Gravy

Einhard

Hey all,

I'm pretty much a novice when it comes to cooking, but have been trying my hand at a few things of late. I have my eye on cooking the Xmas dinner, but I have never managed to make gravy that isn't either lumpy, runny, fatty, or just lack viscious goo. So any ideas on how I'd go about it would be appreciated. I know it probably sounds like the simplest thing in the world, but I just can't get it right.

Also, I've seen elsewhere that you're supposed to seperate the fat from the juice after roasting. Is there a simple way to do this? Last time I tried it, was standing there with a spoon for ages, ladling away, only to end up with the same amount of fat as I had started with!! Any tricks or labour saving tips?

smallgarden

do you want to make real gravy?

i find using 2 spoons brown bisto to one flour and adding water to mix to paste.add enough water,prob around a litre(i do it by eye) and then add some of the cooking juices(i dont bother seperating them) and it gives nice gravy

if doing it real way then can use ice cubes to help seperate the fat from the juices as it will make the fat solidify and you can then scoop it off to leave the juices.however i tried this when making stock and it was 90% solid with a little trickle of juice

olaola

I do the exact same as smallgarden. Save all the cooking juices from everything, meats & veg. And do a mix of both liquids before adding the bisto/flour paste. You have to make it into a paste before you add it, or else you'll get lumps - exactly like making Birds custard.

Minder

Get yourself a Gravy Separator Jug



Fill the jug with the roasting juices, the oil floats on top. The spout on the jug is connected to the base of the jug, so as you pour off the juices, the oil stays in the jug. Pour out most of the liquid and discard the fat.

Happyman42

Do it like you would make perfect custard. Make up your paste in a basin type bowl and then add your hot stock and cooking juices to the basin, slowly, rather than the other way round. Keep whisking as you go, it makes lumps less likely.
Pass all through a sieve before serving if you do get lumps, works fine for me.My 9yr old wants to drink my gravy .....like a in a glass!:eek:

Einhard

olaola wrote: »

I do the exact same as smallgarden. Save all the cooking juices from everything, meats & veg. And do a mix of both liquids before adding the bisto/flour paste. You have to make it into a paste before you add it, or else you'll get lumps - exactly like making Birds custard.

Make the bisto/flour into a paste before adding it to the juices? Is it ok to make the paste with water or should something else be used?

Minder wrote: »

Get yourself a Gravy Separator Jug



Fill the jug with the roasting juices, the oil floats on top. The spout on the jug is connected to the base of the jug, so as you pour off the juices, the oil stays in the jug. Pour out most of the liquid and discard the fat.

Ooooh that's the kind of labour saving thingymajig I'm looking for!! Any idea where I'd get my hands on one??

Happyman42 wrote: »

Do it like you would make perfect custard. Make up your paste in a basin type bowl and then add your hot stock and cooking juices to the basin, slowly, rather than the other way round. Keep whisking as you go, it makes lumps less likely.
Pass all through a sieve before serving if you do get lumps, works fine for me.My 9yr old wants to drink my gravy .....like a in a glass!:eek:

I make perfect custard by pilling the foil lid of some Devon pot and pouring it into a bowl!:D

Thanks for all the tips! Hopefully it'll all go according to plan come Sunday!

olaola

Einhard wrote: »

Make the bisto/flour into a paste before adding it to the juices? Is it ok to make the paste with water or should something else be used?

I use water, I'm sure you could use some of the cooking water. But it really doesn't matter, as you're not really using much. You can have the paste made when you start cooking. Saves you rushing when it's gravy time! Just take it easy, don't rush it. And it should be grand! You can adjust the thickness when it starts to bubble. You know yourself, just make sure if you want to make it thicker - use the paste!!

Minder

Einhard wrote: »

Ooooh that's the kind of labour saving thingymajig I'm looking for!! Any idea where I'd get my hands on one??

Argos do one

beertons

From Jamie Olivers 30 minute meals(p228).

You need 2 red onions, a few sprigs of rosemary, 1 table spoon of honey, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 tablespoon of flour, 1 glass of red wine, 3 table spoons of balsamic vinegar & 1 beef stock cube.

Peel and finely chop the red onions. Put into pot with olive oil and stir. Finely chop the rosemary, and put that in with the onions, along with the honey. Add the cruched garlic, and stir. After 2 or 3 mins, add the flour. Then the wine. Stir for a bit, then add the balsamic vinegar. Finally put 300 ml of boiling water and the stock cube. Stir and simmer till it's a good consistency. And voila, beautiful gravy.

I added chapped mushrooms to mine too, and I'd nearly have drank it, so good.

trackguy

Einhard wrote: »

Hey all,

I'm pretty much a novice when it comes to cooking, but have been trying my hand at a few things of late. I have my eye on cooking the Xmas dinner, but I have never managed to make gravy that isn't either lumpy, runny, fatty, or just lack viscious goo. So any ideas on how I'd go about it would be appreciated. I know it probably sounds like the simplest thing in the world, but I just can't get it right.

Also, I've seen elsewhere that you're supposed to seperate the fat from the juice after roasting. Is there a simple way to do this? Last time I tried it, was standing there with a spoon for ages, ladling away, only to end up with the same amount of fat as I had started with!! Any tricks or labour saving tips?

Hi there,

If you are looking to make it for Xmas dinner, make sure your butcher gives you the giblets with the turkey. These are a great base for a turkey gravy.

Put the giblets in a pan with 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped carrot and 1 chooped celery stalk. Add some herbs too if you have them. Cover completely in water and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer very slowly for at least an hour. This is will give you a lovely giblet stock.

Strain the stock once its cool and return the stock to the pan. Reduce the stock by at least half until it gets slightly thicker and darker. Add your thickening and any extra juices from cooking the turkey.

If you still think the gravy is too pale in colour, add a little worcestershire sauce or balsamic vinegar. Redcurrant jelly is lovely melted into the gravy too

jack202

When your turkry or any roast meat is done leave it to rest, put the tray on the hob and add some chicken stock, scrape the sticky juices from the tray with a wooden spoon, add it to a bowl with a few ice cubes, after a few minutes the fat will stick to the ice cubes and just spoon them out, add the juice to a pot with a pint of chicken stock and boil, add some roux a little at a time while stirring untill u get the desired thickness, season with S and P,
A roux is equal quantities of butter and flour, melt butter stir in flour and cook for 2 mins!!!