Making Your Own Gravy Is Rarely Worth It — Unless It’s Thanksgiving

I’m a firm believer in trying to make things from scratch wherever possible in the kitchen. This is mainly because I derive a huge amount of pleasure from starting with a bunch of ingredients and ending with a delicious meal, knowing precisely how it was made and revelling in the alchemy that takes place when cooking, which transforms a selection of disparate things into a tasty finished product. Gravy, however, does not give me the same satisfaction. I find it tiresome. Vaguely annoying to make. And often not worth the stress induced by trying to balance a huge roasting pan onto a tiny stovetop to fully cook down those juices. 

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At the holidays, though, it all changes. 

The Extra Mile

 As someone from the UK, a country bathed in gravy, I tend to have it on my plate accompanying some kind of meal on a biweekly basis (twice a month, not twice a week – I have my limits). Rarely do I think it justifies more effort than just spooning some granules into a jug and adding boiling water. Gravy makes a lot of meals better, but nine times out of ten, the cumbersome, cheffy process you have to go through to make it feels like a step too far for what you actually get. Making a roux, adding your juices, cooking everything down…yes, it gives you a sense of achievement, but most of us don’t have that kind of time for your average weekday dinner.

The holidays are different – and while we obviously don’t celebrate Thanksgiving over here, whether you’re making gravy for that or for Christmas, the vibe feels largely the same. These are special meals. Meals where putting in the extra effort is worth it. They’re also meals that demand the nuance and depth that pan-made gravies, instead of instant ones, provide (although there are some great ready-made gravies out there – Sam’s Club’s newest one looks like the latest worth trying). So, I roll up my sleeves, and I get to work. I do the same for cranberry sauce, too. Call me a gluten for punishment. 

All Flavor, No Effort

If you want the flavor of a homemade gravy without any of the work, though, I feel ya – and there are ways to achieve that too. The easiest method for this is to reserve some of your pan drippings from cooking your turkey or ham, and then combine those with instant gravy for a beefed-up version that doesn’t require any whisking of flour. Alternatively (or in addition), try pouring in a splash of cream or half-and-half, or adding a pat of butter to your gravy before serving it. If you’re looking for aromatics as opposed to density, you could also chop up some fresh parsley and stir it through, which will give it a vegetal lift and a burst of freshness. 

None of these quite compare to the real thing, though. This year, give it a go. Then you don’t have to attempt it again for 12 months. That feels like a fair trade-off.