Gravy — deceptively simple, but so easy to mess up. It can get too lumpy, too watery, too bland, too salty. Even when you follow a recipe to the letter, you look at the muddy mixture coagulating in your pan, and wonder, “What the heck happened?” Here are some things that can help.
It’s too greasy!
Grab a wide spoon and skim off the fat.
It tastes like chalk!
You probably didn’t cook the floor properly. When you mix in the flour, don’t leave it. Instead, whisk well while you cook it (should turn a beautiful brown, and emit a rich nutty scent). If you did that and it still didn’t work, crank up the heat and let the gravy simmer for a couple more minutes, adding water if you need to.
It’s lumpy!
No solution except to sieve, sieve, sieve.
It’s too watery!
Reduce the liquid by simmering the mixture over high heat.You can also mix together flour and butter, then slowly adding it as you whisk vigorously.
Where’s the flavor?
Add coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.