Need help making gravy from scratch

[buckytom]

ok, here a pretty basic question for yous all (y'all, youens, all of you). i know i should know this, but it's one i've never tackled before. i could read up on all of the posts here, but time is at a premium today, and thru the weekend to do the research. and i'm lazy.

my brother and sil are coming over on sunday for a pre-christmas dinner, and dw wants to make a pork loin roast.

i love her roasts; they are always juicy and tender, but she likes to make them very plain, just salt and pepper, so you experience the meat, not any added flavorings or marinades/rubs.
so, i was thinking that a notch kicker that wouldn't change her roast would be to make a gravy. i love gravy, and i would like to try to make one to go along with the roast. unfortunately, i will not have time to take the pan drippings and thicken/reduce them to make a gravy (the only way i've ever done it), so i was wondering if there was a good way, without using packaged gravy, which tastes like plastic to me, or bouillion cubes, which are way too salty, to make a good gravy to go with a pork loin roast.

tia for your help.

any ideas or suggestions, such as a sauce or other reduction that goes well with delicate white pork meat instead of a gravy would be appreciated as well.

 

[texasgirl]

You can use canned beef or chicken broth. It actually makes it creamy.

 

[CharlieD]

Box/can or not you still have to cook the darn thing. Gravy is my bigest fear. Though after the sugestions recieved here before the turkey day I was able to make pretty decent gravy from scratch. Look for my questions about it.

 

[jennyema]

IMO there is no way to make gravy without pan drippings. Or any kind of decent sauce.

But it really doesnt take that much time to do it. Do you have any time at all to use the pan ?

 

[texasgirl]

IMO there is no way to make gravy without pan drippings. Or any kind of decent sauce.

But it really doesnt take that much time to do it. Do you have any time at all to use the pan ?

I agree. There's no better way than having the same flavoring as the dish it's going on.
and there really isn't a way to make it without cooking anyway. I didn't read that far into it, sorry

 

[Robo410]

well for a pork roast which should sit a bit before carving, you can use pan drippings...

roast some whole garlic cloves with the meat and maybe some baby carrots (your choice)
degrease pan before as much as possible
use canned chix broth and some soy sauce to deglaze...yes soy goes real well with pork and adds great color. mash garlic into the gravy you are making
adjust with broth to proper taste
thicken with a corn starch or arrowroot slurry
about 1 tbspn starch to 2 of water mix well drizzle into pan while wisking
thickens before boiling. and I do mean drizzle in so you don't over thicken

should take about 5 min and tastes great.

 

[Andy M.]

BT:

You can make a roux ahead of time. You can season and flavor it ahead of time. You can even add some chicken and/beef broth and cook it up ahead of time. But it won't taste great if you can't add the fond from the roasting pan.

If possible, while the roast is resting, drain off the fat and deglaze the roasting pan with some wine. Reduce the wine and add the pre-prepared gravy you made ahead of time and whisk it in. Adjust the flavoring and viola! You are done in minutes.

 

[buckytom]

thanks everyone for your quick responses.

jenny, i probably will have to get someone to distract my wife so i can take the pan drippings (she will otherwise be defending the roast so i don't "do" anything to it that she doesn't want), but i will probably have only a few minutes to create the gravy.

i'm thinking of dropping in to the kitchen on a wire harness, like tom cruise in "mission impossible", and making the gravy while her back is turned.

anyway, robo, that's the idea of what i was looking for, thanks. i like the idea of garlic, carrots, broth and soy sauce. if i can't obtain much drippings before the alarms go off and the hounds are released, i think this would still work.

i wonder, if i can't get the drippings, could i make a pork stock before hand from pork rib and chop bones?

also, would adding a little fruit preserves instead of carrots work ok? i'm thinking like a raspberry/soy/garlic/broth sauce.

i realize that my mission, should i accept it, is to acquire the drippings with great prejudice.

edited to add: thanks andy m.. depending on timing and other events, i may go with the pre-made roux you suggest. the last several sauces/gravies that i have made with white wine have been a big hit with dw, i think to her surprise. with a little wheeling and dealing, i might get her to give me a few minutes when the roast is done.

 

[Alix]

OK buckytom, if you want fast this one is it. Take a jar with a tight lid, put in about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of flour, add some salt and then fill with water. Put the lid on and shake it over the sink until there are no lumps left. Pour this into the pan you had the roast in (thus incorporating all the drippings) and set that on the element. You will have yummy gravy in no time at all.

 

[jennyema]

OK buckytom, if you want fast this one is it. Take a jar with a tight lid, put in about 1/3 - 1/2 cup of flour, add some salt and then fill with water. Put the lid on and shake it over the sink until there are no lumps left. Pour this into the pan you had the roast in (thus incorporating all the drippings) and set that on the element. You will have yummy gravy in no time at all.

Yep. Tell the wife that you think Publisher's Clearinghouse is at the door and then whisk like crazy!

 

[Andy M.]

BT:

If you want to roast some of those ribs and chops to get some drippings/fond, you could use that for the gravy! Also, if you have time before-hand to do that, you could use the roasted chops/bones, to make some pork broth.

I think using the roasting pan will actually be faster.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I agree that gravy made with natural meat juices and fond make the best gravies. But you can make a great sauces to go with pork ahead of time, and then just heat and serve. On example would be a pineapple sweet & sour sauce. The pineapple, and brown sugar accentuate the pork beautifully and can be enjoyed by any who choose to put it on the meat, at the table. Honey mustard sauce and various bbq sauces would also work for you.

Here are some recipes. Use them if you like.

Pineapple Sweet & Sour Sauce
Ingredients:
12 oz. canned chicken stock
14 oz, small chunk pineapple, in natural juice
brown sugar
1/2 onion, sliced
White vinager
Corn Starch
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
Salt

Heat the chicken stock until it begins to bubble. Add the pineapple, ginger, and onion. Pur in about 1/8 cup of vinager. Then add 2 tbs. of the brown sugar. Stir until it's dissolved. Taste. Add more brown sugar or vinager, or both until you get the flavor you want. Then thicken with a slurry of cornstarch.

You can substitue many canned fruits for the pineapple. You could use peaches, mixed fruits, cherries (use white sugar with the cherries), etc.

For honey mustard, pour 1 cup of honey into a serving dish. Add yellow mustard, 1 tsp. at a time and stir. Taste. Add more mustard, stir and taste. Continue the process until it tastes right to you.

Raisin Sauce:
Boil 1/2 cup of raisins in 2 cups of boiling water. Add 1 cup of sugar or brown sugar and cook until dissolved. Add 1/8 tsp. cloves, a dash of nutmeg, and a dash of cinamon. Thicken with cornstarch slurry.

Bucky, be creative. You have the talent to make whatever you want. Think outside the box. Some good chicken soup base, combined with rubbed sage, a bit of garlic, and some black pepper, mixed into a plain bechemel or white sauce will give you KFC-flavored gravy. Just brown the roux slightly before thinning.

Hope this helps.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[mish]

If you can get your hands on the pan (sight unseen) , this bourbon cream sauce looks mighty good and quick.

http://www.atkins.com/recipes/o/orange-herb-pork-roast-with-bourbon-sauce-799

(The orange-herb pork roast doesn't look bad either. Hmmm, wonder if you could add something orange-y ((zest maybe)) to the bourbon cream sauce?)

 

[auntdot]

' I wonder, if i can't get the drippings, could i make a pork stock before hand from pork rib and chop bones?'

Sure can and it tastes very good. Have always been amazed that people tend to use chicken and beef stocks, but ignore those of pork, lamb and other critters.

 

[marmalady]

Bucky, here's a pretty simple Roast Beast sauce I love -

Jack Daniels Sauce

2 cups beef broth (try to get an unsalted kind so you can season yourself)
1/2 cup JD (or any good bourbon)
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic (sometimes I use about 6 cloves of pre-roasted garlic if I have it)
3-4 springs fresh thyme
Salt and fresh cracked pepper
3 Tablespoons cornstarth dissolved in a little (very little!) cold water to make a slurry

Add ins - sliced mushrooms of your choice, sauteed at the beginning with the garlic; chopped shallot.

Heat the butter over medium heat, add the garlic, and cook til it's just soft (if you're doing the 'shrooms, and/or add them along with the garlic). Take the pan OFF the heat, add the JD or bourbon, put back on the heat, turn to high, and bring to a boil. Add the thyme sprigs, turn heat down and let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Then add the beef stock, and cook that for about 15 minutes. Season to taste with the salt/pepper, bring to a boil again, and whisk in the cornstarch slurry a little at a time til you get the consistency you want.

Bon appetit!

 

[Constance]

No problemo.

Chop some bacon (4-6 pieces thick sliced), and sweat it out in a skillet. Slice some onions and add to it. When all is well cooked, turn up the heat and saute until browned a little, then add enough flour to suck up the grease. Let it cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat, and add a mixture of chicken & beef broth. Stir or whisk until smooth...mixture should be thin. Then put back on medium heat, cook and stir until thickened. Add S&P to taste. You might also want to add a little parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.

 

[BigDog]

I make my Grandpa's (mom's side) gravy. Basic but nummy!

Drippings from whatever meat you cooked
Broth/stock (to match the drippings as best you can) or water (I never use water)
Flour
Butter

Ideally, in the roasting pan, deglaze with the water/broth/stock, and add the amount of liquid to make what as much as you want, yet not overpower the natural flavors of the drippings. Sometimes you have to sacrifice one way ot t'other, and if that is the case, I go for quantity. I'm a big gravy fan. But I digress.

Once the liquid is added and deglazing done, add flour and butter in equal measurements (i.e. 1 tbsp flour & 1 tbsp butter) until gravy reaches desired thickness. Now, since I hear Emeril's voice in my head saying the following, I will say it, though we all likely know it. As with any thickening agent (roux, corn starch, etc.) it never reaches it's full thickening power until it reaches a boil. *phew* All right, I said it. Bust up any lumps as best you can with a fork while whisking the gravy.

Strain through a steel strainer (collander if you will) to get out any unbusted lumps, etc. unless you like lumpy gravy. Pour into your presentation dish and voila! TNT, and very basic.

Adding seasonings would obviously work too. Typically Gramps would add a bit of salt & pepper, but not much more. On some occassion, nothing else at all!

 

[buckytom]

wow, thanks everyone for all of the responses!

i am printing them all; will have to see what i might be able to pull off before my cover is blown, and i become a rogue agent, out in the cold.

 

[thumpershere2]

Alex makes gravy like I do. I use a plastic container with a lid, something that holds at least 2 cups. I put in 2 to 4 tlb of flour add COLD water and shake. set aside until ready to make gravy. Addd broth or water to your drippings if need to and if not great. Bring drippings to a boil and then remove from heat and add the flour mixture and whisk until blended. Make sure you keep stiring while adding the flour. and return to heat while stiring until thicken. Now this goes pretty fast and takes no time to make. I have made it this way to make a ham milk gravy also and comes out creamy all the time. Add the salt/pepper to tast when done..

 

[Constance]

Thumper, I use that method (Emeril calls it a slurry) to thicken my beef stew, and sometimes my pot roast gravy. I have a little metal cup with a tight fitting lid that was my mom's. They used to come free with some sort of baking mix.

Tell me more about that ham cream gravy! The only ham gravy I've every heard of is "red-eye", and I can't stand it.