When making dinner in the week that requires a gravy, what do you do?

[carriedawayannie]

On a Sunday I make gravy with the roasting juices.

In the week I use shop bought. I wish I could be bothered to make homemade in the week but I can't.

What do you do?

I have been known to put an segmented onion in the pan under whatever needs the gravy during roasting then make up gravy in the same way I would a roast. I got some of those knorr gravy pots free with my shopping the other week, have tried one and found it a little unsatisfactory.

Would also be open to lazy easy ideas. If I start from scratch with a roux and stock I end up with an unappetising pale sludge that tastes ok but looks grim.

I use bisto made up with the veg water

Veggie gravy from a packet noramlly though when i'm organised i have batches of homemade onion gravy in the freezer.

Bisto. Seriously, there's another gravy......?

Care to share the onion gravy recipe??

If I haven't saved any from the weekend I use instant. But my favourite instant gravies are the ones that are actually ready done in packets, not the granules. They are win-win as you can generally microwave them in a packet so don't even have to make them up in a jug! I much prefer home made but if in going to use ready made I go the whole hog..

I use stock.

I make onion gravy often actually too - here's my recipe:

Slice 2 onions finely
Soften in 2 tablespoons of fat/oil for 10 mins
Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and let them caramelise for a few mins
Stir in 4 teaspoons of plain flour then add 500ml meat stock slowly, stirring all the time
Allow to boil and add a dash of red wine to taste
Let it simmer and thicken up for 10/15 mins or until desired consistency

I use stock to make gravy. Sometimes onion gravy. Depends what we're having.

That sounds great - thanks

Thanks Cat for the onion gravy recipe!

Meat juice (even if just sausages) plus oxo - I think gravy granules are the work of the devil. With sausages I use onion in the gravy too.

Bisto - so shoot me. I used to lovingly make a veggie one with onions, a roux, port and Marmite - but the dds prefer Bisto so Bisto it is now!

My DP has stumbled across a recipe that makes a nice gravy with mushrooms - ideal with meat or veggie meals.

I try and freeze leftovers, but DP does most of the cooking and turns his nose up at instant! (I'll eat it though)

I always make a bucket load of gravy when I do a roast and then freeze leftovers in icecube trays.
I just defrost/ reheat when we want mid week gravy. :)

Bistro here too. don't like the chicken gravy, but their turkey gravy and caramelised onion gravy are nice.

I make gravy, with meat bits, booze and butter, maybe some double cream and some chicken stock or we go without and add flavour with butter.

Bisto made with boring old tap water.

Swiss veggi stock powder if it's sheepheard's pie or *mince and noodles and just needs moistening a bit.

• I chuck in black bean sauce and mushrooms and peppers after taking some out for fuss pot.

Like vikings I make loads at one go and freeze for specific friend who asks for full gravy boat to herself and a take home portion every time she comes here for dinner later

I usually try to fry some onions in the pan I've used for the meat/sausages/whatever. Then I add bisto - at least with the onions, pan scrapings etc, it tastes a little less bisto-like & more like gravy I make for a full roast.

not tried it myself yet but DM informed me recently that she now swears by chucking a knorr stock pot (as seen on the cringy adverts) and a splash of whatever booze she is drinking at the time in with whatever she is cooking that requires gravy mid week. DM is unfortunately usually right about these things.

DM also makes stupendously good gravy from scratch at the weekends with the roast and therefore also is considered to have high gravy standards.

Bisto best.
There's no comparison. Fact.

When I roast lamb there is a fatty jelly left in the sc which I pour off and freeze in small batches.

I use that, a bit of flour, water and an oxo cube.

What does everyone do when they make real gravy, I only started eating meat a year ago and I think I must be missing something as I don't find making gravy it to be a big job. It takes me no more than 5 mins - while the meat is resting, I follow HFH approach, make it in the roasting tin and just add stuff to taste, then strain through a sieve. Now I'm wondering if I am doing something wrong - I have never had anyone else's gravy including Bisto before!

westmoreland "I am your mother!"

I also have two secret ingredients in my gravy (and stuffing AIG - only told my DM about the stuffing ones as she doesn't really like stuffing but ate loads of mine this Christmas and I needed her secret porridge recipe as I get a barrage of complaints from DS that my porridge is "wick compared to Nanny's" :(

Ps I always use Knott stock pot chicken when making Tom Yum soup ;)