Cooking 101: perfect gravy, every time

Perfect gravy, whether from pan drippings or prepared stock, is easy when you understand the ratios of three key ingredients: fat, flour and liquid.

Gravy mystery solved:
Perfect gravy takes a little bit of elbow grease with a sturdy whisk, and equal parts of fat and flour mixed with liquid until the desired consistency is reached.

The standard proportion is 1 part fat, 1 part flour, and 8 to 12 parts liquid, cooked for 7 minutes. For example, 4 tablespoons of fat from the pan drippings (or butter, olive oil, etc.), plus 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour, mixed with 2 to 3 cups of broth, will make a silky, thick gravy.

The roasting pan method:
Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and set aside the beef, chicken, vegetables or any other roasted items from the pan, leaving only the fat and liquid behind. Set the roasting pan on the stove, and heat on medium-high. Pour two cups of wine, beer or broth into the pan and deglaze, scraping up any brown bits. Turn off the heat.

Using a mesh strainer or chinois, strain the liquid and fat from the bottom of the pan into a glass container or gravy separator. Discard any of the bits of food or bone caught in the strainer. Remove four tablespoons of fat from the gravy separator and discard the rest of the fat, leaving only the pan drippings. If your roasting pan does not yield enough fat, add butter or olive oil.

In a separate sauce pan, heat the four tablespoons of fat on medium-high heat. Sprinkle four tablespoons of all-purpose flour over the fat, whisking until the mixture reaches a school-paste, lumpy consistency. Cook for two minutes, whisking frequently to prevent burning. By mixing flour with the fat, you've created a roux - the thickening agent in many of the Mother Sauces in French cooking.

Add one cup of the pan drippings to the roux, whisking to incorporate. By adding one cup at a time, you can better control the consistency of your gravy. Less liquid will produce a thicker, more concentrated gravy. More liquid will produce a thinner gravy. Cook for seven minutes on medium or medium-high heat to remove the "raw" flavor of the flour from your gravy.

Continue adding one cup of pan drippings at a time, whisking to incorporate. Your gravy will begin to transform from a lumpy mess to a beautifully smooth and viscous liquid.

When the desired consistency is reached, taste for seasoning, and finish with a tablespoon of unsalted butter.

The stovetop method:
If you've pan fried meats, fish or vegetables, you can use the same pan to create your gravy, infusing that flavor into your roux and gravy. Or, begin with a clean pan. Add equal amounts of fat and flour to the pan, as described above. Cook for two minutes. Add homemade or store-bought broth, one cup at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Cook for seven minutes. Taste for seasoning and finish with a tablespoon of unsalted butter.