I know its boring but ... Gravy?

[dovaffanculo]

I like gravy.

When I eat out and I am provided with gravy its always good and tastes how I expect it to taste. It doesnt matter what type of establishment it is ,invariably the gravy is lovely. I am assuming that mostly it is packet stuff and to that end I have bought all manner of gravy powders and mixes,granules ,cubes and liquids.

Nothing ,but nothing ,makes gravy how I want it.I know how to make 'proper' gravy from meat stock and do that when I have a roast -its faffy lovely .

But when I am having sausage and mash on a Tuesday I just want a wee bit of gravy to pour over . Its not too much to ask is it?

Are you all in on the secret and are keeping it from me? its not fair. I just want gravy like the pub makes

knorr have started doing gravy pots? Might be worth trying those?

I quite like the ikea meatball gravy packs.

The gravy that tastes like that is chock full of msg. If you like it then you can pick it up at the chinese supermarket but it makes my gums itch.
When I do sausages and mash I roast the sausages over tomato and onion chunks, which melt sown and make a thin, pale, yummy sauce. Not really a gravy though,but I don't mind.

Cook sausages in the oven .
When toasty brown remove from the tray. There should be lovely crusty bits on the tray.
Place it on a low ring and pour on a little hit stock while scraping off the toasty bits stir, and let bubble.add a little butter. Add a spoonful of flour and stir til brown and thick.Add salt and pepper and a little balsamic vinegar.
Strain into a jug. Pour over sausages.

Oh PolterGoose is that what pub type kitchens use? I might be able to get some of that in my local asian supermarket .
TheGonnagle is that the sort of gravy you meant?
I know its all full of weird stuff but as its not for every day use -just when I fancy something quick I reckon its not worse than any other ready meal.

I havent tried roasting sausauges /over vegetables like that although have done it with chops etc. I will give that a go when we next have sausages.But for now I will play hunt the Maggi

Yep, that's the one. Maggi.
It is lovely (but itchy!)

For the kids, for exactly the occasion you describe, I use Colmans chicken gravy, in a squeezy tube
It does the job, quickly

any gravy granules, squeeze of tom puree, blob of marmite, salt and pepper, YUM for quick and tasty gravy

I found this recipe recently- fab with sausages:
-1 med onion diced finely -sweat in butter and slug of olive oil 20 mins on low with lid on
-Add 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar. stir.
-Add 2 tsp plain flour stir into a sludgy paste for 1 minute

• Add beef stock (made with cube) approx 1/2 pint whisking like mad as you add the liquid.

-Simmer as long as you have left until everything elas reaches prefection V Yummy!!

I can highly recommend Jamie Oliver's 'Get Ahead Gravy' that he makes with chicken wings and various veggies. Worth investing in the star anise as it makes all the difference to the finished flavour.

Make plenty and store it in large/small portions in your freezer in those extra tough 'Store And Pour' bags or little pots. Then you have gravy whenever you need it.

TheGonnagle Itchy gums and MSG? Is this a well known side effect or just something your have noticed about yourself.

I have very itchy roof-of-mouth syndrome from time to time but have never pin pointed why this occurs. Could it be MSG? Is not something I have actively avoided before.

And now I have gone off instant gravy so will be found peeling onions and roasting chicken wings instead of using my time on Mumsnet more effectively.
Gee thanks a lot Mumsnetters

For pni

For onion gravy with sausages, fry onions slowly in butter then add a little flour then a tin of beef consommé. Yum.

If you know how to make proper gravy from meat juices when you have cooked a joint, why not just make more than you need next time. You could eek out the flavour by adding stock cube, but at least the essence of the joint will still be there. Then freeze what you don't need in sensible sized portions for use with your sausages later on, perhaps doing what Cremola suggests with your frozen leftovers.

When we have sausage and mash I cook them in a frying pan with onions. Also frozen peas in the microwave. When saus done remove from pan, add the cooking water from the peas and a splosh of water and scrape the onion bits from the bottom of the pan. I always use 1/2 chicken and 1/2 beef granules as all beef tastes too 'brown'. I used to do bistow and cornflour but cba.

There's a lovely onion gravy for using with sausages in How to Eat by Nigella Lawson. Basically it a pile of onions sweated down, add a bit of cumin, then sugar, then a bit of flour. Then add red wine and stock. It takes about 40 mins but I always make more and freeze it.

Sorry, I only just noticed your query *dovaffanculo.
An itchy mouth can be a mild food allergy response, I tend to get it with msg and foods containing sodium metabisulphite and some other sulfites. Which makes tricky.