Gravy Recipes

Gravy is a great way to put the finishing touches to a meal and there are various kinds of gravy that you can make. If you have ever made gravy from a box, you will know how bland and artificial it can taste, so this is not the best way to impress people.

Homemade gravy recipes however are both easy to make and delicious to eat so, if you want to serve a full-flavored sauce which complements your meat or poultry just as well as it complements the potatoes and vegetables on the plate, homemade gravy is the answer.

What are Homemade Gravy Recipes?

The difference between gravy from a box and homemade gravy is primarily the flavor. Homemade gravy is far superior. If you want to know about how to make it, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover that making gravy is really easy.

You usually use the juices from the meat or poultry and can add flour or another thickener to alter the consistency. Herbs, spices, mustard, wine, sherry, and vegetables are all optional additives to homemade gravy recipes and you can match the flavor of your gravy to your meat.

Some people like thin, watery gravy but a lot of people prefer thick gravies and you can thicken your gravy with flour or with a roux, which is made with corn flour, cornstarch, and arrowroot or wheat flour. Animal fat is often added to, to give the gravy more depth of flavor and to give it a glossy appearance. When you are making homemade gravy recipes instead of adding water to an instant gravy mix, you get to choose from all these options, so you can make the gravy exactly how you want it to be.

Different Types of Homemade Gravy Recipes

Gravy is fantastic because you can match it to the dish you want to serve it with. Not only can you choose between beef gravy, turkey gravy and lamb gravy and more, but also you can choose different kinds of gravy.

For example, if you want to serve lamb, there are various gravy recipes for lamb that you can choose from. Do you want an herby gravy with rosemary or mint, or what about a red wine-enriched lamb gravy recipe? Sour cream or cream can be added to some gravy recipes to make it richer and slow-cooked onions are added to others.

There are hundreds of ways to make gravy and whereas most recipes might stick to a similar preparation method, which is simmering the juices from the meat with other ingredients, the ingredients you add are completely up to you and you can make your gravy whichever flavor, color, and consistency you like. If your gravy comes out too pale, too thin, too thick or too something else, there are ways to alter the flavor, color, and consistency.

Deciding Which Homemade Gravy Recipes to Make

The type of homemade gravy recipes you make depends very much on what you are going to be serving them with. If you are serving roast pork, you might like to combine the juices from the meat with some flour and butter and perhaps some sage or tarragon to make a fresh-flavored gravy which complements the pork perfectly.

Easy Salisbury Steak Gravy Recipe

This easy Salisbury steak gravy recipe makes a great dinner for busy weeknights or a satisfying, warming meal for a lazy weekend. Salisbury steak is made with ground beef, egg, onion and other ingredients and it is a good budget alternative to steak. The ground beef mixture is almost as satisfying as a piece of steak but it is a fraction of the cost. It is nice to have steak sometimes but the cost can be prohibitive, which is why recipes like this easy Salisbury steak gravy recipe are so nice to learn.

The gravy is made while the Salisbury steak is keeping warm and it is made primarily with milk, beef bouillon, and mushrooms for a rich and unique flavor. You can serve broccoli and corn kernels with this easy Salisbury steak gravy recipe or you can serve other vegetables like green beans, green peas, or carrots.

Boiled or mashed potatoes are also nice with it. You can get frozen Salisbury steak in gravy but those dishes are nowhere near as good as this homemade recipe and once you have made this you will not want to buy the boxed meals again.

Salisbury Steak and a Delicious Homemade Gravy

Ingredients -

1 lb ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 egg
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons crushed cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons butter
¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
½ head broccoli, in florets
8 oz canned sliced mushrooms in juice
3 beef bouillon cubes
3 cups milk
1 ½ cups frozen corn

Preparation:

Combine the egg, beef, onion, cracker crumbs, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl with your hands.

Shape the mixture into 6 patties, making them an inch thick.

Fry the patties in a skillet over a moderately high heat for a few minutes per side or until brown.

Drain the fat off and put the patties on a platter underneath loosely tented aluminum foil to keep them warm.

Melt the butter in the skillet and add the mushrooms.

Cook them for a couple of minutes, then sprinkle the flour over them and stir well.

Stir in the beef bouillon and milk and cook until smooth and thick.

Put the patties in the gravy and cook uncovered over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring a few times.

Simmer the broccoli in salted water until tender and cook the corn for a couple of minutes until it is hot.

Serve each person 2 patties in gravy with the vegetables on the side.

(Serves 3)

This delicious short ribs in gravy recipe is sure to impress. Whether you serve the tasty ribs with mashed potatoes, fries or a simple salad, anybody you serve this to will marvel at the different flavors and the tender, perfectly cooked ribs will be as flavorful as the homemade gravy you serve on top of them.

If you want to make the gravy one day ahead, to save time on the day, you can refrigerate it uncovered until it is cold, then cover it, and keep it in the refrigerator. Warm it back up over a moderate heat, stirring it as it cooks, for about fifteen minutes.

Short ribs come out delicious when you braise them, because the moist cooking method locks in their natural juiciness and makes them so moist. The meat will be literally falling apart when the ribs are done, but try to keep the meat on the bone, because it looks nicer when you present the ribs that way. The gravy for this recipe is especially good because it is made with the liquid you braise the ribs in so it contains plenty of beef flavor, as well as flavor from the herbs and the other ingredients.

Ingredients -

6 lbs meaty beef short ribs, in 3-inch pieces
3 cups chopped onions
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup fresh thyme sprigs
¼ lb sun-dried tomatoes (not the ones in oil)
%u2153 cup olive oil
2 cups dry red wine
5 bay leaves
5 sprigs fresh sage
8 peeled garlic cloves
4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
Balsamic vinegar
4 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, for garnish
Lettuce and sliced tomato, to serve
Salt and black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Arrange the short ribs on a baking sheet with a rim and sprinkle salt and black pepper over them. Sprinkle the flour over the ribs, tossing them to coat. Heat about two thirds of the oil in a large, ovenproof pot over a moderately high heat and cook the ribs for 10 minutes or until they are browned all over. You will need to do this in batches.

Put the browned ribs back on the baking sheet and wipe the pot clean with kitchen paper. Add the rest of the oil to it, then sauté the garlic and mushrooms until tender and golden brown, stirring them a few times. This will take about 10 minutes. Add the thyme, sage, bay leaves, and sun-dried tomatoes and stir well.

Put the ribs in the pot again, in 1 layer, and then pour in the red wine.

Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes or until the sauce is reduced. Add the broth, cover the pot, and bring the mixture to a simmer again. Put the pot in the oven and braise the ribs for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.

Let them stand (still covered) at room temperature for 15 minutes, then transfer the ribs and most of the mushrooms to a big bowl. Some of the meat might separate from the bones but try to avoid this where possible.

Take out the herb sprigs, and then pass the rest of the braising liquid through a food mill.

Put it back in the pot and skim the fat off the top. Season with salt and pepper and add a little balsamic vinegar if you want.

Simmer the gravy for 5 minutes, and then serve it with the ribs. Sprinkle the parsley over the top and serve with lettuce and tomato, or a salad of your choice.

(Serves 6)

You can use any specialty or good quality sausages to make this classic comfort food dish. Try pork, beef, or even venison sausages. Lamb sausages are nice too. The wholegrain mustard gives a nice piquant flavor to the mashed potatoes, although you can use less if you want a slightly milder mustard flavor, and the red wine complements the red onions in the gravy. Serve this with your favorite seasonal green vegetables and this meal will be a real treat for your taste buds.

This wonderful recipe is made with caramelized onions and they are simmered very gently with brown sugar, which makes them mouthwateringly sweet, as a real contrast with the mustard and other savory ingredients. The rosemary is a nice touch but if you do not have any you can leave it off, since it is really just for garnish.

Maybe you have tried sausage and mashed potatoes before but this dish elevates the classic recipe to a whole new dimension, using gourmet ingredients like fine sausages, red wine, red onions, rosemary, and mustard. This dish is still comfort food but it is gourmet comfort food, which is quite a new concept!

Sausages and Mashed Potatoes with a Red Onion and Rosemary Gravy

Ingredients -

1 thinly sliced red onion
8 sausages
2 lbs peeled, chopped potatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 teaspoons brown sugar
½ cup warm milk
1 ½ cups hot beef stock
½ cup red wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 teaspoons wholegrain mustard
1 ¾ oz butter

Preparation:

Preheat the broiler.

Heat the oil in a skillet.

Add the oil and sugar, then cook gently for about 15 minutes or until caramelized.

Boil the potatoes for 15 minutes or until tender.

Broil the sausages for 15 minutes or until they are browned all over.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook, stirring, for a minute.

Stir in the wine, Worcestershire sauce, and stock gradually.

Bring the gravy mixture to a boil, and then let it simmer gently while you mash the potatoes with the mustard, milk, and butter.

Serve the sausages on top of the mashed potatoes and pour the gravy over it.

Sprinkle the rosemary over the top and serve.

(Serves 4)