Improvised gravy

[etpm]

We have all run into this, you need gravy but don't have the drippings or whatever to make it. This is what I do: Brown some meat and or skin of the animal that you need to make the gravy for. The meat and or skin should be cooked in butter or olive oil or a mixture of both. For 2 cups of gravy you should brown about 4 tablespoons of the meat and or skin. It really needs to be well browned. Once that is done put it in a blender with some water, maybe 3/4 cup, and blend it until it is like thin soup. I have a Bullet blender that my wife bought. I thought that the thing was all hype but it is really good for this type of job. Now you need to decide if you are going to make a water based gravy or a cream or milk based gravy. So just do whichever. When it comes to adding the liquid add the stuff from the blender first. There won't be enough from the blender, of course, so just add whatever you need to until you have enough gravy. I am assuming you have already made a roux by cooking some flour and fat ( butter, oil, etc.) together and made sure it is at least light brown in color. And that you made the correct amount of roux. You may want to add more flavor with spices and such. If you want to use some bouillon I suggest you use the Better Than Bouillon stuff that comes in a jar and is a kind of paste. It does not come in cubes. It has a really good flavor and is also good for making soups and broths. I can't say anything about seasonings for beef gravy besides pepper. But for poultry gravies I suggest the poultry seasoning blend made by Spice Hunter. They make by far the best poultry seasoning blend I have ever tasted. In fact they oughta pay me for how many times I have recommended their poultry seasoning blend. Whatever. anyway, I have used the methods described above several times to make improvised gravy and have always received spontaneous compliments. So easy and so good. BTW, the Spice Hunter and Better That Bouillon stuff are both advertised as being organic. If you care.
Cheers,
Eric

 

[workinonit]

The one thing we don't run out of in the south is drippings from the meat we are cooking since it is generally fried. That said I have no idea what the blender mixture is for. My gravy almost always has an onion in it and if I have mushrooms they are in there. My wife's sawmill gravy has sausage in it. We make our gravies with chicken or beef stock and milk or heavy cream. There are typically home made biscuits for sopping. I save bacon drippings that I use a lot for gravy. One thing our gravy doesn't get is spices except salt and pepper.

 

[Alan W.]

I was gonna have cereal for breakfast but after reading this the biscuits are in the oven and bacon is frying.
Gravy will be next.
My cholesterol count thanks you

 

[workinonit]

 

[RobertN]

I was gonna have cereal for breakfast but after reading this the biscuits are in the oven and bacon is frying.
Gravy will be next.
My cholesterol count thanks you

I have moved from Biscuits and gravy to tater-tots and gravy. Some may consider it sacrilege, but a nice sausage gravy over crispy cooked tater tots soooo good!

 

[etpm]

The one thing we don't run out of in the south is drippings from the meat we are cooking since it is generally fried. That said I have no idea what the blender mixture is for. My gravy almost always has an onion in it and if I have mushrooms they are in there. My wife's sawmill gravy has sausage in it. We make our gravies with chicken or beef stock and milk or heavy cream. There are typically home made biscuits for sopping. I save bacon drippings that I use a lot for gravy. One thing our gravy doesn't get is spices except salt and pepper.

The mixture in the blender has all the flavor, it is the substitute for the drippings.
Eric

 

[TractorTYMe]

Here is how I make beef and poultry gravy:

Beef brown gravy: Serves 3-4 people, 4 tb butter, melt on medium heat in a pot, have flour available. As soon as butter has melted add flour until you have a smooth buttery paste. Stop adding if it start clumping, stir with a wooden spatula until it starts to become caramelized. Brown to desired level, add two cups of water and 3-4 beef bullion cubes/and or drippings of your choice and bring back to a boil while stirring regularly, lower heat to low and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Gravy should become nicely colored from the browning of the butter and flour and turn out smooth without clumps.

Poultry light gravy: Serves 3-4 people, 4 tb butter, melt on medium-low (important as you don't want to caramelize this version) heat in a pot, have flour available. As soon as butter has melted add flour until you have a smooth buttery paste. Stop adding if it start clumping, stir with a wooden spatula until you have a light yellow smooth paste. Keep stirring with the spatula until it has been seasoned but not start to caramelize. Add 2 cups of water and 3-4 chicken bullion cubes, increase heat to medium and stir frequently until gravy thickens. This gravy tend to be thicker than the beef gravy doing almost the same. Add more water sparingly until desired thickness, then let it simmer on low heat stirring now and then. Serve with chicken or turkey.

 

[HawkinsHollow]

@etpm Thank you for this recipe! That sounds absolutely delicious! Gotta love a good gravy!

 

[etpm]

@etpm Thank you for this recipe! That sounds absolutely delicious! Gotta love a good gravy!

You are quite welcome. There have been many times when I had meat but no drippings and this recipe has always helped to save the day.
Eric

 

[9973720wb19]

run to the store...