Perfect Gravy Tips and Hints
With a few tricks, you can turn out the best gravy ever. Below you will find tips and hints for making gravy and fixing it when things go wrong.• Lumpy gravy: Pour into blender and give it a whir for no more than thirty to sixty seconds. Do not overblend. Pour back into pot and reheat.
• Instant mashed potato flakes will work as a thickener for gravy and produces no lumps. You may need extra salt.
• Too salty: Try adding a pinch or brown sugar or a 1/4 teaspoon vinegar.
• Use flours that are low in protein and high in starch, such as cake flour, pastry flour or all-purpose flour. This will help prevent any "skin" from forming on gravy as it sits.
• When deglazing the pan, be sure to scrape up those bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. They increase the flavor of the gravy.
• Constarch has twice the thickening power of flour.
• Arrowroot has slightly more than twice the thickening power of flour.
• Avoid making gravy in an aluminum (anodized is okay) pan as it can turn the gravy gray.
• Liquid gravy browner can be added to gravy to improve color.
• When adding liquid to the roux, add it slowly and whisk constantly to avoid lumping.
• Whisking in a tablespoon of butter of heavy cream just before serving will give gravy a rich, satiny texture.
• Adding a teaspoon of instant coffee granules or cocoa per two cups gravy enriches the flavor as well as adds color.
• Cooked meat stores and freezes better in its gravy. The gravy keeps the meat from drying out. Gravy Photo © 2008 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
More about Gravy:
• Gravy Types• Making Gravy with a Roux
• Other Gravy Thickeners
• Gravy Storage
• Perfect Gravy Tips and Hints
• Gravy Recipes
