Have you guessed it yet? It’s not really that hard, because it’s the most-asked holiday-time cooking question every year. Beginner and experienced home cooks alike are always asking, “Is there a gua-ranteed way to achieve lump-free gravy every time?”
Perfect Turkey Gravy: pouring down onto perfect Turkey Stuffing. he perfect next-day lunch!
The short answer is, “Yes!” And the long answer isn’t much longer than that. After a warm reception to yesterday’s cream pie filling recap, I thought I’d indulge in another seasonally-resonant, thickener-related refresher…
And always stir gently but constantly as your sauce or gravy thickens.
Thank the French
Here’s yet another topic that gets folks chattering this tie of year. It also generates a lot of bad advice and misinformation online, especially in he social media channels.
Even after more than a decade of presenting this culinary news resource, I still meet folks who’ve been cooking for decades who haven’t been let in on the secret of ‘perfect gravy every time’. The real chef’s secret on this issue is, it’s not hard to achieve. It’s a matter of basic starch chemistry. And it’s one of the first lessons (after making stock) that they cover in cooking school!
A little (simple) chemistry…
Starches are large, thirsty molecules found in many root veggies, grains and flours. They absorb water when cooked gently and become sticky, thickening whatever liquid you put them in. Some are more powerful thickeners than others. Some produce more elegant thickening effects than others.
But there are some basic rules for thickening with starches every serious cook needs to know.
The RULES
Always ‘prepare’ your starch before adding it to the liquid you want to thicken. Never just sprinkle powdered starch into any liquid.
Roux
The French invented the ancient and indispensble substance known as Roux. That’s sinply equal amounts of four and butter (by weight) cooked together gently until all the starch particles are coated with fat and the resulting mixture starts to turn white-ish around the edges.
Heating helps the starch open up and get ready absorb water. And the fat keeps the starch from be-ing repelled by the water in the liquid you’re thickening, allowing it to mix in quickly and evenly.
The thickness of the Roux and the amount you use determines how thick your resulting liquid will be. How long you cook your roux is the primary factor determining how dark a colour it will develop – and add to your finished sauce or gravy.
Slurry
A quicker, easier way to add starch to a liquid you want to thicken is to mix up a Slurry. That’s a mix-ture of equal volumes of starch powder and COLD water. If you add powdered starch directly to warm or hot liquid, you’ll get lups for sure. And one you’ve got them, there’s no known way of getting rid of them altogether.
ALWAYS ADD THE STARCH TO THE WATER, rather than pouring the water over the starch. Otherwise you’ll have a heck of a time getting the two to combine smoothly.
Likewise… ALWAYS ADD COLD SLURRY TO WARM OR HOT LIQUID. This is further insurance that the re-sulting gravy or sauce won’t lump. Besides, when you’re making gravy, the meat juices you’re using are invariably hot!
Commonly used starches…
North American cooks generally add wheat flour to meat juices to make gravy, savoury soups and stews. But they most often use corn starch to thicken sweet preparations.
Some European cooks prefer using potato or tapioca starch to their traditional dishes to produce a glossier, lighter sauce.
Many Asian cooks follow a long-established custom of using arrowroot to thicken their sauces, soups and gravies.
My take
Generally… If you follow the dry-to-wet, and cold-to-warm rules, you’ll always obtain optimum re-sults with gravies sauces, soups and other liquids you want to thicken.
I’m not saying, “throw out your strainer.” But you will be able to set aside your worst fears about lumpy gravy!
~ Maggie J.