| Does the dog turn up his nose at your gravy? Is it | | | | lumpy. Adjust amount of oil and/or flour to get a thin |
| bland, watery, lumpy? Well, here's help. | | | | paste. |
| When you learn to make good gravy you will have a | | | | Continue cooking until you get the color needed for the |
| talent few people possess. Even many excellent | | | | type gravy you are making. For white gravy, add liquid |
| cooks never learn to make good gravy on a | | | | as soon as you get the proper paste and the roux is |
| consistent basis. Making gravy can pose a real | | | | still white. For brown gravy, continue cooking the roux |
| challenge. It's not easy, but you can learn. The tips here | | | | until it is dark brown. Be sure to stir continuously and do |
| will help but, unfortunately, the one thing you need, | | | | not over cook. It will burn quickly. |
| which no one can give you...is experience. | | | | Important: You must get the roux right at this point. |
| The secret to making gravy is to know when it "looks | | | | You can not adjust after adding the liquid (next step). If |
| right". I can give you a good recipe and tell you what it | | | | you add oil after adding the liquid, it will float on top of |
| is suppose to look like, but you will never know until you | | | | the gravy. And, if you add flour, it will form lumps. |
| learn for yourself from experience. | | | | Add 1 cup of the liquid (water or milk) while stirring. |
| So, what is good gravy? Well, it should be flavorful, the | | | | Bring back to a gentle boil. Continue adding liquid, |
| proper color and the proper thickness. It should NOT | | | | watching the thickness. When the desired thickness is |
| be greasy, lumpy, watery and taste like flour. | | | | obtained, remove from heat immediately. Be aware |
| Aside from experience, the most important thing in | | | | that the gravy will thicken more as it cools, so remove |
| making good gravy is to make a proper roux. Roux | | | | from heat just slightly before the desired thickness is |
| (pronounced "ruu") is a mixture of oil (grease) and flour. | | | | obtained. |
| There are two things to look for in making a proper | | | | There, you have the perfect gravy. Now, let's add |
| roux. First, the consistency (thickness) of the roux. | | | | some flavor. You can add one or all of the following. |
| Second, the color of the roux should be the proper | | | | Add 1/3 cup chopped onions to the hot oil before |
| color for the type gravy you want. White gravy should | | | | adding the flour. Cook only until the onions are tender. |
| have white roux. Blond should be blond and brown | | | | Do not allow to brown. Then add flour and continue |
| should be, guess what? Brown. | | | | making the roux. |
| Liquid, usually water or milk, is then added to the roux | | | | Add 1 or 2 cubes of beef or chicken bouillon the last |
| and cooking time is adjusted until the desired thickness | | | | couple of minutes of cooking the gravy. |
| is obtained. | | | | Add 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and/or a couple |
| Making the Roux: The oil used in making roux may be | | | | dashes of Tabasco sauce (good with gravy on |
| cooking oil, grease left from cooking meat, bacon | | | | biscuits) the last couple of minutes of cooking the |
| drippings, olive oil or other oil. Bacon drippings makes a | | | | gravy. |
| flavorful gravy and is very popular. | | | | In summary, the tips here will help, but only experience |
| The proportion of oil to flour is generally about 50-50. | | | | will enable you make good gravy every time. So, get in |
| Let's use an example of 4 tablespoons oil and 4 | | | | the kitchen and learn from your failures and take pride |
| tablespoons flour. Begin by heating the oil. Then add | | | | when it turns out perfect. Over time you will notice that |
| flour slowly, while stirring. It should be bubbling hot. You | | | | the perfect gravy seems to happen more and more |
| are looking for a thin paste. It should not be oily or | | | | often. |