Make your own instant gravy powder ?

Flimber

Is this is as nuts as it sounds ? I was just looking on the label of some "Marigold" IGP and it's essentially

wheatflour,
sugars,
starch,
yeast extract
powdered onion.

How hard can that be to make up ? I'd be interested to hear comments from anyone who's tried to make their own IGP before I launch into my own disastrous attempt. I'm a bit concerned that most gravy powder/granules seem to be around 15 - 20% salt. Surely it must be possible to get that figure down a bit without sacrificing taste too much.

Cheers.

Seakay

Flimber wrote: »

Is this is as nuts as it sounds ? I was just looking on the label of some "Marigold" IGP and it's essentially

wheatflour,
sugars,
starch,
yeast extract
powdered onion.

How hard can that be to make up ? I'd be interested to hear comments from anyone who's tried to make their own IGP before I launch into my own disastrous attempt. I'm a bit concerned that most gravy powder/granules seem to be around 15 - 20% salt. Surely it must be possible to get that figure down a bit without sacrificing taste too much.

Cheers.

I'd be interested to hear how your trials go. The first problem that springs to mind is the difficulty of finding dried yeast extract, or a substitute for that.

newlywed

Flimber wrote: »

I'm a bit concerned that most gravy powder/granules seem to be around 15 - 20% salt. Surely it must be possible to get that figure down a bit without sacrificing taste too much.

Sorry haven't made my own. But, Bisto do a reduced salt version of the granuals (but it still has other bad stuff in)

Plum_Pie

I sometimes make gravy without roasting meat by sweating a bit of minced onion, adding herbs/spice (depends on what it's accompanying), bit of marmite sometimes (yeast extract!) and some hot water or the water from the veg if I'm doing steamed veg with the meal.

I've never bought gravy powder - it scares me when it thickens up!

dronid

The list is a bit misleading I think
wheatflour, - Easier to use Cornflour I think.
sugars, - That's gravy browning, colour
starch, - That is the cornflour, though I wouldn't add any wheatflour as it makes it unnecessary
yeast extract - would be marmite for us but I think this is the flavour bit. A stock cube would be closer to what you want or idealy real stock!
powdered onion - more flavouring.

These are often really high in salt and most of the time it's not important. You can always add a little at the end if you think you need more.

Your real problem will be turning it from powder to gravy - you wouldn't be able to just pour on water. On the other hand, take 5 mins over it and it'll taste much better (though maybe a little bland - we're used to having very over flavoured stuff out of packages) and at least it has what you'd expect in it!

Dobie

Does it need to be instant gravy powder?
I would have thought that making up a large batch of gravy & then freezing in portion sizes would be even more convenient & then you can control what goes into it.
As Plum Pie said frying up some onions & other flavourings, blitzing & then thickening if necessary with browning or cornflour will give you a tastier & much lower salt version.

Swishter

I say make your own and freeze it if needs be, rather than HM being bland I find the shop bought stuff pretty disgusting now.

I remove the fat from the pan and use it when I next roast a chicken not died yet and flavour is amazing.

I take the juices and the pan and add a half a glass of wine (red for beef and lamb, white for chicken) and let it simmer up and burn off the alcohol and bring up any meat sediment, add a small amount of cornflour mixed with cold water (add this off the heat) and some extra Marigold stock (thats not full of nasties) if it needs extra flavour. I tend to freeze excess cos I love my gravy during the week as an extra but when your making a full roast knocking up a gravy at the end takes only 5 minutes and is so much nicer than any instant mix can be.

I don't drink but after the first mini bottle of wine is open I freeze the rest in an icecube tray and just add the cubes to the pan. Still cheaper than using powder. If you drink wine just add any dregs or leftover glasses to an icecube tray like this.

Use this for any meat but make sure you keep the fat and gravy seperate for each type, its dead easy and really yummy.

Oh is you are making gravy for lamb try adding a teaspoon of redcurrant jelly and a little dried rosemary, its nearly yummier than the whole meal!

Swishter

Just read my post and think its a little bit patronising! I'm not saying you can't make gravy or anything else just tried to add my experience. I've found it easier and nicer to do it this way don't mean to be here is how you suck eggs person.

I should go lie down now before I dig a hole!

Swishter

Sorry me again, Marigold is as far as I know a vegetarian gravy, so yes you could make a veggie gravy with gently fried off onion instead of roast meat and freeze it up.... Just as good no nasties, great flavour, yummy!!

Swishter

My last point is I do read but sometimes it takes time to really sink in to this little mind of mine!

Dobie

Swishter wrote: »

Just read my post and think its a little bit patronising! I'm not saying you can't make gravy or anything else just tried to add my experience. I've found it easier and nicer to do it this way don't mean to be here is how you suck eggs person.

I should go lie down now before I dig a hole!

Hey Swishter - it's deep enough put the shovel down. I'm sure nobody took any offence & understood you were only trying to help.:D