good gravy!

[kappydell]

My mother used to say that instead of cussing.  But good gravy is more than an expression.  It can hold a meal together.  I did not realize that until my hyusbane, a gravy lover, told me so.  And when I say gravy lover, well, he would eat the stuff with a spoon.  That is when I decided i would have to learn how to make good, tasty, un-lumpy gravy.  The first thing I learned is that I cant do roux at all. so that kind of gravy (with the flour worked into fat) would not work for me.  OK, fat free gravy made our doctors happier anyway and did not trigger his IBS.  Here is the recipe, by the numbers.

 

          1.  1 level TB of flour is used for each 1/2 cup water.  I prefer flour, because it is cheaper, it thickens nicely, and when it cools, it does not gel to a solid mass, making leftover gravy much                 easier to re-heat and re-use.  However, some folks prefer cornstarch; the proportions there are 1 level TB per 1 cup water (hallf as much as flour).  I have never tried arrowroot, it is out of my                 budget, but have fond out that it uses 1 level tablespoon arrowroot powder per 1 cup liquid, for those who are grain-free.

 

     2.  Measure the liquid, and put it in your shaker jar first, then add the flour.  It dissolves better that way.  My shaker jar is a clean miracle whip jar, but I also like the wasp waisted pace picante jars.   You have to have a fairly large jar to get a good sloshing going when you shake.  /the better the slosh the better the dissolving of the flour into the liquid.

 

     3.  Once the liquid is totally mixed, pour the liquid into a saucepan.  Over medium high heat, stirring constantly to keep from scorching, bring to a boil.  Then lower the heat to simmer and simmer for 10 minutes to cook the flour thoroughly.  You can stir less often with the lower heat.  That is all there is to making a smooth fat free gravy.  The fun part, is all the flavors you can make!

 

For chicken gravy use chicken cooking liqid, adding a bouillon cube if the flavor is a little weak.  Season with one or more of the following seasonings: sage, savory, basil, thyme, marjoram, paprika, poultry seasonings, lemon opepper, onions or garlic powder; or add minced chives, celery bits or mushrooms.  Add a bit of wine as part of the liquid if desired.

 

For beef gravy use beef cooking water, adding a bouilon cube if needed.  Season with one or mor of the following: marjoram, rosemary, savory, basil, oregano, onion or garlic powder, or minced mushrooms, cardamom powder, catsup, worcestershire sauce, fresh ground pepper or even a bit of beer as part of the liquid!

 

Pork gravy takes well to seasoning wih sage, savory, basil, thyme, chives, chervil, parsley, onion powder, or mustard.  I like to add a dash of barbecue sauce once in a while.

 

Tomato gravy is made from tomato juice, tomato puree, or crushed tomatoes in their liquid (canned is fine) seasoned with basil, oregano, Italian seasoning blends, chili powder, cumin and a bit of sugar to cut any acidity.  

 

Turkey gravy benefits from chicken seasonings, but also a pinch of nutmeg with lemon peel.  

 

Milk (Country) gravy uses milk as the liquid.  It is seasoned with pepper (freshly ground is best) but also can be seasoned with onion powder, parsley minced celery and salt.

 

Chocolate gravy just wowed me, especially on biscuits for breakfast!  Pour 2 cups milk into the shaker jar.  Separately whisk together in a bowl the thickening and flavorings: 4 TB cocoa, 3 TB flour, 3/4  cup sugar.  Pour into milk, shake like crazy to mix, then pour into a saucepan to heat and stir.  It is cooked 8-10 minutes just like meat gravy.  When thick, stir in 1 TB butter and 2 teaspoons vanilla until blended.  Serve warm.  

 

The nice thing about gravy is that it gives me a chance to use those liquids that would otherwise go into soup or go to waste, like the draining from that evenings' can of corn or beans, along with the meat cooking liquid or the liquid I poured into the meat pan to stir and scrape up the yummy bits.  I like soup, but using them for gravy is more immediate and is one more option for those bits that would otherwise go to waste.  So bone up on your gravy making and watch your gravy-loving diners' eyes light up!

 

Edited August 25, 2020 by kappydell

[euphrasyne]

If you mess up and it becomes lumpy, you can use a stick blender in the pot or pour it into a regular blender to fix the lumpy part.  Easy fix for a mess up.  

 

[Littlesister]

Been making gravy for many years. Never thought of a shaker jar. Good idea.  

And yes, I love my stick blender. Works for lots of things.

[TheCG]

We use a salad dressing or protein shaker.  They have the little doohickeys in them to help break up lumps!

 

And arrowroot can end up as more of a "gel".  The consistency is off.  This is why there is a meal in our house called chicken snot...

[kappydell]

Ah yes....first time I made that for my late husband and told him the name he laughed his tail feathers off!  I have been known to put lumpy saucegravy thru a strainer too with a spatula.  I have a stick blender, but I don't keep it readily at hand, it is in the cupboard with the electric knife and the blender.  I still like the shaker jar thing though, maybe because I have used it so much I am used to it.  We like the fat free aspect too it keeps the doctors content when we have our annual medicare "wellness check". 

[mommato3boys]

Gravy and biscuits are my go to dinner or breakfast. It makes that left over one piece of sausage feed two people. When the boys lived at home it was Saturday morning breakfast. It was cheap and filled them up...you know three teenage boys and their hollow legs. I have a bullet smoothie maker that sits on my counter. It gets used for a lot of things and gravy making is one of them. 

 

Gravy the glue that holds fills those empty stomachs. 

 

Oh don't forget that Red Eye gravy. My grandmother used to say even though it gets it's name from the reddish color, it is really for those days of little or no sleep and you get up with red eyes. The coffee will kick in and get you going. 

[Littlesister]

Redeye gravy is good.  I like to make sausage gravy to put on biscuits as well.   DH loves sausage biscuits.   I have been thinking about those bullet blenders but never got around to buying one. Would love to get the smaller one for blending things.

 

Ok, the internet keeps going in and out. So hoping I can get a post finished before it goes out again. 

[Jeepers]

My MIL used to make red eyed gravy.  

 

I like my gravy thick and pasty. Stuff looks like pudding by the time I get finished cooking it. You could eat a gravy sandwich at my house. Lumps just give it character and a little something to chew on.  

[Ambergris]

When I was a little girl, Mrs. Robinson used to make her son and me a perfect red-eye gravy, using coffee, and sometimes it made that perfect rusty-red circle too.  I stood in awe of her cooking.  I have never made the red circle.