Making gravy is actually all sorts of simple, even for the worst cook. All it takes is some flour, some butter, some drippings, and whatever else you want to throw into the mix, a good skillet, and a whip. Anything more than that is making it more difficult than absolutely needed, and this also gets you away from the powder mixes. Also, nothing impresses a date more than a good gravy.
The drippings should be easy enough to procure: It's just the fat from whatever meat you happen to have just cooked. Instead of throwing them away, throw them into bowl or something. You just need to find out how much you have so you can convert it to gravy.
In the skillet, you're going to make a basic roue. Start with two cups of butter, or about two sticks; you can also use margarine. Melt that a a medium heat, combine with two cups of flour, and whip until well mixed. You then need to mix in the drippings until everything is mixed together. If you're not satisfied with how thick it is, you can stir in some flour, but keep in mind that the gravy will thicken as it cools down, so don't add too much or you will have some pretty thick gravy. Also, keep whipping it every so often to keep lumps from developing.
That's the simple version. If the meat had some seasonings on it, they will have infused the gravy with some of those seasonings. Otherwise, seasoning gravy is a delicate operation: You need to hit a sweet spot between too little and too much. The gravy will absorb a lot of the flavor of the seasoning, muting it unless sufficient spice is added. On the other hand, even a hair too much seasoning will overpower the taste of the gravy. It may take some experimentation but you should find a mix you like. Salt and pepper are the obvious choices, but almost any spice can work but you may want to avoid sweet spices.
Certain vegetables can work as well, especially if they have been sweated or caramelized. Diced onions are a good choice, as well as parsley, fennel, or cilantro. If you want to add another texture celery makes a great addition, especially as it adopts flavors easily. Green onions and mushrooms add a little extra flavor as well as texture. You can also try adding a little heavy cream or condensed milk to the gravy, as well as a little alcohol, such as a cooking wine or brandy. Soy sauce and hoisin sauce can also add some strong flavors, as well as miso soup. The reason I'm lumping all of these vegetable and fluid ingredients together is because a lot can go a long way, especially given that these have a strong flavor of their own. Keep in mind also that you want to keep the gravy simple, so add no more than a few such ingredients to the gravy.
Making gravy is a simple exercise, but one that can make a major difference in whatever it covers. Have a little fun, expect a few mistakes, especially when trying something new, and you should do fine.
The drippings should be easy enough to procure: It's just the fat from whatever meat you happen to have just cooked. Instead of throwing them away, throw them into bowl or something. You just need to find out how much you have so you can convert it to gravy.
In the skillet, you're going to make a basic roue. Start with two cups of butter, or about two sticks; you can also use margarine. Melt that a a medium heat, combine with two cups of flour, and whip until well mixed. You then need to mix in the drippings until everything is mixed together. If you're not satisfied with how thick it is, you can stir in some flour, but keep in mind that the gravy will thicken as it cools down, so don't add too much or you will have some pretty thick gravy. Also, keep whipping it every so often to keep lumps from developing.
That's the simple version. If the meat had some seasonings on it, they will have infused the gravy with some of those seasonings. Otherwise, seasoning gravy is a delicate operation: You need to hit a sweet spot between too little and too much. The gravy will absorb a lot of the flavor of the seasoning, muting it unless sufficient spice is added. On the other hand, even a hair too much seasoning will overpower the taste of the gravy. It may take some experimentation but you should find a mix you like. Salt and pepper are the obvious choices, but almost any spice can work but you may want to avoid sweet spices.
Certain vegetables can work as well, especially if they have been sweated or caramelized. Diced onions are a good choice, as well as parsley, fennel, or cilantro. If you want to add another texture celery makes a great addition, especially as it adopts flavors easily. Green onions and mushrooms add a little extra flavor as well as texture. You can also try adding a little heavy cream or condensed milk to the gravy, as well as a little alcohol, such as a cooking wine or brandy. Soy sauce and hoisin sauce can also add some strong flavors, as well as miso soup. The reason I'm lumping all of these vegetable and fluid ingredients together is because a lot can go a long way, especially given that these have a strong flavor of their own. Keep in mind also that you want to keep the gravy simple, so add no more than a few such ingredients to the gravy.
Making gravy is a simple exercise, but one that can make a major difference in whatever it covers. Have a little fun, expect a few mistakes, especially when trying something new, and you should do fine.
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