at Fri, 03 Mar 2006 01:37:13 GMT in
9>,
wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com (Wayne Boatwright) wrote :

>On Thu 02 Mar 2006 06:20:23p, Thus Spake Zarathustra, or was it Alex
>Rast?
>
>> at Fri, 03 Mar 2006 00:04:15 GMT in >,
>> (AC) wrote :
>>
....
>>>here are some basic gravy tips that i've learned from trial and error
>>>
>>>...if there is only fat, the result will be smooth.
>>>once all of the flour is well coated and cooked/toasted, you can add
>>>the liquid/ju willy nilly and it won't clump. it may require some
>>>stirring to smooth.
>>
>> Unfortunately, I've not found the last point to be true. In fact,
>> there seems to be to me some "magic" behind getting gravy not to clump
>> that I don't understand. I do a roux just as you describe. There's
>> never any problem with making it smooth during the roux stage. And
>> then I can brown the roux as desired. But then, when I add liquid -
>> usually hot broth, occasionally hot water - invariably, the roux
>> clumps badly. ...
>
>You are possibly adding the a too hot liquid too quickly to a too roux.

Deciphering, am I to understand that your concern is my liquid is too hot
and my roux too cold? If so, interesting. I'd always assumed that hot
liquid was best (after years of watching my dad, an accomplished gravy-
master, use liquid that had been boiling moments ago). Perhaps this has
been an issue.

>I find it easier to avoid lumps by letting the cooked roux cool
>slightly, and only gradually adding warm (not hot) liquid to it while
>whisking briskly. Once it is all added, bringing up the heat to a boil.
> That never lumps for me.

With beef gravy, I like to brown the roux a lot, so it should be pretty
hot. Chicken and turkey, however, I brown minimally.

On adding gradually - yes, I do this. I pretty much assumed that would be
the way to go.

I've generally used a spoon instead of a whisk, in part because of the
practical issue I've faced (flattening and spreading lumps against the side
of the pan)

--
Alex Rast

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