Give me your secrets to amazing (chicken) gravy

[QuimReaper]

My secret shame is that I've never ever made it before

I'm breaking my roast duck on Saturday and want to blow my guests away with my gorgeous gravy

[scurryfunge]

Always use home made stock.

[Pasithea]

Scrapings from roasting pan and home made stock.

[TeddyIsaHe]

Home made stock! It will make any gravy taste amazing.

Also a small amount of very cold butter whisked in just before serving. Makes it glossy and rich and delicious.

[scurryfunge]

As you are having duck I would add a dollop of red currant jelly at the end to compliment the duck.

[welshmist]

you beat me to that jelly tip in the gravy, we also add sloe gin

[welshmist]

We also put a roughly chopped up carrot and onion into the pan the chicken is cooked in with water and vegetable stock cube. Top up the water, fan ovens are a devil for drying up the water. Now I like to blitz the carrot and onion into the gravy.

[ShowMeTheElf]

If you are having chicken: while meat is resting, put roasting pan on hob and cook on high so drippings go brown. If there was a lot of stock in the tray pour it out before you heat so it can separate, then spoon off fat. You can use this to make gravy but if there isn't enough use some chicken stock you've made in advance as well.
At the point that you have a sizzling tin with crispy bits and a bit of fat in, throw in a tbs or so of cornflour or flour. mix with drippings to thick paste. Add stock dropwise, stirring constantly (I use a balloon whisk) to desired consistency. taste and season as required. If there are any crispy bits that haven't dissolved sieve them out as you pour into serving jug.

[dantdmistedious]

Wine.

[UnaOfStormhold]

Nigel slater has a recipe for make ahead gravy which you could try if you really want to go for it. Personally I take the chicken out of the roasting pan, put the juices into a jug, pour off the fat, mix a little cornflour and water together, pop the roasting tin on the hob, pour some white wine into it and scrape off the nice crispy bits, add the cornflour and roasting juices and let it bubble for 5mins so the cornflour cooks.

[QuimReaper]

Thanks everyone! I am making chicken, not duck, it was just a really lame joke

Question (especially for Uma, I like the sound of your way!) do you use a veg trivet?

[Lupiform]

If you want lots of gravy, make some vegetable stock ahead of time to add to the total liquid volume.

[Whitecurrants]

Remove chicken from pan to rest, degrease juices in pan. In a cup, mix a little cornflour (about half a teaspoon), about 100ml of Marsala and half a chicken stock cube (Kallo is good). Add to juices, chuck in another 2/3 cup or so of water (you could use ready made stock instead of cube and water). Bring to the boil, stirring and trying to scrape any goo from the roasting pan as you go. Add any juices from carving. Strain into preheated jug. Bonus - your roasting pan is now much cleaner.