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Posted to rec.food.cooking
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pan juices
Alex Rast wrote on 03 Mar 2006 in rec.food.cooking
> 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)
>
A wand or stick blender really does away with lumps.
--
-Alan
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