Best Ever Gravy Food

CONSISTENTLY GOOD GRAVY

Steps:

• To make your gravy When you come to make your gravy, your chicken will be covered and resting and you'll have your tray of chicken juices and vegetable trivet in front of you. Using a spoon, carefully remove 90 per cent of the hot fat from the tray by angling it away from yourself and scooping off the fatty layer that settles on top.
• Put the tray back on the hob over a high heat. Add the flour, stir it around and, holding the tray steady with a tea towel in one hand, use a potato masher to mash all the veg to a pulp - don't worry if it's lumpy. You can rip the wings off the chicken and break them up into the tray to add more flavour at this point.
• When everything is mixed and mashed up, add the alcohol to give a little fragrance before you add your stock (the alcohol will cook away). Keep it over the heat and let it boil for a few minutes. Pour the stock into the tray, or add 1 litre of hot water. Bring everything in the pan to the boil, scraping all the goodness from the bottom of the pan as you go. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until you've achieved the gravy consistency you're looking for.
• To serve your gravy Get yourself a large jug, bowl or pan and put a coarse sieve over it. Pour your gravy through the sieve, using a ladle to really push all the goodness through. Discard any veg or meat left behind. At this point you've got a really cracking gravy, and you can either serve it straight away or put it back on the heat to simmer and thicken up.

GET-AHEAD GRAVY

Steps:

• GET AHEAD
• 1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4.
• 2. Peel the onions, wash the carrots, then roughly chop with the celery and bacon. Put the veg, bay leaves, sage, rosemary and star anise into a sturdy high-sided roasting tray, then scatter the chopped bacon on top.
• 3. Break the chicken wings open, bash with a rolling pin to help release extra flavour as they cook, then add to the tray. Drizzle with oil, season with sea salt and black pepper, toss, then cook for 1 hour, or until tender.
• 4. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer to a low heat on the hob. Really grind and mash everything with a potato masher, scraping up all the goodness from the base of the tray (the longer you let it fry, the darker your gravy will be). If you want to add sherry or port, now's the time to do so; just leave it to cook away for a few minutes.
• 5. Gradually stir in the flour, then pour in 2 litres of boiling kettle water. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, stirring occasionally.
• 6. When the gravy is the consistency of your liking, pour it through a coarse sieve into a large bowl, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon. Taste and season to perfection, cool to room temperature, then pour into containers or bags and pop into the fridge or freezer, ready to finish off on Christmas Day. ON THE DAY
• 1. If frozen, take the gravy out to defrost when your turkey goes into the oven.
• 2. When the turkey's perfectly cooked, remove it to a platter to rest for up to 2 hours, covered with a double layer of tin foil and a clean tea towel. Skim away most of the fat from the tray, cool, and place into a jar in the fridge for tasty cooking another day.
• 3. Pour your Get-ahead gravy into the tray with the rest of the turkey juices. Bring to the boil over the hob and scrape up all those sticky bits from the base. Have a taste, then stir in the Cranberry sauce to balance the flavours.
• 4. Once your gravy is piping hot, carefully strain through a coarse sieve into a pan, then leave it on the lowest heat until you're ready to serve. Skim away any fat that rises to the top, and add any extra resting juices from the turkey before serving.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Strain pan drippings through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids and reserve 2 1/2 cups pan drippings; set aside. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and thyme until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved pan drippings. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve warm.

PROPER TURKEY GRAVY

Steps:

• Put the onions and carrot in a large pan with the turkey neck (optional). Pour in stock and simmer for 1 hr. Strain to remove the vegetables and turkey, then return the liquid to the pan. (For a textured gravy, remove the turkey and, using a stick blender, blitz carrot and onion into the stock until very smooth.)
• Blend the flour with the white wine or water, then blend this into the stock, stirring over the heat until thickened. Cool, then chill. Will keep for several days or freeze for 1 month. Thaw in the fridge a day ahead. Heat in a pan until piping hot, then add the juices from the turkey and season to taste.

PERFECT ROAST TURKEY WITH BEST-EVER GRAVY

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lowest position of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Reserve the turkey neck and giblets to use in gravy or stock. Rinse the turkey inside and out with cold water. Pat the turkey skin dry. Turn the turkey on its breast. Loosely fill the neck cavity with stuffing. Using a thin wooden or metal skewer, pin the neck skin to the back. Fold the turkey's wings akimbo behind the back or tie to the body with kitchen string. Loosely fill the large body cavity with stuffing. Place any remaining stuffing in a lightly buttered casserole, cover and refrigerate to bake as a side dish. Place the drumsticks in the hock lock or tie together with kitchen string.
• Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in the roasting pan. Rub all over with the softened butter. Season with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the breast area with aluminum foil. Pour 2 cups of the turkey stock into the bottom of the pan.
• Roast the turkey, basting all over every 30 minutes with the juices on the bottom of the pan (lift up the foil to reach the breast area), until a meat thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 180 degrees and the stuffing is at least 160 degrees, about 4 1/2 hours. Whenever the drippings evaporate, add stock to moisten them, about 1 1/2 cups at a time. Remove the foil during the last hour to allow the skin to brown.
• Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter and let it stand for at least 20 minutes before carving. Increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Drizzle 1/2 cup turkey stock over the stuffing in the casserole, cover, and bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heatproof glass bowl or large measuring cup. Let stand for 5 minutes, then skim off and reserve the clear yellow fat that has risen to the top. Measure 3/4 cup fat, adding melted butter if needed. Add enough turkey stock to the skimmed drippings to make 8 cups total.
• Place the roasting pan on two stove burners over low heat and add the turkey fat. Whisk in the flour, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the turkey stock and the optional bourbon. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy has thickened and no trace of raw flour remains, about 5 minutes. Transfer the gravy to a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve the gravy and the stuffing alongside

PERFECT POT ROAST WITH BEST EVER POT ROAST GRAVY

Steps:

• For the Pot Roast:
• Preheat the oven to 275F.
• Generously sprinkle chuck roast with kosher salt, black pepper and smoked paprika.
• Heat olive oil and butter in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place the halved onions in the pot. Brown onions on both sides, remove them from the heat to a large plate.
• Place carrots in the same hot pot and cook them until slightly browned. Remove carrots from the heat and place with the onions.
• If needed, add a bit more olive oil to the medium-hot pot. Place the prepared meat in the pot. DO NOT MOVE it or flip it for at least 3 minutes or until it has a nice sear. Turn it over to sear on the other side. Once seared, remove the meat from the pan and place it with the onions and carrots.
• With the burner on medium-high, slowly pour the wine into the pot. De-glaze (remove the cooked goodies stuck in the pot) the pot by scraping the bits off the bottom while the wine boils. This process is crucial to getting the most flavor back into the roast while it cooks.
• Once the pan is de-glazed, place the meat back into the pot. Place onions and carrots on top of the meat and add enough beef stock to cover the meat halfway.
• Place the fresh herbs (or sprinkle the dried herbs) on top of the meat.
• Place the lid on the pan, then roast the meat for 3½-4 hours or until fork tender.
• *(If adding extra root vegetables to eat with the roast, add the cut-up vegetables the last hour of cooking. Be sure to place the lid back on for the last hour of cooking.)
• The meat will be fall-apart tender and delicious when done.
• ----------------------------
• For the Best-Ever Pot Roast Gravy:
• Remove the sprigs of rosemary, thyme and cooked roast from the pan. Using a hand-blender, immerse the blender into the cooked carrot/onion/pot juices and blend until the desired textured is achieved. I blend the gravy until - almost- completely smooth. This gravy is unbelievably full of flavor. If the gravy is a little on the thin side, stir 2 tablespoons corn starch with ¼ cup cold water then pour the cornstarch mixture into the gravy. Bring gravy to a boil, turn down the heat to a low-boil; stir the gravy until it thickens. (Repeat if necessary).
• Enjoy!

BEST EVER SAUSAGE GRAVY AND BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat your oven according to the directions on the package for the biscuits or on the directions for your homemade biscuits.
• Either spray your cooking sheet with your favorite cooking spray or place a silicone mat on top of your baking sheet.
• Add a little bit of oil into your skillet and preheat your skillet on medium.
• When your skillet is ready to go, add in the sausage.
• As soon as the oven is ready, place the biscuits in the oven and set the timer accordingly.
• Cook the sausage until the meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees and until the pork is no longer pink.
• Once the biscuits are golden brown and done, remove them from the oven, and set them aside.
• When the sausage is thoroughly cooked, add the butter and mix together thoroughly.
• Next add the flour and stir the ingredients together and let the mixture cook for two minutes while stirring continuously.
• Then add in the reminder of the ingredients as well as the milk and whisk all of the ingredients together until everything is thoroughly combined.
• Bring to a boil and then lower the temperature to medium low. Whisk constantly for two minutes. As your are whisking the gravy, the gravy will start to thicken. Then remove from the heat.
• You can either serve up individually by slicing a biscuit in half, adding it to a plate and ladling on a big scoop of the delicious sausage gravy, or you can let everyone serve themselves. Enjoy!

BEST GRAVY EVER

Steps:

• Remove the Good Eats Roast Turkey from the roasting pan and set aside to rest. Leave the drippings from the turkey in the pan and place the roasting pan over medium heat. Add the broth and wine at the same time. Whisk to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan until all of the bits have come loose. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes in order to reduce the mixture slightly.
• Transfer the liquid to a fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes to allow fat to separate. Return 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the fat to the roasting pan and place over medium-high heat. Discard any remaining fat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken and become smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Once this happens, gradually add the liquid back to the pan and whisk until smooth and you have reached your desired consistency, 5 to 6 minutes. Remember, your gravy should be slightly thin in the pan as it will thicken once you serve it. Add the herbs and whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

EASY BISCUITS & GRAVY

Steps:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed (I use cast iron) skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sausage, crumbling it up into small bits. Use a slotted spoon to remove the cooked sausage to a bowl, leaving behind the grease and any brown bits that stuck to the skillet.
• Add flour and combine, cook until flour smell dissipates and is slightly brown.
• When the roux turns brown, slowly add in the milk, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens. Add the salt, nutmeg, cayenne, and pepper and continue to mix well.
• Remove from heat and stir in the cooked sausage. If the mixture is too thick you can whisk in some more milk.
• Serve immediately over freshly baked hot biscuits.

BEST VEGAN GRAVY (GLUTEN-FREE!)

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the onion until it starts to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Add in the garlic and mushrooms and stir for 1 or 2 minutes, just until the garlic is fragrant. Add in the potato, tamari, and water and bring the water to a boil.
• Once boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes. (The smaller you cut the potatoes, the faster they will cook.)
• Once tender, carefully transfer the contents of the pan to a high-speed blender or food processor, and add in the salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth, using a thin towel to carefully cover the vent at the top of your machine so that the steam can escape. (And not blow the lid off your blender!)
• Adjust any seasoning to taste and serve warm over your favorite side dish or main course. Leftover gravy can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. It will thicken in the fridge, but will thin-out when reheated. You can always add an extra splash of water to thin it out even more, if needed, but don't add the water until the gravy is warm first.

BEST-EVER VEGAN GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oil in medium pot and saute mushrooms until soft.
• Add in the flour, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, and salt and pepper and stir until the vegan gravy becomes thick.
• Add in the water a little bit at a time until all of the water is combined with the other ingredients.
• Serve immediately!

SAUSAGE GRAVY AND BISCUITS

Steps:

• Brown sausage in a large saucepan. Use a paper towel to blot out most of the grease from the pan.
• Add flour, butter, and half & half. Cook on medium-low, stirring often, for several minutes until thickened.
• Add thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes and black pepper.
• Serve over warm biscuits.

BEST EVER BISCUITS AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F for biscuits.
• Bake biscuits as directed.
• Sauté onions and mushrooms in olive oil, till soft, about 5 minutes. Add sausage and cook till browned. Add seasonings. Sprinkle flour over meat mixture, and cook stirring constantly for about a minute. Slowly add 3 cups milk, stirring over medium-low heat, till thickened, scraping bottom of saucepan. Add more milk to desired consistency. Add butter for a velvety finish and stir right before serving.

THE BEST CHICKEN GRAVY EVER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200°C. First job is to bash the chicken wings with a rolling pin - You need to break the bones to allow the flavours out (Mind your fingers!) Then place all the wings, veg and herbs in a metal roasting tin (You will be putting this tin on your hob later). Season with salt & black pepper, then toss with the olive oil. Finally lay your bacon over the top & place in the oven and roast for 1 hour. The meat should be tender and falling off the bone.
• Take your pan out of the oven, place it over low heat and use a potato masher to grind everything (make sure you scrape all the bits goodness from the bottom of the pan).
• To thicken your gravy, stir in the flour and continue to cook for a while (2-3 minutes or so to allow the flour to "cook out"). NB. The longer you let everything fry, the darker your gravy will be. When the flour is combined, pour in the 2L of hot water mixed with the stock cubes & port/sherry. Now increase the heat to high and bring to the boil and cook for about 10 minutes or until thickened. Finally, reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Now strain off through a sieve all of the gravy in to a new clean pan. TIP: Squeeze/press all of the last bits of juice from the sieve with the back of a spoon. Keep warm until ready for serving...Or
• ...If you have frozen your gravy take it out to defrost while you cook the chicken (see Amazing Roast Chicken). When the chicken is cooked, strain any juices from the bird into its roasting tin and then add your pre-made gravy to the same tin. Bring to the boil, making sure you get any "tasty" bits up again.
• Now strain off one last time in to a pan and then let it simmer until you are ready to serve, skimming off any excess fat while you're waiting.

BEST GRAVY EVER

Steps:

• Remove the turkey from the roasting pan and set aside to rest. Leave the drippings from the turkey in the pan and place the roasting pan over medium heat. Add the broth and wine at the same time. Whisk to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan until all of the bits have come loose. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes in order to reduce the mixture slightly. Transfer the liquid to a fat separator and let sit for 5 minutes to allow fat to separate. Return 2/3 to 3/4 cup of the fat to the roasting pan and place over medium-high heat. Discard any remaining fat. Add the flour and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking continuously, until the mixture starts to thicken and become smooth, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Once this happens, gradually add the liquid back to the pan and whisk until smooth and you have reached your desired consistency, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Remember, your gravy should be slightly thin in the pan as it will thicken once you serve it. Add the herbs and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• 2 to 3 days before roasting:
• Begin thawing the turkey in the refrigerator or in a cooler kept at 38 degrees F.
• Combine the vegetable stock, salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, allspice berries, and candied ginger in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally to dissolve solids and bring to a boil. Then remove the brine from the heat, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate.
• Early on the day or the night before you'd like to eat:
• Combine the brine, water and ice in the 5-gallon bucket. Place the thawed turkey (with innards removed) breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it is fully immersed, cover, and refrigerate or set in cool area for 8 to 16 hours, turning the bird once half way through brining.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
• Remove the bird from brine and rinse inside and out with cold water. Discard the brine.
• Place the bird on roasting rack inside a half sheet pan and pat dry with paper towels.
• Combine the apple, onion, cinnamon stick, and 1 cup of water in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with the rosemary and sage. Tuck the wings underneath the bird and coat the skin liberally with canola oil.
• Roast the turkey on lowest level of the oven at 500 degrees F. for 30 minutes. Insert a probe thermometer into thickest part of the breast and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Set the thermometer alarm (if available) to 151 degrees F. A 14 to 16 pound bird should require a total of 2 to 2 1/2 hours of roasting. Let the turkey rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

BEST EVER MASHED POTATOES WITH GRAVY - GLUTEN-FREE

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the potatoes, chicken stock and a pinch of salt. Wrap the rosemary and bay leaves in a cheesecloth, tie to secure, and add it to the potatoes. Set the pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-high or a steady simmer, cover partially with a lid and cook until the potatoes are completely fork-tender, around 60 minutes.
• Drain and reserve the cooking liquid for the gravy and set aside. Leave the potatoes in the pot and let them cool to the touch. Peel and discard the skins. Add 1 tablespoon ghee or butter and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mash to your desired creaminess with a potato masher or pass them through a potato ricer. Cover and set aside.
• In a sauce pan, add 2 tablespoons of ghee and heat over medium heat until melted. If using butter, wait until the butter is no longer frothy. Add the arrowroot starch and whisk until completely combined. While whisking, slowly and carefully pour in 16 ounces of the reserved chicken stock. Whisk until completely combined. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the gravy until it has reduced by 3/4 in volume or until you reach your desired consistency. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as desired.
• If the mashed potatoes have dried out, stir in 2 tablespoons of gravy to rehydrate. Transfer the mashed potatoes to a serving bowl and garnish with chives. Pour the gravy into a small tea kettle or gravy boat and serve with the potatoes.

BEST EVER GRAVY

Steps:

• Melt butter in a medium saucepan, over medium-high heat. Once butter is completely melted whisk in flour, herbs, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking frequently to cook off the floury taste.
• While whisking, pour wine into roux (flour mixture). Continue whisking until mixture bubbles up and becomes a thick consistency, about one minute. While whisking, add chicken stock. Continue whisking until mixture is completely smooth.
• Bring gravy to a boil. Whisk occasionally. Boil 10 minutes until gravy is thickened.
• Serve and enjoy!
• NOTES:.
• Gravy can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator for up to a week. Reheat over low heat.
• If you are sensitive to alcohol, you can substitute white grape juice or chicken stock.
• IF USING MEAT DRIPPINGS:.
• Once the turkey comes out of the oven. Remove the turkey and place it on a platter to rest. Turn stove top to medium high and place pan on burner or two. Once the pan drippings are hot, add a cup of chicken stock (from your ingredient list) reserve the remaining chicken stock for the recipe. Use a wooden spatula to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Pour the pan drippings into a measuring cup and let cool in the refrigerator. In about 20-40 minutes the fat will rise to the top and begin to get hard. Skim the fat off of the top, replace the butter in the recipe with the amount of fat you have in your measuring cup. For example if you have 1/4 cup turkey fat, use that plus 1/4 cup butter for a total of 1/2 cup.
• Next use the pan drippings (in the measuring cup) in place of part of the chicken stock. If you have 1 cup of drippings, add that when the chicken stock is called for and also the reserved 3 cups chicken stock so you have a total of 4 cups when adding to the recipe.
• For a smoother gravy, strain the drippings before adding to the gravy.