue sauce, smoky and sweet. I make it for dipping BBQ chicken, for a traditional hot chicken and for a BBQ poutine.
Yes, absolutely. Freeze it in portions: easily one cup per poutine.
In the fridge, it sets. Reheat it with a little broth.
Yes, simply leave out the rum.
Chicken broth, which I prefer because it’s more subtle. Beef broth works too.
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