This duck gravy is a rich red wine gravy with mushrooms, duck stock, and a touch of cream. The old school gravy that you want with roast duck, duck breast, or duck fat roast potatoes. I make this one a lot for special occasions because it reminds me of eating at fancy 90’s-style steakhouses back in the day.
If you’re looking for more ways to use this gravy, check out my collection of wild duck recipes. They can all be prepared with farmed ducks if you’re not a hunter.
Key Tips for Making Duck Gravy
1) Reduce first, then add cream
Red wine and duck stock need time to cook down before you add cream. If you rush it, the gravy tastes thin with a harsh wine flavor.
2) Roux = smooth gravy (no lumps)
Butter and flour cooked for a couple of minutes give you a thick, silky gravy. Whisk while slowly adding liquids, and you’re set. If you use cornstarch, you’ll miss out on the toasted buttery flour notes.
3) Drippings are optional, but they add massive flavor
If you roasted a whole duck (wild duck or domestic), skim off most of the excess fat, then stir in a bit of the concentrated meat juices/browned bits. That’s the roasted flavor people can’t quite identify.
4) Using stock vs broth
- Stock is made by simmering bones, which pull out collagen and give it a rich flavor.
- Broth is usually made with more meat and is lighter in flavor. You can use them interchangeably, but for duck gravy, stock gives you a cleaner-tasting gravy.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what’s going into the gravy and why it matters:
- Olive oil: Adds a mellow flavor to the cooked mushrooms.
- Mushrooms: They add deep savory flavor and body (cremini, button, or wild mushrooms all work).
- Shallots or red onions: Sweeter, cleaner flavors than yellow or white onions.
- Garlic: Just enough add to the savory department.
- Dry red wine: Brings depth and that classic “rich red wine gravy” vibe.
- Duck stock: This is the backbone. A good stock makes or breaks the gravy.
- Optional roasted duck drippings / meat juices: Adds a roasted nutty flavor that you can’t get anywhere else.
- Butter + all-purpose flour: Makes the roux that thickens and adds nuttiness.
- Fresh thyme: Keeps it savory and bright.
- Heavy cream: Softens the wine and adds a glossy texture.
- Salt and black pepper: Without these, your gravy will taste flat.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Duck Gravy
Make the base
- Sauté the shallots. Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add shallots (or red onion), season with salt and pepper, and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add garlic. Cook 1 minute, just until fragrant.
- Cook the roux. Add butter and melt. Sprinkle in flour and stir until smooth, with no dry flour remaining. Cook 2 minutes, stirring. This prevents a raw flour taste.
Build the gravy
- Whisk in wine, then stock. Slowly pour in red wine while whisking. Then add duck stock, whisking to keep it smooth.
- Simmer and reduce. Bring to a low simmer and reduce by about half. This is where the raw wine flavor mellows out.
- Optional: add duck drippings. If using roasted duck drippings/meat juices, stir them in now (you can always add a little more at the end).
Finish
- Add cream and thyme. Stir in heavy cream and thyme. Keep it at a gentle simmer until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Season and serve. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Finish with chopped chives or parsley if you want a clean pop.
Storage
- Fridge: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm over low to medium-low heat, whisking often. If it tightens up, loosen with a splash of duck stock or water. Don’t boil hard (cream can separate).
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this gravy. The gravy can separate, ruining the texture upon thawing.
Duck Gravy FAQ
Yes. Use drippings as a flavor booster, but don’t rely on them alone. duck is fatty, and the pan can be more fat than “meat juices.” Skim excess fat, then stir a portion of the drippings into the gravy after you reduce the wine/stock.
Keep simmering uncovered. Reduction is the clean fix. If you’re in a hurry, whisk a small knob of butter with a pinch of flour into a paste, whisk it in, and simmer 2–3 minutes. Just be sure to stir so that the bottom doesn’t burn.
Yep. Swap wine for extra duck stock and add a small splash of something acidic at the end (a touch of sherry or red wine vinegar) to replace that brightness.
Recipes to Pour the Gravy Over
If you make this duck gravy, leave a comment or a review. And if you have any cooking questions regarding ducks or want to share your latest food photos, give me a shout on Instagram at @larry__white.
Duck Gravy
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 32 ounces button or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (or red onions)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 cups dry red wine
- 2 cups duck stock
- 1/4 cup optional roasted duck drippings
- 1.5 cups heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- chopped chives or parsley (optional to finish at the end)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook 2–3 minutes, stirring often.
- Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add butter and melt. Add flour and stir until smooth. Cook 2 minutes, stirring.
- Slowly whisk in red wine. Now whisk in the duck stock slowly.
- Bring to a low simmer and reduce by about half.
- Stir in 1/4 cup of duck drippings (if using).
- Add heavy cream and thyme. Simmer gently until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. Finish with chives or parsley if desired.
