Making perfect gravy
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How to make perfect gravy
This method of making perfect gravy has been used in my family for generations. Interestingly, it has always been my Dad who's made the gravy for our Sunday Roast Lunches and it was he who taught me how to make 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.
PLEASE NOTE:
all photos are © aj2008, unless otherwise stated
and cannot be reproduced without written permission
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.
PLEASE NOTE:
all photos are © aj2008, unless otherwise stated
and cannot be reproduced without written permission
Contents at a Glance
AJ's tip: Dripping
Try to keep a store in the fridge
If you ever have any juices left over from cooking meat, do not throw it away. Put in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. Sometimes you will cook something that does not give you enough fat to make gravy, so it is good to keep some dripping on standby.
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!
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
To make perfect gravy you will need:
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
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
The Method for making perfect gravy
Step by step gravy making instructions
Cook your meat in a heavy duty stainless steel roasting pan and when it is done, lift it onto a plate and leave it to "relax", while you make the gravy and finish off the rest of the cooking. This will make the meat a lot easier to carve.
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.
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 and he taught me how to make gravy when I was young.This is my trobute to my Dad: I Love You Dad!
Delia Smith
I learned a lot of basic cookery tips from Delia as well!
Making rich gravy
Rich gravy recipe
The method for making a richer gravy is almost the same, you just need slightly different ingredients. Substitute some of or all of the vegetable water with either chicken or vegetable stock.
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.
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.
How to fix lumpy gravy
AJ's damage control!
Why do things always go wrong when you have guests?
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.....
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
More Gravy Recipes
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- teslac0ils
- which reminds me, I need to dig up that Finnish meatball recipe with the vodka gravy 'o'
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- RT @Harlin78: @cponder7 Can I get a recipe for that Bacon whiskey gravy? Sounds awesome!
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Woot!
This lens was featured on
Cabaret Squidoo
as a
"Best Gravy Recipe"
on 26 May 2009!
The flying gravy
Disaster at AJs
When my son was five years old we moved house and he had to start at a new school. He became very friendly with another new boy, who had also just moved into the area and I got talking to his Mum in the playground. We got on so well, so I invited the whole family to Sunday Lunch. There was Mum, Dad and three sons and my husband and I had two children, so it was lunch for nine.
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!
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!
More fast and easy recipes
Quick easy recipes for all occasions
My Dad also taught me how to make Bread Sauce and this recipe is featured in Christmas at AJs
Autumn at AJs includes recipes for Pumpkin Soup and Apple Crumble.
My other favorite recipes include:
Easy Fish Pie
Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe
How to make Green Cupcakes
Baked Chicken Recipe
Best Chicken Wing Recipe
Quick Easy Recipes for Dinner
Spanish Chicken
Chicken Leftover Recipes
Recipe for Mushroom Sauce
Recipe for Spanish Omelette
Pork Chops Recipe: One Pot Pork and Potatoes
Chocolate and Cream Recipe
Autumn at AJs includes recipes for Pumpkin Soup and Apple Crumble.
My other favorite recipes include:
Easy Fish Pie
Easy Beef Stroganoff Recipe
How to make Green Cupcakes
Baked Chicken Recipe
Best Chicken Wing Recipe
Quick Easy Recipes for Dinner
Spanish Chicken
Chicken Leftover Recipes
Recipe for Mushroom Sauce
Recipe for Spanish Omelette
Pork Chops Recipe: One Pot Pork and Potatoes
Chocolate and Cream Recipe
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Do you make perfect gravy?
Have you any gravy making tips?
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Edutopia
Jan 26, 2012 @ 4:42 am | delete
- Great lens, and a proper gravy recipe! I will for sure give this recipe a spin and see how it pairs up with my own.
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debnet
Jul 16, 2011 @ 1:00 pm | delete
- Mmmmmmm... now featured on 'The Great British Cuppa' ;)
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prosperity66
May 17, 2011 @ 3:45 pm | delete
- Aaaaaaaaaaaah, now I know what gravy is... and I'll certainly give the recipe a try!
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totalhealth
May 17, 2011 @ 2:51 pm | delete
- great gravy recipe, we usually use gravy mixes, but maybe its about time that we make a great tasting gravy.
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clouda9
May 14, 2011 @ 2:48 pm | delete
- This wonderful guide for making perfect gravy is now featured on http://www.squidoo.com/food-vocabulary for the word 'soupy'. *Blessed today too...cuz I'm one of the recipe angels ;)
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