How To Make Gravy >Start Cooking
In this post, I am going to show you how to make two different gravies - a classic all-purpose gravy and then a really quick gravy. Then, at the end of this post, there are links to two videos which show how to make gravy with pan drippings, as well as links to three photo-tutorials on other ways to make gravy.
This classic all-purpose gravy is made by first cooking flour and butter together (that’s called a roux - pronounced roo) and then adding cold stock and cooking it until it has thickened and is smooth as silk. This recipe makes four cups of gravy which is great for entertaining. Cut 1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) of unsalted butter into chunks and add it to a medium size heavy sauce pan.
On low (to medium-low) temperature melt the butter until it is foamy. Add 1/2 cup of all-purpose white flour to the pan. Keep whisking and cooking (over very low heat) until it smells like a pie is cooking in the oven! That means the flour is cooked and your gravy will not end up having a “pasty” flavor to it. Brace yourself, as this could take anywhere from 6-to-12 minutes to get cooked! I will be using chicken stock for this recipe, but you could use vegetable or beef stock or a combination of stocks.
Start by whisking in about 1 cup of stock. …all the stock is absorbed. …whisking until the stock is again absorbed. All of the stock will get absorbed and it will be smooth as silk again! The stove should still be set at low as you continue to cook the gravy.
After 10 minutes, my gravy was still was not quite thick enough. See below how it drips off the spoon. At about 12 minutes, I added 1/3 cup of cream. This adds such a rich flavor and texture to the final gravy. Within two minutes of adding the cream, the gravy was perfect!
See below how it now coats the back of the spoon. Taste the gravy, and add some salt (if you think it needs it) and some white or red pepper. This is ready to serve! This quick gravy is great for making small amounts of gravy. In terms of amounts, the general rule of thumb is 2 tablespoons of flour, plus 2 tablespoon of butter to 1 cup of broth.
Broth from a can works beautifully for this recipe, although I am using strained stock from a just-cooked beef pot roast. Waste not, want not! The excess fat needs to first get skimmed off the top. Canned stock does not have this excess fat. Pour the stock into the pot. Turn the heat on medium and heat the stock. Put the flour and butter into a small bowl. …until you have a really smooth paste. Add the beurre manie to the hot stock.
Vigorously whisk together the stock and the flour-butter paste. …cook the gravy until it is thickened. There should be no “pasty-flour” taste to the gravy. This could take up to 10 minutes. Taste the gravy to see if it is cooked and if it needs salt and pepper. Sometimes homemade gravy is just not the color you want it to be, and occasionally the flavor needs a bit of a boost.
In the spice section of the grocery store you can buy flavor enhancers for gravy. Names like Bisto, G Washington’s Rich Brown sauce, Gravy Master Seasoning and Browning Sauce, and Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce are available at my grocery store. Enhancers are made of a combination of vegetable extracts, caramel coloring, preservatives, salt, etc. Some people have actually added things like soy sauce or coffee granules to darken their gravies!
