Let's Make Gravy. - Page 2

MissS · October 29, 2015

Oh Worth, what a fierce subject. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas my Mother and my Grandmother (Dad's Mom) would argue over how to make gravy. One would use flour to thicken the gravy the other used cornstarch which made the gravy smoother. The fights were endless and annoying. Finally I put a stop to it and said that I would be in charge of the gravy and both of them were to stay out of the kitchen.
After my Grandmother died I continued to make the gravy. Suddenly my Mother's recipe changed and she started to argue with me every time that I made it. She wanted me to use Wondra Flour and the packaged stuff. Finally I had to remind her that the whole reason that I was making the gravy was because she insisted upon arguing with Grandma and that I was not going to allow her to continue her tradition. After all, it was she who had taught me how to make gravy and so she was fighting about her own recipe.
I use the pan drippings from a roasted bird. Remove most of the oil. Add water from boiling giblets and bring to a boil. If using flour, I make a rough and add it to the pan along with some milk. If using cornstarch I add it to milk and slowly add it to the boiling pan while stirring. The bottom of the pan must be scrapped so that all of the dark drippings are incorporated into the gravy. That is the part that adds the most flavor and color to the mix. I season it just the way that Worth does. I do not find much difference between using flour or cornstarch and have even been known to use both when I felt that I was being 'watched'. I also like to use the water that I have boiled the giblets in with garlic and bay leaf. It too adds more flavor. You may use the giblets or not in your gravy. I had to make some plain and some giblet to please everyone.

Worth1 · October 29, 2015

Wow Patti thats crazy.
The dreaded Mother in law daughter in law gravy fight.

I used to go to my older brother sister in laws house for thanksgiving.
they were almost 20 years older than me.
Guess who made the giblet gravy, me.
Not that she couldn't she was a fantastic cook.
She loved my mothers cooking and it was past down to me not my sister.
I use flour and corn starch plus a can of condensed milk.
My sister in law saw me pour it in one time and said, "So thats how you get it so white I never knew."

I miss my family they are all gone now.

Worth

MissS · October 30, 2015

My family is all gone too except for my darling daughter. She is a vegetarian, so I no longer make gravy unless it is for myself.

Hmm, I think that I will roast a chicken and make some gravy. I can make a pot pie with the left-overs.

jillian · October 30, 2015

So I just had to have me some biscuits and gravy. I make good gravy, biscuits are another subject entirely. Luckily I find the frozen buttermilk biscuits quite tasty. If I had to eat canned biscuits I would just do without.

I must admit that my presentation could use some work! Worth, once again yours looks spectacular!

Worth1 · October 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillian

So I just had to have me some biscuits and gravy. I make good gravy, biscuits are another subject entirely. Luckily I find the frozen buttermilk biscuits quite tasty. If I had to eat canned biscuits I would just do without.

I must admit that my presentation could use some work! Worth, once again yours looks spectacular!

Jillian can you buy Flour tortilla mix where you live?
I use the White Wings brand.
I add a teaspoon of baking powder to a cup or two of it and milk or water.
Make the dough on the wet side not hard.
It makes a fantastic biscuit and way cheaper than Bisquick.
Make it runnier and you have pancakes.

Worth

jillian · October 30, 2015

Worth, I have never seen Flour tortilla mix at the grocery so I am assuming maybe not. Thanks for bringing up the Bisquick, when my girls were small I would mix the Bisquick with sour cream and butter and drop into muffin pans. They were very good!
The few times I attempted to make biscuits from scratch was a disaster. Flour all over counter, floor and me. Would have been worth it if they hadn't been hard as rocks. Don't know what it is with me and the biscuits. I make awesome pizza dough and yeast breads!

Worth1 · October 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillian

Worth, I have never seen Flour tortilla mix at the grocery so I am assuming maybe not. Thanks for bringing up the Bisquick, when my girls were small I would mix the Bisquick with sour cream and butter and drop into muffin pans. They were very good!
The few times I attempted to make biscuits from scratch was a disaster. Flour all over counter, floor and me. Would have been worth it if they hadn't been hard as rocks. Don't know what it is with me and the biscuits. I make awesome pizza dough and yeast breads!

I cant help it.

Do you have a pastry blender or mixer like a KitchenAid?

Note to self If I ever move check out stores for Mexican food supplies.
Worth

clkeiper · October 31, 2015

Next up..... biscuit making 101

jillian · October 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I cant help it.

Do you have a pastry blender or mixer like a KitchenAid?

Note to self If I ever move check out stores for Mexican food supplies.
Worth

I threw the pastry blender in the trash after failed attempts at the biscuit making

I do have a KitchenAid, but the desire to make biscuits just isn't there

Worth1 · October 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Next up..... biscuit making 101

I might have done it already.
Your turn.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jillian

I threw the pastry blender in the trash after failed attempts at the biscuit making

I do have a KitchenAid, but the desire to make biscuits just isn't there

My pastry blender is an old one from my dear departed wife's grandmother.
It even says Made In the USA on it.
Comes from the 30's made by Bonny.

I make two biscuits at a time.

Worth

Rockporter · October 31, 2015

What a fun thread this is and Worth I love the tutorial on making gravy. I wanted to tell you I make a very thick roux, then let it cool and pack it into 8 ounce mason jars leaving head space. I quickly freeze with each jar wrapped with plastic, like you would a pudding to keep from forming a skin.

After it's frozen I push the plastic down into the jar, add the lid, and put into a zip lock bag. It's good for about two months in the freezer. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using and it shouldn't break. Heat it up real slow before adding any liquid.

If you want more than 8 ounces roux you can do the same thing using a pint jar, or even a quart jar, whatever makes you happy. I like using a zip lock bag to put jars into the freezer to help keep any air from getting to them. I also write on the bag what it is and what date it's best used by.

One could also wrap the top of the lid and around the jar neck with plastic wrap or foil and use a rubber band to seal it closed, then use a freezer label on it.

I can't make biscuits for the life of me and I avoid canned biscuits too. I must have had some free ones from HEB, and a buy this get that deal or something. I found one all dried up and exploded in my side door of the refrigerator, it was behind the red wine vinegar that I don't pull out very often, lol. I thought back and said to myself, "self, that must have been the weird noise from the refrigerator you heard a about a month back". I got a great laugh from that and a picture too, I just have to find where I have it stored.

Today, I get to have biscuits and gravy with chicken fried steak. I don't make it myself so we have a once per month 20 mile drive to the best family restaurant around.

clkeiper · October 31, 2015

Nope ..... My kitchen is under construction... I am in the middle of a remodeling project. I have to look for every little item I want and think about which box it is in... which box is which cabinet or drawer...
or is it in the laundry room somewhere on the shelf... oyvey. I wanted to make bread one day. that was an ordeal. All my doors are now off the cabinets and mostly stripped waiting to go to the cabinet maker to be stained and varnished to match the three new ones I needed. Hopefully the cabinets will be done mid Nov and the men will be here to work on that as soon as possible. then my FIL is scheduled for a knee replacement mid nov., too. busy month already.

Father'sDaughter · October 31, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I might have done it already.
Your turn.

My pastry blender is an old one from my dear departed wife's grandmother.
It even says Made In the USA on it.
Comes from the 30's made by Bonny.

I make two biscuits at a time.

Worth

Mine must be a bit newer. It came from my mother-in-law and while it's also a Bonny, it was made in Canada.

And making two biscuits is smart -- they're never as good the next day!

Worth1 · October 31, 2015

I have never done it but a person could just take the KitchenAid mixer and make up large batches of the flour, shorting, lard or oil, baking powder, mix and store it.

Here it is I found one of them.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost....&postcount=973

Worth

Worth1 · October 31, 2015

And here is the other one.
Worth
http://www.tomatoville.com/showpost....postcount=1030

October 29, 2015	#16
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,149	Oh Worth, what a fierce subject. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas my Mother and my Grandmother (Dad's Mom) would argue over how to make gravy. One would use flour to thicken the gravy the other used cornstarch which made the gravy smoother. The fights were endless and annoying. Finally I put a stop to it and said that I would be in charge of the gravy and both of them were to stay out of the kitchen. After my Grandmother died I continued to make the gravy. Suddenly my Mother's recipe changed and she started to argue with me every time that I made it. She wanted me to use Wondra Flour and the packaged stuff. Finally I had to remind her that the whole reason that I was making the gravy was because she insisted upon arguing with Grandma and that I was not going to allow her to continue her tradition. After all, it was she who had taught me how to make gravy and so she was fighting about her own recipe. I use the pan drippings from a roasted bird. Remove most of the oil. Add water from boiling giblets and bring to a boil. If using flour, I make a rough and add it to the pan along with some milk. If using cornstarch I add it to milk and slowly add it to the boiling pan while stirring. The bottom of the pan must be scrapped so that all of the dark drippings are incorporated into the gravy. That is the part that adds the most flavor and color to the mix. I season it just the way that Worth does. I do not find much difference between using flour or cornstarch and have even been known to use both when I felt that I was being 'watched'. I also like to use the water that I have boiled the giblets in with garlic and bay leaf. It too adds more flavor. You may use the giblets or not in your gravy. I had to make some plain and some giblet to please everyone. __________________ ~ Patti ~

October 30, 2015	#18
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,149	My family is all gone too except for my darling daughter. She is a vegetarian, so I no longer make gravy unless it is for myself. Hmm, I think that I will roast a chicken and make some gravy. I can make a pot pie with the left-overs. __________________ ~ Patti ~

October 31, 2015	#23
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	Next up..... biscuit making 101 __________________ carolyn k

October 31, 2015	#26
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	What a fun thread this is and Worth I love the tutorial on making gravy. I wanted to tell you I make a very thick roux, then let it cool and pack it into 8 ounce mason jars leaving head space. I quickly freeze with each jar wrapped with plastic, like you would a pudding to keep from forming a skin. After it's frozen I push the plastic down into the jar, add the lid, and put into a zip lock bag. It's good for about two months in the freezer. Just thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using and it shouldn't break. Heat it up real slow before adding any liquid. If you want more than 8 ounces roux you can do the same thing using a pint jar, or even a quart jar, whatever makes you happy. I like using a zip lock bag to put jars into the freezer to help keep any air from getting to them. I also write on the bag what it is and what date it's best used by. One could also wrap the top of the lid and around the jar neck with plastic wrap or foil and use a rubber band to seal it closed, then use a freezer label on it. I can't make biscuits for the life of me and I avoid canned biscuits too. I must have had some free ones from HEB, and a buy this get that deal or something. I found one all dried up and exploded in my side door of the refrigerator, it was behind the red wine vinegar that I don't pull out very often, lol. I thought back and said to myself, "self, that must have been the weird noise from the refrigerator you heard a about a month back". I got a great laugh from that and a picture too, I just have to find where I have it stored. Today, I get to have biscuits and gravy with chicken fried steak. I don't make it myself so we have a once per month 20 mile drive to the best family restaurant around. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~ Last edited by Rockporter; October 31, 2015 at 07:12 AM.

October 31, 2015	#27
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	Nope ..... My kitchen is under construction... I am in the middle of a remodeling project. I have to look for every little item I want and think about which box it is in... which box is which cabinet or drawer... or is it in the laundry room somewhere on the shelf... oyvey. I wanted to make bread one day. that was an ordeal. All my doors are now off the cabinets and mostly stripped waiting to go to the cabinet maker to be stained and varnished to match the three new ones I needed. Hopefully the cabinets will be done mid Nov and the men will be here to work on that as soon as possible. then my FIL is scheduled for a knee replacement mid nov., too. busy month already. __________________ carolyn k

October 29, 2015	#17
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Wow Patti thats crazy. The dreaded Mother in law daughter in law gravy fight. I used to go to my older brother sister in laws house for thanksgiving. they were almost 20 years older than me. Guess who made the giblet gravy, me. Not that she couldn't she was a fantastic cook. She loved my mothers cooking and it was past down to me not my sister. I use flour and corn starch plus a can of condensed milk. My sister in law saw me pour it in one time and said, "So thats how you get it so white I never knew." I miss my family they are all gone now. Worth

October 30, 2015	#19
jillian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: North Carolina Posts: 880	So I just had to have me some biscuits and gravy. I make good gravy, biscuits are another subject entirely. Luckily I find the frozen buttermilk biscuits quite tasty. If I had to eat canned biscuits I would just do without. I must admit that my presentation could use some work! Worth, once again yours looks spectacular!