How (not) to make gravy…

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Made a nice strong beef stock for the gravy to go with today’s Christmas roast, well in advance, by slow cooking a whole oxtail over 36hrs, then reducing down to a demi-glace. Yum.

Got that out of the freezer today, melted it, then just as a last minute thought added the juice that had dripped out of the beef while it was defrosting. Turns out that was a BAD IDEA. When I started to reheat my carefully clarified stock to make the gravy, it suddenly started turning into something like grey scrambled egg… Aaargh!

What was happening looked exactly like an extreme form of ‘hot break’ - and it turns out that’s what it was… proteins coagulating and precipitating out. Turns out that red liquid that comes from the meat isn’t blood at all, but water and myoglobin: a protein that transports oxygen around the muscles.

Anyway, that’s a mistake I won’t be making again! Fortunately I was able to filter enough clear liquid it to get a decent gravy, but it was a close call and I’d have been in big trouble if there’d been nothing to go with the roast …

 

[NormanHurst]

Gravy is a fickle thing! Well done for saving the day. Experience is all. Mrs H made an excellent gravy today but when questioned on how she had achieved the feat claimed to have done very little. I pointed out that was what she had done so well. Not adding an ingredient is often much wise than adding it!

 

[Clint]

My old mam seems to magic up the best gravy...

 

[foxy]

I thought my mother was a bad gravy maker, but compared to my wife I can say that at least my mothers gravy used to move!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Yeah - it needs to be thick enough to coat the meat, but I try to add as little flour as possible as it seems to kill the flavour. I know chefs tend to thicken things by whisking butter into them, but I suspect you've got to reduce it *right* down for that to work

 

[Chippy_Tea]

We use this.

 

[johnny108]

Flour? Or is it a type of starch?
Regular flour leaves a kind of raw flavor.
when I make gravy, it’s usually a coulis:
Roasted & puréed Celery root, carrots and onions work great for any meat, just add pan dripping.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Try it with cornflower.
Mix with boiled water from the vegetables to make a base to required consistency, add stock and juices from meat, stir over a low heat.

 

[SilverShadow]

+1 to using cornflour & veg water as the base of your stock. This is always a good simple way to a basic decent gravy

Always mix the cornflour with a little cold water separately to start with, gradually adding to your gravy till the right consistency is reached. It takes a few moments for it to thicken, depending on temps (when the gravy is close to bubbling will be better indication of consistency)

 

[Clint]

Gravy is done when you can stand a wooden spoon up in it.

 

[RichardM]

Flour? Or is it a type of starch?
Regular flour leaves a kind of raw flavor.
when I make gravy, it’s usually a coulis:
Roasted & puréed Celery root, carrots and onions work great for any meat, just add pan dripping.

Pour the fat from the meat in to a saucepan, heat it up, add the flour and stir, cooking it for a few minutes before slowly adding the stock from the meat, stirring all the time. Check and adjust seasoning. If you need more gravy add water from the veggies. Bring to a simmer, slow boil, stir until it is time to serve.
Perfect gravy every time, no raw flour flavour.

 

[SilverShadow]

Gravy is done when you can stand a wooden spoon up in it.

And requires a bricklayers trowel to 'pour' it