Last time I roasted chicken I tried to make my own gravy and it was
terrible. Pale, pasty. Just icky.

I used "drippings" from the pan, flour, and chicken stock.

I knew I used too much flour by the consistency and taste, but I could not
figure out why the gravy was pale and had no really good chicken flavor.

Then somebody in here mentioned "deglazing." It is something my mother did
all the time, but I did not remember it until it was mentioned here, and I
asked for a description.

So, yes, I followed the basic roux recipe of two tablespoons fat, two flour
(but used too much in this case, as I was estimating), one cup liquid,
simmered the flour for two minutes and slowly added the liquid until it
thickened.

But I had not deglazed the roasting pan, so the fat was missing those lovely
dark brown bits. What I used was just clear chicken fat, ugh. No wonder my
gravy sucked!

This time, I added just enough water to the hot roasting pan that the brown
bits could be scraped off and kind of dissolved, and I did not measure, I
just poured it all in a small saucepan, put the heat on medium, then
sprinkled in flour until it looked right. And I used MILK for the liquid,
which was perfect because the drippings/scrapings were so dark brown the
gravy needed lightening. I added the little bit of salt and cracked pepper
after the milk. (I salted the chicken before baking, so was careful not to
oversalt the gravy made from the pan drippings.)

The result: really delicious, golden brown gravy!

Thanks to the person who mentioned deglazing!

cybercat wrote:
{snip}
> This time, I added just enough water to the hot roasting pan that the brown
> bits could be scraped off and kind of dissolved, and I did not measure, I
> just poured it all in a small saucepan, put the heat on medium, then
> sprinkled in flour until it looked right. And I used MILK for the liquid,
> which was perfect because the drippings/scrapings were so dark brown the
> gravy needed lightening. I added the little bit of salt and cracked pepper
> after the milk. (I salted the chicken before baking, so was careful not to
> oversalt the gravy made from the pan drippings.)
>
> The result: really delicious, golden brown gravy!
>
> Thanks to the person who mentioned deglazing!

Hello Cat:

You're correct, the drippings are where the flavor is. When I roast I
often use a large frying pan in the oven. That pan goes onto the
stovetop after the fat has been poured off, separated, measured
(estimated) and returned to the pan. Deglazing takes place largely as
the roux is made, in the roasting pan. That way there's more of the
good stuff in the gravy.

I've been teaching my 15-yr-old daughter to make gravy; she asked to do
so because she likes mine so much.

Best -- Terry
PS -- When I make burgers I often scrape bits of the caramelized stuff
from the pan, and eat them. The rest of the family just shakes their
collective heads but as I said, that stuff is where the flavor is. Am
I the only one who does this?

One time on Usenet, "cybercat" > said:

> Last time I roasted chicken I tried to make my own gravy and it was
> terrible. Pale, pasty. Just icky.

<snip>

> The result: really delicious, golden brown gravy!
>
> Thanks to the person who mentioned deglazing!

This is why, when it's possible (may not have been in your case),
I make my gravy right in the roasting pan. Same with using the pan
I used to fry chicken or pork chops. I love those little brown bits.
Glad your gravy turned out so well, you make a great argument for
perseverance... :-)

--
"Little Malice" is Jani in WA
~ mom, Trollop, novice cook ~

> wrote:
>PS -- When I make burgers I often scrape bits of the caramelized stuff
>from the pan, and eat them. The rest of the family just shakes their
>collective heads but as I said, that stuff is where the flavor is. Am
>I the only one who does this?

No.

In fact, it's one reason I use a non-stick when pan-frying
a burger.

It leaves the crunchly bits on the burger.

--Blair

1) flour cooked in lard/oil/fat
2) Add this slowly to hot/wam beef stock .

Its the moisture in stock that limits the flours cooking temp
and makes bad flavor . Now the stock is covering up the
raw taste of flour , so ya cant figure its the raw taste ,but
ya know it dont taste good like gravy .
You cant cook flour in beef/chicken stock , it only cooks
in oil/fat or as bread , by baking at high temp for long time .
even cornstarch likes to be cooked in oil .
but it loses any raw taste much faster than wheat flour .

so generally :
When oil cooking , its allways at a much higher temp ,
adding anything with moisture will drop that cooking temp
fast !
You cant boil flour .















cybercat wrote:
> Last time I roasted chicken I tried to make my own gravy and it was
> terrible. Pale, pasty. Just icky.
>
> I used "drippings" from the pan, flour, and chicken stock.
>
> I knew I used too much flour by the consistency and taste, but I could not
> figure out why the gravy was pale and had no really good chicken flavor.
>
> Then somebody in here mentioned "deglazing." It is something my mother did
> all the time, but I did not remember it until it was mentioned here, and I
> asked for a description.
>
> So, yes, I followed the basic roux recipe of two tablespoons fat, two flour
> (but used too much in this case, as I was estimating), one cup liquid,
> simmered the flour for two minutes and slowly added the liquid until it
> thickened.
>
> But I had not deglazed the roasting pan, so the fat was missing those lovely
> dark brown bits. What I used was just clear chicken fat, ugh. No wonder my
> gravy sucked!
>
> This time, I added just enough water to the hot roasting pan that the brown
> bits could be scraped off and kind of dissolved, and I did not measure, I
> just poured it all in a small saucepan, put the heat on medium, then
> sprinkled in flour until it looked right. And I used MILK for the liquid,
> which was perfect because the drippings/scrapings were so dark brown the
> gravy needed lightening. I added the little bit of salt and cracked pepper
> after the milk. (I salted the chicken before baking, so was careful not to
> oversalt the gravy made from the pan drippings.)
>
> The result: really delicious, golden brown gravy!
>
> Thanks to the person who mentioned deglazing!

"werty" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
>
> 1) flour cooked in lard/oil/fat
> 2) Add this slowly to hot/wam beef stock .
>
> Its the moisture in stock that limits the flours cooking temp
> and makes bad flavor . Now the stock is covering up the
> raw taste of flour , so ya cant figure its the raw taste ,but
> ya know it dont taste good like gravy .

I *always* cook the flour thoroughly in fat before adding liquid.