The perfect gravy...

oneillMan999

Ok guys, i need a method to make the perfect gravy for Christmas dinner (turkey ham, the works), my mother cooks a wonderful big dinner with all the trimmings then boils some water and mixes in a bit of bisto for the gravy! I know, its criminal so i told her i would do the gravy this year.

Any ideas?

stacexD

Make it with the stock from the turkey
Pull the turkey out a little while before it's ready and pour the juices into a pot, mix 4tsp of bisto powder into 1/2 pint cold water (probably better 8tsp into a pint since the turkey will most likely be fairly big?) add it to the stock, bring it to the boil stirring constantly so it doesn't go lumpy.
Easiest way to make gravy and you perfect gravy every time

lab man

+ add a little of onion not cooked tho, makes a big difference i think
just my tuppence worth.

phormium

My grandmother always said bisto was a cover up for bad cooking but I love it! Having said that I always have stock and just use the bisto to thicken it. The juices on the day are great but need to get rid of the fat. If you pour off the juices and throw in a big handful of ice cubes the fat instantly sets around them and you can scoop it out, the melting ice just adds the extra water you would have needed anyway. Keep doing it until the bulk of fat is taken off. Be organised ahead, have plenty of ice cubes!

_blank_

Bisto powder also works as a browning agent though, proper Turkey Gravy will be a lighter, tan colour really.

Just use cornflour, or even add the cooking juices to a roux for a nice gravy.

Although yeah, I use the bisto powder myself to make gravy whenever I roast a chicken.

Poco90

Jamie Oliver has a nice recipe that you can make in advance and freeze.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/other-recipes/get-ahead-gravy
He uses star anise in it which may not be to everyones taste.

fred funk }{

Bisto for me too, use the turkey juice as others said but what I do to make it extra tasty is to use the water from boiling the veg too. Don't use the water from mushy peas or the potatoes as it would make it unpleasant. Mainly from the carrots, broccoli and green beans etc.

The good thing about doing it that way, apart from tasting great, is that the people who don't like the veg get all the nourishment without having to eat them.

arandale

No need for ice cubes if you like. When you take the turkey out of oven, it has to rest for a half hour, pour the juices it was cooked in into a pyrex jug and leave aside, by the time you are ready to carve the turkey you just scoop the fat from the top, you get it all and make the gravy as you like. I have done it this way forever and it seems to work.

dyer

i always use the water from carrots as stock.. i mix this with the meat juices and bring to a boil.. then i mix around 2 or 3 teaspoons of cornflour in a glass of cold water and add to the gravy to thicken it up and season as necessary. if you add the cornflour directly youll just get horrible lumps!

Paul_Hacket

I am a gravy Nazi. The following works:

1. Before putting the bird in the oven cut off Turkey's wing tips (just cut them at the last joint with a heavy knife and they should come off easily. Put them in a smallish saucepan.

2. Take out the giblets (hopefully your turkey came with them) and chop the gizard and heart into a couple of pieces, add them to the saucepan. Using a heavy knife like a cleaver chop the neck as best you can. You probably won't be able to chop through it but you don't need to - you are going to use it to make a stock, put it into the saucepan too. Add a carrot or two plus an onion or two also sliced in half lengthways with the skin still on, also a couple of peppercorns and a small sprig of fresh herbs if you have them. Add a pint or so of cold water and barely simmer the stock on a low heat while the bird is roasting, skimming any scum off the surface from time to time.

3. When you roast the turkey make sure it on a raised rack over the roasting pan and put a cup or two of boiling water in the pan. This will help the bird to cook and stop any drippings from the turkey from burning off too much when they drip into the pan.

4. Once the turkey is cooked and resting on a platter, pour off nearly all of the liquid from the pan into a pyrex jug or similar. Add a handful of ice cubes to the jug to help the fat separate from the juices quicker.

5. Place the roasting pan on the hob and turn the hob on. Add a full glass of white wine into the pan and scrape up all of the carmelized drippings into the wine as it boils.

6. Add the strained stock from the wing/giblet saucepan into the roasting pan and mix. Now strain the lot into a smaller gravy saucepan and put the roasting pan away.

7. Remove the fat out of the top of the perspex jug (there will probably be a fair amount of it) and poor the juices into the gravy saucepan also. You should have about half a pint or so of liquid in the gravy pan at this point. If it is significantly more and looks a bit thin then boil it vigorously until it concentrates and gets a bit more body. Add salt and pepper to the gravy to taste. You can also add a little worcestershire sauce or even a glug of sherry or port if you like.

8. Make a paste with a tablespoon or two of cornflower and some water, add it to the gravy and whisk it with a fork while on a medium heat to thicken the gravy. Taste and check the seasonings. The gravy will thicken over the course of a couple of minutes and will also thicken more when taken off the heat.

9. If you like, just before serving you can turn the heat off in the saucepan and 'monter au buerre' by whisking several small chunks of cold butter into the gravy a few at a time. This will give it a rich glistening appearance.

If you do all (or most) of the above you will have an amazing authentic gravy made with the proper French technique.

reallyrose

I was scrolling of down this thread to say "I often add a splash of whiskey to my gravy" but I think Paul_Hacket has blown me out of the water.

Does it take long to make?

the beer revolu

I like to use flour rather than corn flour to thicken my gravy.
Just mix up a tablespoon of flour with the pan juices (most of the fat pored off), off the heat and add your stock gradually, stirring all the time.
The better your stock, the better your gravy - homemade is best, reduced.
If using stock cubes, I's also use the water from boiling veg - I find that potato water is good as it adds a little thickening.
I'll usually add red or white wine, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
Sometimes dry sherry, sometimes some red currant jelly or another sweet addition.
Taste it again and again. If it's too weak tasting , boil it down to reduce it.
If it's thick but weak tasting you'll have to add some concentrated flavour - a stock cube might help as will a dash more of soy and Worcestershire sauce but be careful it doesn't get too salty.

olaola

I’m VERY particular about my gravy. IMO lamb has the best result.
Anyhoo, I use equal parts Bisto and plain flour, mixed into a paste with cold water. I collect water from all the cooking veg and I add the meat juices & seasoning to the saucepan. Add in the Bisto paste and bring to a simmer while stirring constantly. I like mine to have quite a saucy consistancy, don't like runny gravy!

Brendog

Add a small amount of onion, mushroom, courgette and about 3 garlic cloves.
Boil in a small amount of water for 10 mins to release all the juices and flavours.

*This leaves you with a delicious flavoured water that is a great base for the gravy.*
Leave in the onions, mushrooms etc.

If you are oven roasting chicken, beef or turkey or lamb take it out of the oven remove the fat of the juices and add to the gravy base.

*This adds a distinct flavour off the meat to the gravy which will be soaked up by the potatoes, green beans, carrots etc. when poured over the plate*

Now add bisto.

Boil.

DONE!

travellingbid

http://www.jamieoliver.com/magazine/recipes-view.php?title=get-ahead-gravy

Mentioned above - I made this last year and left out the star anise, went down a treat:)

Paul_Hacket

reallyrose wrote: »

I was scrolling of down this thread to say "I often add a splash of whiskey to my gravy" but I think Paul_Hacket has blown me out of the water.

Does it take long to make?

The above technique doesn't take as long as it looks. You can also perform all the steps involving making the stock from the giblets and wingtips the day before if you want. There's generally plenty of time to finish the gravy while the bird is resting - which should be at least 20 mins in the case of a large turkey. The trick is to have all of the veg and sides pretty much ready and the table fully prepared - if you aren't well organized getting a Christmas dinner on the table for a large group can be a nightmare!

Miss Fluff

Coleman's English mustard (a spoon of the powder if possible, if not the mustard itself is fine) is a really delicious addition to gravy - particularly lovely with roast beef or roast pork. Nyum