it's all gravy

gravy FAQs from me to you

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This Sunday — January 12th — I’m teaching a class requested by my dad: GRAVY 101.

Roast Chicken with Onion Gravy from Simply Julia (photo by Melina Hammer).

I’ve gotten a few questions about class that I think are interesting in general whether or not you’re attending, so I thought I’d dedicate today’s newsletter to all things GRAVY. Here are the questions I’ve received and my responses:

1. Q: What is the difference between gravy and sauce?

   1. I feel like this is somehow a philosophical question? But to be more literal and specific, I think all gravies are sauces, but not all sauces are gravies. In other words, ‘SAUCE’ is a big blanket term that includes everything from gravy to pesto, marinara, au jus, barbecue sauce and so much more. Gravy is most typically juices from cooked meat (like a whole roasted turkey or cooked, crumbled sausage) thickened with roux (flour and fat cooked together). Of course there are a million variations on this (including vegetarian gravy), but I’d say my basic definition of gravy is savory sauce made with the juices produced from the thing you’re putting the gravy itself on.

2. Q: Is gravy just for Thanksgiving?

   1. Absolutely not!

3. Q: Do you have to make gravy last minute? It seems stressful.

   1. Absolutely not! You can make it ahead with stock (you know I love Better Than Bouillon) and then whisk in any juices from whatever meat or whatever you’re cooking right before serving.

4. Q: My gravy seems too thick. What do I do?

   1. Just add more broth! Or any flavorful liquid (like a splash of apple cider in turkey gravy is delicious).

5. Q: My gravy seems too thin. What do I do to thicken it?

   1. You can either let it simmer and reduce, or add a mixture of equal parts softened butter and flour mixed together (this is called beurre manié).

6. Q: My gravy has lumps. Is all lost?

   1. Absolutely not! Either pass it through a sieve or use an immersion blender to smooth it out.

7. Q: My gravy tastes kind-of bland. What do I do?

   1. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little something with lots of umami. A splash of soy sauce, tamari or Worcestershire. A little miso paste. Simmer a dried mushroom or two in the gravy.

8. Q: I’m vegetarian. Can I still make delicious biscuits and gravy?

   1. For sure! You can use a plant-based sausage, or just skip the meat all together. For a savory, meaty taste without the meat, use a vegetarian stock base for the liquid, such as BTB’s Vegetarian No Chicken Base. You can also throw in stuff like pimentón (smoked paprika), soy sauce and/or vegetarian Worcestershire sauce for extra umami.

9. Q: I’m pescatarian, but I want to come to class. Any suggestions?

   1. I would suggest substituting a firm white fish for the chicken — such as halibut or cod, and either a plant-based sausage for the meat in the sausage gravy for the savory pie, or just leaving out the sausage all together (see above).

10. Q: I am gluten-free. Can I still make gravy?

    1. For sure! Just use all-purpose gluten-free flour. No biggie!

11. Q: I do not have access to refrigerated, premade biscuits for the Biscuits + Gravy Pie. What do I do??

    1. You can make your own homemade biscuits — use your favorite mix or recipe (I personally love the Everything Biscuits from Small Victories and would use them for the pie without the bagel seasonings). You can make your biscuit dough, cut them out, and refrigerate them up to a few days in advance (you could do them today!) and then just top the pie with them and bake away.

12. Q: What should I serve with the Biscuits + Gravy Pie to be a complete meal?

    1. You really don’t need anything, but a green salad would be a nice addition and if you’re serving it for brunch, you could also do a big fruit platter. Mimosas would also be delightful.

13. Q: What should I serve with the Roast Chicken with Onion Gravy to be a complete meal?

    1. Any salad or cooked vegetable! Mashed potatoes, creamy polenta, rice, or crusty bread would also all be welcome side dishes to help absorb all the wonderful sauce…I mean gravy.

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If you want to make Roast Chicken with Onion Gravy and Biscuits and Gravy Pie with me on Sunday — and ask me all your burning gravy questions! — come to class!

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A portion of class proceeds will go to Trans Closet of the Hudson Valley.

Want to come to class and money is a barrier? Just let me know and we’ll work it out. Got any class questions, head here!

Stay safe out there friends. xo, julia