Homemade Gravy Recipe Elevates Roast Dinners
Gravy serves as a cornerstone of the classic roast dinner, transforming everyday meals into memorable feasts. While many opt for convenient instant mixes, preparing gravy from scratch delivers unmatched depth of flavor. Food enthusiast Rebecca Morgan recently shared her family’s time-tested method on social media, drawing praise and debate after a viewer called her version ‘epic.’
Morgan, who creates straightforward and nutritious family recipes, revealed the technique passed down from her mother. In a video tutorial, she emphasizes its simplicity despite her lack of formal culinary training. ‘I feel like a bit of an imposter posting this because I’m not a trained chef; this is just how my mum taught me to do it, and maybe I’m doing it wrong, so feel free to let me know in the comments,’ she notes.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making the Roux-Based Gravy
Morgan begins by combining nearly equal amounts of fat and flour directly on the heat. ‘You want to add almost equal parts fat and flour, so I’m using butter and plain flour here. Mix that together with the heat on so the butter melts and it forms a kind of glob paste thing. I believe the technical term is a roux,’ she explains.
After a few minutes, she turns off the heat to prevent lumps. Stock is then added gradually while stirring. ‘Then you gradually add in your stock bit by bit and stir each time so the liquid combines into the roux. If it starts to look or feel a bit lumpy then just switch from the spoon to the whisk,’ Morgan advises.
Once all the stock is incorporated, the mixture may appear thin, but reheating on medium allows it to thicken. At this stage, optional additions like herbs or wine enhance the taste. The key to its rich color lies in gravy browning, which Morgan calls the ‘magic stuff.’ ‘And you’re probably wondering why it’s not a gravy colour yet, and this is where the magic stuff comes in: gravy browning. A few drops of this will do the trick, and this bottle will literally last you a lifetime so it’s a good investment,’ she says.
Finally, she incorporates juices from the cooked meat for added flavor and simmers until the desired thick consistency is reached. ‘I also add some juices from the cooked meat at this point to help give it a lovely flavour and then just cook it until that’s the right consistency for you. Personally I like my gravy nice and thick,’ Morgan adds. She acknowledges that mastering this takes practice but becomes effortless with time.
In the video notes, Morgan mentions flexibility in preparation, such as making it directly in the roasting pan or ahead in a separate one. She invites viewers to share their variations.
Viewer Reactions Spark Debate on Traditional Gravy
Responses to the recipe highlight a divide among home cooks. Some critics argue it veers from tradition. One commenter states, ‘That’s not a gravy, you have made a sauce!’ Another clarifies, ‘Gravy is made from the juices of meat. SAUCE is made with a roux.’
However, supporters appreciate its approachability and results. ‘It looks incredible! I love how simple you’ve made it for people to follow too. Far nicer than gravy granules! I bet the butter adds a lovely additional flavour!’ one enthuses. Another echoes familiarity: ‘That’s exactly how my mum used to make it and so I do the same.’
A more technical response defends the method: ‘If you’d like some technical responses to the naysayers – what you just made is a classic French sauce called a veloute – a roux made into a sauce with meat stock (if you use milk instead of stock, you have a bechamel). A jus is a meat sauce made with no thickening. You used a thickener (flour/roux) and therefore made a gravy. Veloute = Gravy.’
This recipe yields enough gravy for two to three adults, making it ideal for family gatherings.
