How to make perfect gravy
My Little Oxford Dictionary, that I keep next to my PC, defines gravy as: juices exuding from meat in and after cooking. However, these days, with smaller families and smaller joints for roasting, our traditional meat joints definitely do not exude anywhere near enough juices to make sufficient quantities of gravy and so we need to give it a little help.
In AJ's kitchen, this help does NOT include commercially produced gravy mixes and stock cubes. No, no, no, no, no! The synthetic (and often chemical) flavourings do nothing to complement or enhance the flavour of the meat. In fact they will mask it.
All you need to make perfect gravy is what you have already cooked for the meal, but I will allow you to add a little wine if you wish!
Read on for how to cook perfect gravy.
AJ's tip: Dripping
Try to keep a store in the fridge
We like the very traditional "Bangers and Mash", but sometimes sausages do not give off enough fat to make gravy, which is where the stand-by dripping comes in handy.
Roasting a duck always produce far more juices than you need for gravy. Keep it - it is excellent for roasting potatoes and parsnips!
Ingredients for making perfect gravy
Simple recipe for gravy making
Meat or poultry dripping (either from the fresh cooked meat, or dripping left over from another meal)
Flour (about 1 tablespoon for every 275 ml of liquid)
The water you have used to cook the vegetables
Gravy browning (optional)
Seasoning
A little wine (optional) - red or white depending on preference and the meat being cooked
Essential equipment for making perfect gravy
Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Roasting Pan, Mirror Finish, 16 X 11 X 2 Inches
Amazon Price: $22.59 (as of 12/09/2009) 
Oxo Good Grips Large Wooden Spoon
Amazon Price: $6.09 (as of 12/09/2009)
Jasper Conran at Wedgwood "Casual" Sauce Jug
Amazon Price: $39.99 (as of 12/09/2009)
Paderno World Cuisine 4-Inch Diameter Stackable Stainless Steel Measuring Jug
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 12/09/2009)
Attitude Apron Kiss the Cook Apron, Dark Blue, One Size Fits Most
Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 12/09/2009)
The Method for making perfect gravy
Step by step gravy making instructions
If the meat has created more juices than you will need, pour or spoon off the excess fat, leaving the actual meat juices. You will need around 2-3 tablespoons for enough gravy for 4 people.
Put the roasting tin over a fairly low heat and when the juices start to sizzle, sprinkle on some flour.
With a wooden spoon, quickly work in the flour to the juice until you have a smooth paste.
Very gradually, start adding the liquid, continuing to stir, so the paste stays smooth as it begins to dilute.
If the consistency is too thick, you can add more liquid. But if you find you have added too much liquid, then boil the mixture briskly (keep stirring) and the sauce will reduce and thicken.
You can substitute some of the liquid with wine.
If any more juices have run off the meat, while it has been relaxing, then add this to the gravy.
Season according to taste and at this stage you may like to add a small amount of gravy browning, although for beef, I often find this is not necessary.
Who taught me to make perfect gravy?
It was my Dad!
My Dad has always been the gravy maker in our family-
I love you Dad
-
Father, Dad, Daddy, Pop, Pa, Papa - many different names for many different people, but whether it is "I love you Dad", "I love you Daddy" or whatever it is your child calls you, those words will always mean so much. Any man can b...
Delia Smith
I learned a lot of basic cookery tips from Delia as well!
Delia's Complete Illustrated Cookery Course
Amazon Price: $39.90 (as of 12/09/2009)
Delia's Summer Collection: 140 Recipes for Summer
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009)
Delia's Vegetarian Collection: Over 250 Recipes
Amazon Price: $32.85 (as of 12/09/2009)
Delia's How to Cook: Book Three (Bk.3)
Amazon Price: $27.01 (as of 12/09/2009)
Book of Cakes (Coronet Books)
Amazon Price: (as of 12/09/2009)
Who's blogging about gravy?
Making rich gravy
Rich gravy recipe
Whenever you roast a chicken, use the giblets and/or the carcass to make stock, and keep the stock in the fridge.
Cover the giblets or carcass with about 1.5 litres of water. Add some chopped onion and seasoning, bring to the boil, cover and then simmer for a couple of hours. You can also add herbs, a leek, some carrots - whatever you like.
A couple of spoonfuls of redcurrent jelly, can add that little extra hint of flavour. Lovely with Turkey or Lamb.
Making gravy
Same principle but slightly different ingredients
Gravy: How to make gravy
All you need to make delicious gravy from scratch is the leftover juices from a roast, a bit of flour, red wine and red currant jelly. Delicious!
curated content from YouTube
How to fix lumpy gravy
AJ's damage control!
How to fix lumpy gravy
No matter how many times you make gravy and no matter how careful you are, there is a chance you will end up with lumps in your gravy. I have friends who say I am an expert in making gravy, but what they don't see is the panic I get into as I realise it is five minutes to dishing up and lumps have appeared!
I have become a master at rescuing my lumpy gravy!
Break up larger lumps by whisking the gravy vigorously in a figure of eight motion with a hand whisk or an electric hand held whisk.
Pour the gravy through a strainer. Don't press lumps of flour through the mesh though or the gravy will stay lumpy.
Then if you still have lumps, pour the gravy into a blender and puree, but whatever you do, make sure you put the lid on!
How to fix runny gravy
If you need to thicken the gravy, dissolve some flour or cornstarch in a small amount of cold water add to the gravy and bring to the boil stirring. Simmer for a few minutes to remove the taste of raw flour.
And if all else fails.....
Essential equipment for fixing lumpy gravy
Cuisinart CSB-77 Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments
Amazon Price: $48.57 (as of 12/08/2009)
Cuisinart DLC-10S Pro Classic 7-Cup Food Processor
Amazon Price: (as of 12/08/2009)
Leifheit Feel it Stainless Steel Line 8-Inch Strainer
Amazon Price: (as of 12/08/2009)
Oster BPST02-B Professional Series Blender, Black
Amazon Price: $43.94 (as of 12/08/2009)
Magic Bullet Express 17-Piece High-Speed Blender Mixing System
Amazon Price: $52.55 (as of 12/08/2009)
Recommended links
Some well known Chefs and some of them are on Squidoo!
- Delia Online
- The official home of Delia Smith the UK's favourite TV cook including recipes, cookery tips, menu planning, food ideas, discussion boards and more.
- Jamie Oliver - Official site for recipes, books, tv and restaurants
- Jamie Oliver's official site features loads of recipes as well as his latest books including Ministry of Food, Jamie at Home and the Naked Chef. Search recipes, see what Jamie is up to in his diary and chat to other Jamie Oliver fans in the forum. Check out the school dinners campaign and download J
- Gordon Ramsay
- Gordon Ramsay official home page - See our exquisite range of michelin star restaurants for fine dining in london and beyond.
- Chef Keem's Squid Kitchen
- One of Squidoo's Master Chefs!
- Cabaret Squidoo Best Recipes
- The Most Fun You'll Ever Have with Recipes. Interactive Cooking Fun. Cabaret Squidoo takes ordinary cookbooks and recipe blogs to the next level by providing you with links to the very best recipes at Squidoo
Woot!
This lens was featured on
Cabaret Squidoo
as a
"Best Gravy Recipe"
on 26 May 2009!
The flying gravy
Disaster at AJs
I was a bit nervous, which is natural when you are cooking for people that you don't know that well but everything was going really well in the kitchen, so I was fairly relaxed. We were having roast lamb, everything was cooked to perfection and even the gravy turned out brilliantly. No lumps!
Then disaster. I broke one of my own hard-fast kitchen rules. I did not push the handle of the pan holding the gravy back out of the way over the cooker. It was sticking out just ever so slightly and as I turned to reach the jug that I was about to pour the gravy into, I caught the handle.
We had a kitchen-diner. Everyone was just sitting down at the table and watching me. I swear everything happened in slow motion. The pan somersaulted into the air and crashed to the floor. My perfect, lump free gravy pebble-dashed everywhere including cupboard doors.
Lunch was postponed for awhile as the floor was mopped and I managed to make more lump free gravy. Phew. . . .
And the best bit is that we have all remained close friends for the last 26 years!
Roast beef, Yorshire Puddings and perfect gravy!
AJ's Blog
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Do you make perfect gravy?
Have you any gravy making tips?
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Reply
- paperfacets paperfacets Nov 27, 2009 @ 3:22 pm
- I am reading this as I remember my lumpy gravy from yesterday's Thanksgiving turkey dinner. I usually use the strainer method. It was just the 4 of us in the family so I left it. Cooking is NOT my favorite thing to do. Good tips and stories to go with and thank you for the blessing.
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Reply
- WindyWinters WindyWinters Nov 4, 2009 @ 12:49 pm
- What a gravy story and wonderful friends. I love this gravy recipe and have featured on:
A RocketMoms Thanksgiving Day Feast :)
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Reply
- Rewards4life Rewards4life Oct 31, 2009 @ 6:13 am
- Great lens and a very nice recipe. I like your flying gravy story so funny, not at the time I imagine. Of course a big fat 5...
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Reply
- jgelien jgelien Oct 24, 2009 @ 7:39 pm
- Perfect timing. I came across this lens with Thanksgiving right around the corner which of course means gravy and mashed potatoes.
Wonderful tips. 5 stars.
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Reply
- badmsm badmsm Sep 29, 2009 @ 4:31 pm
- Making chicken pot pie tonight, so I'll try out some of your tips! :)
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AJ is Always Juggling
and sometimes she drops the balls as well as the gravy!
AJ is very proud and humble to be a Squidoo Angel
I am also very proud to have been awarded lens of the day for
Auditory Processing Disorder TWICE!
And then I got it for Twelve ways to have a green & ethical Christmas!
Lensmaster aj2008 has been a member since July 10 2008, has rated 3,229 lenses, favorited 800, and has created 70 lenses from scratch. AJ donates their royalties to Save the Children. This member's top-ranked page is "Bullying At Primary School". See all my lenses
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