Gravy from beginner to pro, by Joe Oxley on YouTube. 1 min.
- Video length
- 1 min
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Crumble one beef and one chicken stock cube into a jug, pour over 600 ml boiling water and stir until fully dissolved.
Melt 50 g butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add 50 g plain flour and stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook the roux.
Add the stock to the roux a splash at a time, whisking well after each addition, until the gravy is smooth and thickened.
For the intermediate version, brown two chopped chicken wings, then add diced onion, carrot and celery with thyme, rosemary and bay and soften.
Stir in 1 tsp tomato puree, 30 g flour and 30 g butter, then add 700 ml chicken stock, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and 100 ml Madeira and simmer to thicken.
For the pro version, roast 1 kg beef bones with onion, carrot and celery, stir in 3 tbsp tomato puree and simmer with herbs and peppercorns for a deep stock.
Strain the stock, then soften shallots, carrot and celery with thyme, rosemary and bay, add 200 ml dry red wine and reduce it by about half.
Whisk in 30 g butter, 30 g flour and 2 tsp beef dripping, then add the strained stock and simmer until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
Tips and common mistakes
Add the stock to the roux, not the roux to the stock, or you will get lumps.
Cook the flour for a full minute before adding liquid to lose the raw taste.
Season at the end, because reducing the gravy concentrates the salt already in the stock.
Hot stock and melted butter can spit, so add liquid away from you and keep your face back from the pan.
Questions
What is the right butter to flour ratio for a roux?
Use equal weights of butter and flour. 50 g of each thickens roughly 600 ml of stock to a coating gravy.
Why is my gravy lumpy?
Liquid was added too fast or not whisked in fully. Add it a splash at a time and whisk hard between additions.
Can I make this gravy ahead of time?
Yes. Cool it quickly, keep it in the fridge for up to two days and reheat gently, whisking as it warms.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
