Gravy

I've made this gravy recipes from every kind of stock, drippings, or broth imaginable. It works just as well with the broth from the pot roast as with reconstituted bullion, chicken stock (canned and fresh), vegetable broth, meatloaf drippings (with some extra beef stock), sausage drippings (with milk)... the list goes on and on.

The important elements are flavorful liquid and a little bit of fat. Unlike the pan-gravy my mother makes, this does not depend solely on the fat from the food and take a lot of the proportion guesswork out of the process. For pan-gravy, make the roux as described and add it to the pan (with the meat removed) and then continue with the pan over heat (don't do this with a glass pan!, Just scrape the pan contents into the roux and continue.) The important thing is to clean the pan in the process of making gravy.

2 Tbs butter
1/3 cup flour (more or less, the proportions have to do with a variety of different factors like the humidity)
Broth, stock, or bullion. (All called broth here)

Make a roux (the basis for all good gravy) by melting the butter over medium heat until it foams, then add the flour a little at a time until it the resulting mush pulls away from the pan when you stir but "melts" down into a slurry when you stop. Lumpy roux at this point will make lumpy gravy so work it in slowly.


Butter foaming in the pan.


The roux paste. This is pretty good but I was a bit overzellous with the flour so it's a bit dry. I added another pat of butter and stired it in. No harm done.


Just perfect. You want every particle of flour covered in fat so it's can't clump when the liquid is added.

Stir often but non constantly until the roux smells nutty and is golden brown all the way through. This should take only a minute or two and will start bringing family member into the kitchen to investigate. Then start whisking in broth slowly. Use a metal whisk for this, any non-stick pan not bought at the dollar store should be able to handle a moderate whisking, don't forget the corners of the pan. Keep adding broth until either you run out of or you have as much gravy as you wanted. Keep whisking until it's a little runnier than you want the gravy (it will continue to thicken for another minute after it comes of the heat) pour it into a waiting bowl and season to taste.

Unlike other gravy recipes this does not need to be boiled to take out the flour-y taste. The flour should have been cooked through while making the roux. If you are short on time you can make the roux ahead. In the fridge it will last a couple of days. If you are really daring make a large batch with a whole stick of butter and pour it on to a sheet pan and pop it in the freezer. When frozen break the sheet into shards and keep in a plastic bag in the freezer. To make gravy just sprinkle shards into hot broth letting each melt before adding another.