I’m assuming you’re the king of roasting, smoking, and grilling. You cook some mean side dishes, and everyone leaves happy, full, and satisfied after one of your barbecues.
You worked hard to prepare that gigantic turkey, only to let it all down with instant gravy. Yeah, it tastes alright, it’s fast, and no one has ever complained about it.
Of course not, they’re there for the food. They leave thinking your BBQ game is on point, but your gravy is lacking.
Contents
- How to nail your gravy every time
- Let’s make some gravy
- Serving suggestions
- FAQs
- What is the secret to good gravy?
- What can you add to homemade gravy to make it taste better?
- Does cornstarch or flour make the best gravy?
- What is the formula for gravy?
- Is gravy better with water or milk?
- How do you add richness to gravy?
- How do you make gravy taste like gravy?
- Why does my homemade gravy taste like flour?
- Why is my gravy not tasty?
- What do chefs use to thicken gravy?
How to nail your gravy every time
I consider gravy to be the king of condiments.
Do you know anybody else who can cook? If your meat is slightly overdone, cover it in rich homemade gravy and the entire family will be cheering you on.
So you kept a close eye on the turkey and it came out perfectly, but in doing so, you overcooked the potatoes and pushed the greens much beyond what they should have been steamed to. Can I tell it now, where is that? Condiment of condiments capable of saving a meal.
A package version can only do so much; when you make your own gravy, you can flavor it anyway you want. It will turn you become a versatile chef.
Let’s make some gravy
Why wouldn’t you want to cook it since it’s simple and requires little preparation?
Yes, you can peel and cut onions. Pour some water, then some stock and wine? Melt butter and stir it?
Then you can make this glorious liquid.
Peel and coarsely chop two medium-sized onions.
Add them to your oven or smoker with 2 to 3 cups of boiling water below the meat you’re cooking.
In the picture below, I’ve put the onion pan underneath a rotisserie chicken to capture all the juices, but you can just set it beneath a wire rack.
When the meat has rested, move the pan and drippings to a saucepan over medium to high heat.
Add a cup of white wine and a couple of cups of chicken stock. Whisk until it begins to simmer, then decrease the heat and let the contents to reduce and thicken by one-third.
Then, in a separate skillet, melt the butter and mix in the flour until it acquires a lovely nutty brown color.
Add this to the gravy mix to help thicken it up.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, then drain and serve.
Serving suggestions
In my home, I usually place the meat on everyone’s plate and then leave the jug of gravy nearby for them to add if they wish.
There is seldom any remaining since everyone goes right for the serving jug.
This just returns us to the assertion, the condiment of condiments.
