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RECIPE: Gravy

Ahhh B... Gravy! 

Gravy is a staple of English cooking, but the basics aren't so much different from a "Roux" - you'll use to make the base of 'White' sauces, This method can even be adapted to make US style 'Biscuit' Gravy

Everyone told me I needed it, but no one showed me how to make gravy... 

If you believe the adverts you put a popular stock cube into hot water and a 3-piece dinner appears by magic. 

Surprisingly, it's not that simple, but it’s also not as hard as you’re made to think, as it turns out. 

Gravy (at least as I understand it, and I'm a boy who doesn’t cook),  is a rich meat sauce, served with a lot of British dishes, made of meat and vegetable juices. 

My favourite way to make gravy is to make it AS YOU COOK... so while you have the veg, the meat, and anything else browning off in the pan that’s the best time to make magic happen:

English Savoury Gravy

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp plain flour (corn flour will work but you will need about a spoon less)

  • 400ml beef/chicken/veg/mix stock (made of boiling water and 2 cubes/pots of stock - to taste - or your own homemade bouillon if you’re feeling fancy)

Equipment:

  • The pan you're cooking in (high sided, for obvious reasons)

  • flexible rubber/plastic spatula

  • small plastic balloon whisk (optional - for lumps)

Method:

  • While the veg is cooking in a Saute pan, and you have added some meat (or meat alternative) and browned, sprinkle the pan with the flour (coat everything, don’t just pile in one place).

  • Mix through until the flour makes the mix sticky, but you can’t see any white flour (you may need to scatter a little more oil if everything gets very dry)

  • Add the stock gently/gradually.

  • Stir constantly, but gently, noting the thickening of the sauce. You will want your pan a little less than boil, but a little more than half way (judge to your hob type)

  • keep it moving to ensure a smooth, thick gravy (add boiling water if you want thin gravy, but also consider your life choices...).

  • Gravy will develop a film if left un-stirred for any length of time. It’s fine, it can be stirred in and melted back into a hot gravy, but it’s one of the reasons to leave the gravy till last, it’s best when it’s hot and fresh (and it’s a good cheat to warm up anything in a big roast dinner you’ve left a little too long on the side and it’s gotten cool)


Southern American style 'Biscuit' Gravy

Not something I’d generally say I have in my back pocket, but the recipe does seem to have a lot in common with the base method.

  • Cook your sausage or other ingredients as you would above (retaining the fat/juices), but after flouring with the same amount above, replace the stock with whole milk (or non-dairy & sugar free option).
  • Slowly cook down over a medium heat, stirring constantly, and with an eye to creating a thick almost Béchamel like sausage white sauce.
  • Serve over savoury scones, then call them biscuits for your American guests... do not serve over Chocolate Digestive Biscuits, or hobnobs, I know.. but this will not have the desired effect.

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