Grandma's gravy

[MarkSloaneComeBack]

I need your help mumsnetters.

I am doing a big Easter lunch and whilst I am great at a roast dinner, my gravy is very hit and miss and is never consistently good.

I want it to be as good as my granny's, thick luscious tasty gravy.

What are your fool proof gravy recipes pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?

I want it to be as good as my granny's, thick luscious tasty gravy.

<childish snigger>

I always use heaped spoons of granules, a knorr stockpot (usually rich beef), pour the meat fat into the gravy granules, add the boiling veg water and then whisk it so all the motion dissolves the stock pot and granules. I then add more water / granules as needed for desired thickness.

Grandma’s gravy here - First save all the vegetable water when you strain them. Then use the meat juices, either in the roasting pan on top of the hob, or decanted into a saucepan. If in a pan make sure you get the brown sticky bits from the roasting pan. Off the heat, stir a tablespoon of cornflour or plain flour into the meat juices. Stirring all the time introduce a little heat only for a second or two, then gradually pour in some of the vegetable water, stirring all the time up the heat and add more vegetable water. Bring to the boil, the gravy should be thickening. Add salt and pepper.
It is important to gradually increase heat and vegetable water. Most important is stirring so it doesn’t go lumpy. This is the traditional way to make gravy, but it does take practice which is why most people use gravy granules.

Fat/juices from the meat, heat gently. Add flour to make a roux, heat for a couple of minutes.
Slowly add veg water, stirring all the time. If too pale a a few drops of gravy browning. I also add a couple of tablespoons of Bisto granules and some red wine. Never fails. My gravy is legendary in our family!
I also save any leftover gravy and use it as a base for the next batch.

Foolproof is buying it from M&S.

I'm a big big fan of Jamie Gravy, it takes me twice as long as it does him though.

This! And to make it even more flavoursome keep adding veg liquid and reducing it.

I throw in a stock pot with the gravy granules and water - it adds a salty, savoury thick and unctuous flavour and helps thicken the gravy too!

I just buy mine from M & S

exactly how my mom makes it

If I am cooking a roast for lots of people I make onion gravy ahead of time, and pop it in the fridge. Then I can add the meat juices and sticky bits from the bottom of the pan to it and know it'll be delicious and I'm not faffing with making gravy when I've got people hovering about waiting for dinner!

@Beebumble2 do you use a stock or are the pan juices the stock??

Almost the same. I stick an sliced onion under the roast so that caramelises while the meat cooks; it gives the gravy a lovely colour and added flavour. I also add a teaspoon of sugar and a small glass of red wine at the start - both elevate the gravy to another level.

Roast the meat on a veg trivet. remove meat, a table spoon of flour to make a roux, a knorr stock pot and a bottle of wine, red for beef, white for chicken, cider for pork. Leave to bubble along for a while and burn off the alcohol, mash the veg, pass through a sieve. If it needs something else a spoonful of Bisto always works.

Use the chicken or beef stock paste in a jar by M&S, I get it from Ocado

I don’t use a stock pot or anything other than the natural juices, but I do also add wine, redcurrant jelly or mustard.
The initial cooking of the juices and flour are browning and should make a darker gravy.