Making gravy when you haven't had a roast. How?

Penelope_Penguin

Can't help you, I'm not a fan of "wet" food - no gravy or custard for me I can add this to an existing thread to give you more ideas, though

Penny. x

Woofles

Cheat like I do.:o

The Oxo ones that come in single packets, e.g. Lamb with Garden Mint are nice. Not too salty, which I found a lot of the stock cubes were after cutting down cooking with salt, they may have changed, haven't tried them for a while. One packet usually does me twice.

In my defence, being a singleton I don't always have saved gravy from a roast (I do make my own as well honest) and sometimes you just gotta have gravy on yer chips.:rotfl:

Nargleblast

If you have any leftover gravy put it in the fridge and add it to the next batch you make up - it means extra flavour and texture! My basic formula is chopped onions fried in a little oil, with stock (from a previous roast) plus Oxo cubes and/or Marigold bouillion powder, water perhaps, dash of wine maybe, spoonful of mint sauce sometimes ..... let it cook slowly about an hour or so and keep tasting and adding what you think fit till it tastes right for your meal and has reduced to the right consistency.

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

I use mushroom ketchup and marmite with the usual sauteed onion and depending on what I'm using it with I may add tomato puree or honey and mustard,herbs ect.
I always use cornflour to thicken it as it gives a much smoother gravy and you never need to strain.

ChapelGirl

I can recommend Marigold vegetable bouillon powder if you don't have any meat juices to make gravy.

It also works well in casseroles etc. but don't add any extra salt until you have tasted the finished dish.

Their low-salt version is also vegan.

I think you can get it in most of the supermarkets and most health-food shops carry it as well. It comes in a small foil-lined cardboard tub with plastic lid (orange or purple) and it has pictures of vegetables on the outside. It might be found in the "exotic foreign" section or in the stocks and condiments section.

It has no MSG or other nasty chemicals. Also, being in a tub instead of individual cubes you can use as much or as little as you need at one go. Make sure you use a dry spoon, though!

We sometimes put a spoonful in a mug of hot water as a nice change from tea or coffee.

annabel14

Hope this question doesnt appal but I steam my vegs now should I use the water left at the bottom for gravy?++++++++++++++

thriftlady_2

This may have been mentioned before but one way of having gravy without a roast is to always freeze leftover gravy from when you have had a roast. Freeze it no matter how little there is. Eventually you will amass enough to defrost and reheat for another meal

Woofles

annabel14 wrote: »

Hope this question doesnt appal but I steam my vegs now should I use the water left at the bottom for gravy?++++++++++++++

I do, as I always steam my veg even the potatoes, makes me feel less guilty if I'm usng a packet mix.

timmmers

annabel14 wrote: »

Hope this question doesnt appal but I steam my vegs now should I use the water left at the bottom for gravy?++++++++++++++

The reason you do that is to avoid losing nutrients that end up in the water when boiling veg and wasted...in the gravy they get used...and in steaming they mostly stay in the veg like microwaved veg does...healthy option.

The roast bones and proper stock is vital IMO for gravy...a pressure cooker makes stock a lot faster to produce and cheaper...and it freezes well so it's worth the small effort. You can also get offcuts or really cheap cuts of beef or lamb and roast them alongsidesomething else to caramelise them and make the brown tasty bits that make gravy so good...and then freeze the gravy until you need it. The overcooked meat is either pet food or finger snacks depending on how much meat is left and how brown it got.

It looks like someone should go on Dragon's Den with readymade microwave gravy...they would clean up judging by this thread. :rotfl:

t

Woofles

My Father used to drink the water the veg had been done. Taking things a bit too far for me that one.