lumpy gravy

Poorly whisked drippings

Lumpy gravy is gravy with undissolved clumps of flour or starch—the result of insufficient whisking or adding thickener too quickly.

The phrase serves as a mild marker of imperfect home cooking: The turkey was dry and the gravy was lumpy, but we were together.

Figuratively, lumpy gravy suggests something rough around the edges but still acceptable.

Related

clumpy · mashed · potatoes · Thanksgiving · holiday meal · Sunday dinner · comfort food · Frank Zappa · turkey · drippings · flour · roux · stirring · whisk · grainy · uneven · texture · kitchen

Opposites
texture quality

lumpy gravybéchamel

Milk-thickened flour sauce

Family

lump, lumps, lumped, lumping, lumpish, lumpiness, gravy, gravies

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G