Gravy

This one simple thing seems to be the bane of many people's holiday existence. So I wanna talk about it. I don't have a recipe so much as some advice on the subject.

To make a meat gravy there are two types.... Flour gravy and cornstarch gravy. I used to be a flour gravy girl but it gave me nothing but fits and lumps! So, I switched to cornstarch and have been true ever since.

Ok, first with flour. You have to really mix it up with some water or broth to start with, cold to lukewarm, ny warmer and you risk cooking the flour and turning it to lumps. This means straining and hassles and no fun. Like I said, I don't do this anymore but feel free to try. The alternative is to make a roux with flour and fat then add the liquid to it. Again, you do you.

Me? I make a slurry with a couple tablespoons of cornstarch and some water. Slowly add it to the hot liquid while stirring and watch the magic. I find that cornstarch thickens faster than flour but will admit that flour seems to 'hold' better than cornstarch when reheating.

The basics of what I do is add all the drippings from the bottom of my pan to a cup of hot broth on the stove. Heat it up add, salt, pepper and some Bell's (if it's poultry) and then mix in my slurry. Cook it for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened. Taste as you go, adjust as needed. I know some people strain off the fat from the drippings but honestly, That is where most of the flavor is and it's a holiday, splurge a little.

I do have some gravy recipes that you can make without having to make a roast or cook a bird. I'll get to them another time.