To cancel Christmas since I can't even make gravy :(

[Acunningruse]

Tried to make Jamie's Get Ahead Gravy to go with today's roast Asia rehearsal for Christmas...what a disaster it took hours in the oven, the veg was still hard after an hour and 30 minutes, then when I transferred it to the hob (as per recipe) all the juices evaporated. I added flour and water then tried to pass it all through a sieve but it was so lumpy all that's passed is basically chicken flavour water with lumps in (not envy)
It in no way resembles gravy, at best it might be a chicken stock but I am so fed up after 4 hours and my house reeking of chicken juices I am tempted to throw it all in the bin.

Does anyone have any tips for gravy I can make ahead that will actually work? Otherwise it's Bisto

Buy it ready made.

We buy our gravy we are big fat cheaters who love shortcuts haha

I don’t really think gravy ever works well made in advance - it’s supposed to be a reduction of the meat cooking juices.

What’s wrong with Bisto if it makes everyone’s life easier on the day?

Bisto with the juices from the pan.

why go to all that bother when gravy granules a whisk and a jug of boiling water takes three minutes flat ok people will come on here saying only home made from scratch gravy will do but on christmas day ive got enough to do without all that shit, especially as i have to work christmas eve and boxing day

It always takes me far longer to make than the recipe says. More roasting, far longer to brown and as I use leeks instead not celery, far longer to sieve. Just buy nice ready made .

Life is too short to stress over gravy. Buy a bag of Tesco finest and relax!

Yep.
christmasfood.marksandspencer.com/posh-turkey-gravy/p/p60064090

I make a bloody good gravy but rarely bother.

Buy the stuff in a tub. I can't do homemade gravy either but nobody has ever complained about my tub substitute.

Most of the shops sell ready made pots of “proper” gravy closer to Christmas. Get one or two of them, gravy isn’t worth stressing over.

M&S gravy in a pouch is the best! No stress :)

We like Bisto, it’s never occurred to me to try to learn to make grave as Bisto exists and is reliable and adequate.

The 'gravy' itself [vom] you can't see from here but it's got loads bits floating in it 😡

www-thedailymeal-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.thedailymeal.com/eat/kfc-gravy-recipe?amp_js_v=a2&amp_gsa=1&amp&usqp=mq331AQECAFYAQ%3D%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailymeal.com%2Feat%2Fkfc-gravy-recipe
This recipe is what I use for any bird type roasts - but I add the bird juices in at the end. It takes about 5-10mins max. Sorry it's a link to the Daily Fail. Hope link works. Yes, it's the kfc style gravy! Bloody lovely!

M&S isnbest abd just heat it in a pan. I spilled the pan one year and was left with a teaspoon of gravy. It was just me and DH and he doesn’t like gravy sonit was just me who missed out.

Xmas dinner is just dinner, not a michelin starred experience that you need to work your fingers to the bone to make.

Buy a ready stuffed bird
Veg in foil trays
Roast potatos around the bird
Ready made pigs in blankets and yorkshire puds that you just bung in the oven
Get the fancy ready made gravy, with 'extra special' in the title. The stuff that you just heat, no whisking needed.

Then when the timer goes off, sit and enjoy with your family. Pull cracker s, drink wine, read lame jokes and have fun.

I take the bird out of the roasting tray, add a small teaspoon of marmite and some flour, put it on the hob and stir with a wooden spoon adding boiling water a bit at a time. Once cooked through and as thick as you want it, sieve it into a jug.

Buy it. It has taken me years to perfect homemade gravy and I still buy it if I can't be arsed.
For your consideration: my gravy.
When I do make it, I take the bird out of the oven 15 mins before its ready, pour the chicken fat out of the pan into a different pan, return bird to oven.
On a low heat, add a tbsp of flour to the fat and WHISK it until smooth. Throw in a splash of white wine.
You will probably be boiling veg at this time so now add water from the veg to the hot fat mixture. I use a ladle and stir it each time with the whisk, keeping it on the heat. Don't add too much water at a time or you will spoil the consistency. You must use hot water but keep everything simmering not boiling as you stir. Take it off heat to sort out the meat and veg. Whack it back on the hob briefly when you are ready to dish up. Season. Serve in a warm jug.

I made that JO gravy once. It took forever and didn't even taste that great. I now by M&S ready made gravy. No-one ever complains.

Where is your starting point... can you make gravy already? Do a Sunday roast?

When I try a Jamie Oliver recipe, it always ends up going wrong.

Perhaps cut yourself some slack and buy the ready made stuff as PP have suggested .

Marks and Spencer’s do everything!! Gravy, mash, veg - everything.

I make JGAG every year and it's never done that to me? It's the highlight of the meal.

But for basic, good gravy, use a bought chicken stock (Tesco Finest is good - those cubes are pretty salty). Cook meat on top of carrot, onion, celery (plus apple/pear/garlic/lemon depending on meat).

Once meat is cooked take it off and put it on another heated tray to rest. Add stock to the roasting tin and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan. I also add some apple or cranberry juice/red or white wine for extra flavour, and cooking water from veg. Once it has simmered for 10-15 mins pass through a sieve and discard the veg.

Skim off any fat (or use a separator jug) and transfer to a saucepan. Keep stirring and thicken with a cornflour slurry.

You can buy ready made fresh gravy in sachets and just need to warm them through. Probably best to splash a bit of sherry or port in them to perk them up a bit. Maybe a bit of salt too

I’m a chef but at home I use the water from the veg, juices from the meat after it’s cooked, and thicken up with bisto turkey granules. Tastes perfect.