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See how Bittman's gravy stands up to my mom's home made gravy!

The Amazing Cookbook by The New York Times Food Writer and Minimalist Mark Bittman

I have always been a gravy girl. If you put gravy on it, and of course, I mean real, home made gravy and not the Heinz in a can stuff, I will eat anything. I really mean it! I have eaten tripe in gravy, pigs knuckles in gravy, kidneys in gravy, you get the picture. My mother of course knew this about me and my brothers and sisters so if she was making something we might not like plain, she whipped up a delicious rich gravy and we were happy. My sister finally figured out what my mother was doing and to this day, she asks for gravy on the side in a little dish so she can investigate what she is really eating!

Gravy is such a rich addition to any meal, and it is rather simple to make, but many people are intimidated by it. The key to good gravy of course is either good butter of pan drippings that are rich in fats and flavor. To keep gravy lumps to a minimum, beginning with a roux or mixing any thickener with cold water is the best course of action. Gravy should be stirred constantly when cooking to avoid scorching and a burned taste.

Though I have always used my mother’s recipe for gravy which originally came off a bottle of Bisto English gravy browning, I thought I would see how Mark Bittman does gravy and compare them.  Since I had just been to a dinner at my parent’s house where she served gravy over thick slices of flank steak, the flavor was fresh in my mind when I made my inverted chicken (more on that next week!), and so, I pulled out my well used copy of How to Cook Everything in search of a simple gravy recipe. There, on page 47 in the Essential Recipes section I found my answer. So, without further ado I will list both recipes and my overall take on the outcome.

Grandma Jane’s Home Style Gravy

Makes 4 to 6 Servings

4 Tbs. Butter or pan fat from a roast or chicken with drippings

4 Tbs. all purpose flour

2 Cups stock of your choice

1 Tsp. gravy browning such as Kitchen Bouquet or Bisto

Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (you can also add in any herbs you like depending on the meat you are using the gravy for. Adding in a bit of sage to turkey gravy or a bit of thyme to chicken gravy is delicious!)

In a medium sauce pan set on medium high, bring the stock to a rolling boil. In another saucepan set on medium heat the fat until melted or hot. Stir in the flour and mix well, allowing the flour to brown a bit with the fat to avoid an uncooked flour taste.  If you are using herbs, add them in here and quickly stir to release their aromatics.  When the roux (flour mixed with fat is called a roux in French cooking), is bubbling gently, turn the heat up slightly and stir in the boiling stock to combine. Stir constantly and bring the mixture back to a rolling boil. If the sauce is too thick, you can simply add in some more stock or water to bring it to your favored consistency.

Add in the gravy browning and turn the temperature down to a simmer and continue to stir, making sure to scrap up the bottom to avoid any sticking for about 5 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking and serve immediately. You can also add in onions or mushrooms that you have previously sauteed to remove most of their moisture, or add in a cup of sour cream to make a creamy gravy right before serving. Only allow these additions to heat through gently and do not allow the gravy to continue to boil or it may separate.

Thickened Pan Sauce

Makes about 2 cups

1 Cup dry white wine

1/2 Cup chopped onion

3 Cups plue 2 or 3 Tbs. stock of your choice

1/2 cup minced giblets or other meat (optional) I did not use this.

2 Tbs. cornstarch, or a bit more as needed

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

After your roast has come out of the oven to rest, remove all but 2 Tbs. of the cooking fat from your roasting pan, leaving any non-fatty juices and drippings. Place the pan onto your stove top burner if it fits easily, if not, transfer the contents to a medium saucepan. Add the wine and onions and turn the heat to high. Cooking, sitrring and scraping, until most of the wine has evaporated, the onions are sot and the bottom of the pan is clean, about five minutes. If you transferred the mixture to a saucepan, simple scrape out as much of the drippings as you can and start from there, which should take you about five minutes.

Add 3 cups stock and continue to cook, stirring until reduced by about half, which should take about 5 to 10 minutes. If you are adding any solids like giblets, add them now and turn the heat down to low. Combine the 3 Tbs. of cold stock with the cornstarch and mix well (I usually use a small jar to shake it up), stir into the gravy which will begin to thicken immediately.

Continue to cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the gravy is not thick enough, mix another tablespoon of corn starch with 1 tablespoon of stock or cold water and mix into the gravy and cook for another five minutes before serving.

The verdict? Maybe it’s because my mother’s gravy is a childhood comfort food to me, or maybe it is because there is a big difference between using cornstarch and flour in gravy, but I still prefer my mother’s version. That said, since I have been eating a lot of gluten-free recipes lately, the Mark Bittman gravy was very good gluten free version and would make an appropriate substitute for a roux gravy. My husband really loved the white wine flavor of the sauce, but my kids did not enjoy it so much because I don’t generally cook with wine.  I think if I were making a lighter meal with delicate ingredients, this gravy would make a welcome addition to the meal!

Remember, I highly recommend How to Cook Everything By Mark Bittman for ease of use and variety. Even the most traditional cook will get some amazing ideas from it. You can view more information on all Mark Bittman’s terrific cook books at my Stuff I Like on Amazon store, or by clicking the Amazon Banner at the bottom of this page. You can also find great information and more recipes from Mark at his website Mark Bittman, and of course, the New York Times.

Please stop by the first Thursday of every month (March 3, 2011!) and join the Tackling Bittman Recipe Hop, so start thinking of recipes you want to try. There are hundreds available online if you do a search for Mark Bittman and he even has some available on his website.

This recipe is a part of Gluten Free Wednesdays, Works for Me Wednesday, Simple Lives Thursday, Full Plate Thursdays, Let’s Do Brunch, Real Food Deals and Real Food Wednesday.

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