What’s The Secret To Perfect Gravy?
When it comes to the holidays, what is your favorite part of the festivities? For most of us, the highlight of our day is time spent with loved ones while savoring a lovingly prepared feast – topped with the perfect gravy!
There’s just something about gravy that inspires luminaries like Erma Bombeck to proclaim:
I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage!
Since I was raised on the best gravy one could make out of a package, I never understood people’s obsession with gravy until I met my husband – a master gravy maker. The first time I tasted his homemade gravy – during our first Thanksgiving together – I found myself fighting the urge to sneak into the kitchen and eat it by the spoonful!
What do you need to know to make gravy that’s so rich, so creamy, and so addicting that it will make your dinner guests weak in the knees?
Five Tips To Help You Make Perfect Gravy Every Time!
Tip One: Pick The Perfect Pan
When it comes to making gravy, a wide pan is indispensable because it provides you with the extra surface area needed to easily mix your ingredients, while evenly dispersing the heat! While our parents relied on their traditional iron skillets to get the job done, we prefer the modern-day convenience of non-stick pans. Our favorite is Caphalon’s 12-inch Everyday Pan that provides a large flat surface area and is deep enough to accommodate large volumes of gravy.
Tip Two: Master The Art Of The Roux
A roux (pronounced “roo”) is a classical French cooking technique that is used to create the thickening agent used as the base in soups, sauces and gravies. Don’t be intimidated – making a roux is easier than it sounds!
To create a roux, simply melt butter on low heat and add flour (use equal parts, based on how much gravy you need). Stir slowly and consistently throughout the process until the desired consistency is achieved.
Tip Three: Whisk Away
In our society, everyone wants instant results – but patience is a virtue when it comes to gravy making! One of the big secrets to creating smooth, luscious gravy is gentle and consistent whisking throughout the process. The actual tool you use to stir or whisk is less important than the act of stirring or whisking itself. We use a long-handled, slotted spoon to stir our gravy – but if you prefer a wired whisk, that’s fine, too!
It’s also important to cook your gravy on low heat throughout the process. This allows the seasonings time to diffuse throughout the liquid and eliminates the possibility of overcooking the gravy!
Tip Four: Eliminate The Lumps
Lumpy gravy is defined as gravy with undissolved flour in the liquid. Delectable seasonings such as meat and vegetables are often added to the gravy for flavor and are considered a good thing!
The best way to eliminate lumps is to avoid them in the first place! If you stir your roux and gravy consistently and continuously throughout the gravy-making process, you should end up with smooth and creamy gravy. However, if you end up with lumps, you can always strain your gravy through a sieve and discard any unwanted solids, or process your gravy in a blender or food processor until it’s silky smooth.
Tip Five: Season According To Preferences
We season our gravy based on the meal we are making and based on our family’s taste preferences. For the holidays, we recommend sticking to traditional seasonings and flavorings that everyone is familiar with and sure to love! For instance, if you are serving turkey for the holidays, incorporating a good turkey stock into your gravy makes it extra special. Incorporating the turkey neck and giblets into our stock ensures that nothing goes to waste.
The Perfect Pairing
My husband likes to top his turkey with the perfect gravy. I prefer to serve mine atop our Holiday Mashed Potatoes.
Whatever food you prefer to pair your gravy with, follow these tips to ensure you serve your family and guests the perfect gravy every time!
Now It’s Your Turn To Share!
What is your favorite tip for making the perfect gravy?
Please share your gravy-making secrets in the comments –
Our readers would love to know!
Resources
For More Great Recipes
- Visit Create With Joy – Recipes.
- Follow Recipes @ Create With Joy On Pinterest.
Stay In Touch!
Follow Create With Joy On:
This article was written by Create With Joy for ForRent.com.
It was originally published at ForHomes.com.
Copyright © 2016 by Create With Joy. All Rights Reserved.
If you see this content posted elsewhere, please contact the site owner.
Thank you for helping to prevent content theft!
Looks so yummy ♥
Yum! I’m hosting my first Thanksgiving this year – these tips will be great!
Perfect tips for gravy. I have been doing it this way since I started cooking as a young kid. It comes out perfect every time!
Great post, thank you!
You have no idea how badly I need these tips! Gravy has always been scary to me for some reason. I’m ready to give it another try thanks to you! Pinning for later!
So glad to hear it Erica – best of luck to you – Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks so much for linking up with Full Plate Thursday! We will have an early Thanksgiving Edition on 11-22 -16, hope to see you there!
Wishing you a bountiful Thanksgiving!
Miz Helen
There is nothing better than a good Holiday dinner server with a good homemade Gravy.
Enjoy the Holidays!!
Thank you Jay – you too!
Your recipe is featured on The Top Ten for Full Plate Thursday. Hope you have a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us, enjoy your new Red Plate!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much Miz Helen – that just makes my day! 🙂
Great stuff!!! The gravy looks so good! Yum! Thanks for sharing!!!
I’m not a very good gravy maker. I love these tips on how to make perfect gravy. The gravy in your photos look amazing! Have a great weekend! I came from Traffic Jam Weekend! 🙂
Thanks Natalie – so glad you found these helpful – have an amazing weekend and a blessed Thanksgiving! 🙂
Oh my gosh, I have got to copy this & put it with my recipes! I never can make good gravy! Thank you my friend for posting this. It sounds so easy and good! YUMMMMMMMMMM
Thanks! I’ve never been that great at making gravy. Maybe I’ll turn over a new leaf this holiday! 🙂
I’m pinning so I can read back through this for Thanksgiving. Thanks for sharing.
So glad you found this helpful Donna! 🙂
I’m reading carefully and with great interest, because the gravy is always my biggest challenge!
I never was a fan of gravy until I met my husband – his gravy is the best! 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday, 511. We will be live for our special Thanksgiving Edition on Tuesday this week, be sure and stop by! Hope you have a very special Thanksgiving!
Miz Helen
Awesome Miz Helen – Enjoy your Thanksgiving – will do my best to stop by! 🙂
This looks like a perfect addition to my husband’s air-fried turkey recipe he just shared. I’ve always wondered how my mom made her gravy and this sounds quite similar. She would use her roasting pot to make it in, and boy was it heaven on a spoon. Your husband’s gravy sounds and looks just as delicious. Thank you for sharing this skill with us.
So glad you found this helpful Crystal!
You’ll have to share with us how to air fry a turkey!
Great instructions!! Thanks for sharing at My Big Fat Menopausal Life’s Share the Wealth Party!
Would love to have you share at the Lazy Gastronome’s What’s for Dinner party too!!’
Have a fabulous week and Happy Thanksgiving!
Good point–the patient whisking is so important. Visiting from Sweet Tea & Friends linkup.
oh yummy…one of the things I have trouble with…
From scratch always the best, rather than store bought
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing your links with us at SSPS #287. We would love to have you on board as a co-host, so please get in touch with us.
Oh my, so yummy! I’m still trying to master the perfect rue. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
Thanks so much for sharing this delightful perfect gravy tips with Sweet Tea & Friends this month sweet friend.