Boost Your Hamburger Gravy To Gourmet Status With One Showstopping Ingredient

Cheap, easy to make, and unbelievably delicious, hamburger gravy is an ultimate American classic that never fails to satisfy our taste buds. A true comfort food, this iconic Appalachian dish, which reached peak popularity in the 1950s and '60s, is made with crumbled ground beef, along with some garlic and onions. All of these ingredients are then brought together in a smooth gravy made from flour, and either milk or broth. 

Served over pastas, mashed potatoes, rice, bread, or even warm biscuits, the beauty of this dish is not only in its rich, hearty flavor but also in the fact that it doesn't take more than half an hour to prepare. Still, that might take a little longer if you're planning to throw in a few extra ingredients to boost its flavor. And if we're being completely honest, is there any tastier way to enhance a recipe than by adding mushrooms? Earthy, rich and full of umami — due to their high glutamate content — there's no doubt that mushrooms belong in your pantry and in your hamburger gravy too. 

When asked which kind of mushrooms add the most flavor to the dish, Dan Pelosi, an Italian-American food and lifestyle influencer known as GrossyPelosi and author of the new cookbook "Let's Party: Recipes and Menus for Celebrating Every Day," told Chowhound that he would personally go for baby bella, which are also called cremini. Although, as he puts it, they don't need to be anything fancy. "Just make sure you sauté them and let them develop flavor before adding to the gravy," he told us during our exclusive conversation.

Now, the biggest mistake you make when sautéing mushrooms is undoubtedly overcrowding the pan. So make sure to skip this if you don't want them soggy or scorched. Failing to let their water content evaporate can quickly have you wondering why your mushroom sauce turned out so runny and how to fix it.

That said, once the sautéing is all done and you've stirred the mushrooms into your premade hamburger gravy, a splash of acid can go a long way and seamlessly blend all the ingredients together. "It's all about the acid when it comes to a good gravy — so I would add wine or lemon juice or vinegar to my gravy to help bring out all the flavors," Dan Pelosi revealed during our exclusive talk. "Add this towards the end of your gravy cooking to balance things out, and definitely after the mushrooms."

Finally, if mushrooms alone aren't enough to satisfy your creative culinary side and you're feeling extra inspired, a bit of Worcestershire or soy sauce poured in at the end might be exactly what the dish needs. What's more, a splash of fortified cooking sherry can bring a subtle sweetness and a whole new level of flavor to the gravy. And if you're not a fan of cooking with wine, a handful of grated carrots and some diced sweet peppers can bring a similar balance and beautifully complement the rest of the ingredients. Once that's done, all that's left is to serve yourself a big plate and dig right in!