Doug Cooks
Doug Cooks
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Gravy Making and The Mother Sauces


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Gravy Making 101

Basic Chicken, Turkey or Beef Gravy


Yield 2 cups:

Ingredients:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

  • 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken, turkey or beef stock

  • Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

  • Herbs: Thyme, rosemary or sage

  • This recipe can be doubled or tripled to make more delicious gravy!.


This recipe is for a basic roux which thickens your sauce or gravy.

What is a roux? A roux is typically 50% flour and 50% fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Flour is blended to melted butter or oil on the stove top, whisked until smooth then cooked to the desired level of brownness for added flavor


Execution:

  • Melt the butter, then stir in the flour and blend together.

  • Cook the roux over medium heat, and stir.

  • Whisk the roux mixture until smooth and let cool

  • Have your heated stock ready to add the cooled roux. This is best way to avoid lumps, adding cold roux to hot stock, then whisking.

  • Slowly, whisk in the roux (a little at a time) into your stock or broth and bring to a boil. This must be done to cook out the flour taste.

  • You will see the gravy start to thicken, if you want a thicker gravy add more roux.

  • Turn down to a simmer and whisk until smooth.

  • Season with salt and pepper or herbs

  • TASTE IT!! Is it to your liking?? Does it need anything? Salt? Pepper? If it tastes good, serve it!


Tip: Roux to liquid ratio:

  • To make 1 cup of gravy using a roux as a thickener:

  • You can double, triple or quadruple this recipe

  • It always begins with with equal parts flour and fat

  • 2 tablespoons fat (butter, or oil) 

  • 2 tablespoons flour

  • 1 cup of liquid .


Below is a how to video on gravy making



Make in Advance Roux Recipe


Ingredients:

  • 1 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

Execution:

  • In a cast iron skillet over medium heat

  • Add oil and heat for about 2 minutes.

  • Add flour and whisk in, stirring constantly until smooth.

  • Continue to whisk, until the roux turns blonde, roughly 6 to 8 minutes.

  • For a darker roux, cook it for up to 60 minutes, stirring frequently.

  • Cool and use as needed.

Cool Tip:

To avoid lumps add cool liquid (slowly) to hot roux, whisking constantly.


How to Degalze a Pan and Make a Pan Sauce

Video Below


 

Cajun Dark Roux Recipe



This will add a richer flavor to your sauces, gravies and gumbo!


Ingredients:

  • 1 cup vegetable oil or melted butter

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

Execution:

  • To make a Cajun roux, in a large cast iron pan over medium heat.

  • Add the flour and oil.

  • With a long-handled spoon, begin to stir.

  • Stir constantly, this is the key to browning the flour and to prevent burning.

  • This early stage will go slowly as you begin to see the white flour turn blonde and then a tan color.

  • Continue stirring slowly and evenly.

  • Don’t splash hot roux on your skin, it will leave a mark!

  • Around a half-hour, you will see the flour turn brown then you will smell the of toasting flour.

  • This is a crucial point in developing your roux, pay attention and don not burn!!. Watch your heat and lower, if the roux is browning too fast.

  • 45- 50 minutes in, keep on stirring NO burning. The roux should take on a nutty aroma..

  • PAY ATTENTION ! DO NOT BURN!!

  • 60 minutes, your roux should have a deep chocolate color. If it does, you have a Cajun roux!

  • Turn off the heat, but continue stirring as it begins to cool down and the cooking process stops.

  • Place the roux into a bowl and cool.

  • Use right away or refrigerate and use at another time.

  • This is also great for enriching TURKEY GRAVY!!



The 10 commandments of gravy making

  • Thou shalt make your turkey stock ahead of time.. Don't wait until the day of Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Hanukkah. When your focus should be on the actual bird and the rest of your meal. Make your stock today!

  • Thou shalt brown your roux until nutty. Take the time to make sure your roux turns hazelnut color, and you'll be rewarded with a darker, richer-tasting gravy.

  • Thou shalt make sure thy stock is HOT before adding the roux.This will prevent unwanted lumps.

  • Thou shalt always scrape thy roasting pan clean.Pan drippings are FLAVOR and you want them in your gravy. Once your bird is roasted, scrape that pan like there's no tomorrow.

  • Thou shalt not be afraid to thicken if necessary. If your gravy is looking a little thin, make a quick slurry by mixing equal parts cornstarch and water and whisking it into the hot gravy.

  • Thou shalt always make sure to de-grease. A gravy strainer works wonders by separating out the fat from your drippings, but if you don't have one, there are other ways. Just pour the drippings into a glass measuring cup, wait for it to settle, and spoon off the fat that's risen to the surface.

  • Thou shalt deploy your giblets. That turkey neck, gizzard, and heart you pulled out of the bird makes for delicious meat to stir into your gravy (skip the liver, since some folks might not like the taste). Just add the giblets to the stock as it cooks, and save it after you strain the stock. Chop it up finely and save it to stir into your gravy right before serving.

  • Thou shalt not serve salty gravy. If your turkey was brined, the drippings are going to be pretty salty. Taste and add them as you go, and you probably won't need to add any more salt.

  • Thou shalt not serve lumpy gravy. To remove any lumps, give the gravy another strain through a fine-mesh sieve, or heat it back up and whisk them out until silky smooth.

  • Thou shalt use the proper roasting pan.The ideal roasting pan is flame-proof and fits across two burners, so you can deglaze the pan easily. Do not use a non-stick pan. You actually WANT the drippings to stick to the pan and caramelize for maximum flavor.


The 5 Mother Sauces


The five basic sauces are known as Mother sauces, or grand sauces. They consist of Bechamel, Espagnole, Tomato, Hollandaise and Veloute’


Béchamel Sauce

Bechamel sauce, is also known as a cream sauce or a white sauce, this mother sauce is made by thickening milk with a white roux, and seasonings,

A roux is a cooked mixture made from equal parts of fat and flour by weight. This is a thickening agent.

Béchamel Sauce Recipe:

Yield: 1 cup

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • tablespoons flour

  • 1 1/4 cups milk, heated

  • Salt

  • Freshly ground pepper

  • Pinch of ground clove

Béchamel Sauce Execution:

  • On Medium heat, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan.

  • Add butter and Melt

  • Stir in the flour, stir, until the flour cooks and creates a paste, about 2 minutes.

  • Do not brown the flour, this is a blonde sauce.

  • Add hot milk, and continue to stir as the sauce thickens.

  • Bring it to a boil.

  • Add salt and pepper and taste. Does it need more??

  • Lower the heat, and simmer, stir for 2 to 3 minutes more.

  • Remove from the heat.

  • To cool for later use, cover the Béchamel with wax paper, to prevent a skin from forming.

    Variation, Mornay Sauce:

    1. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.


Espagnole Sauce

Made from thickened brown stock, sauce Espagnole, which is French for “Spanish” sauce. It also contains tomatoes. In general, this type of sauce has few added seasonings. A derivative sauce is Demi-glace, it is also made from sauce Espagnole.

Demi-glace is: half parts Espagnole sauce and half brown stock that has been reduced again by half. Demi-glace comes from the French for half-glaze. Demi-glace forms the basis for many compound brown sauces. 

Some chefs use demi-glace more often than they use Espagnole sauce as an individual sauce.


Tomato Sauce

Tomato sauce is typically made by simmering a tomatoes with olive oil, garlic and onions. Although basic tomato sauce is made primarily with vegetables, some variations add meat. Tomato sauce is very versatile and can be added to soups, braises and other sauces.


Hollandaise

Hollandaise is a French word meaning Dutch.

Hollandaise sauce is made from emulsified egg yolks, clarified butter, seasonings, and often lemon juice. Emulsifying takes place when ingredients, such as water and oil, are mixed with and ingredient that will hold it together like egg yolks. Once mixed, these substances won’t separate.

Simple Hollendaise Recipe:

  • 3 large egg yolks

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • Pinch cayenne pepper

  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

  • 1/2 cup unsalted softened butter

Hollendaise Recipe Execution:

  • Whisk raw egg yolks, water, and lemon juice in a saucepan until thick and incorporated.

  • Set the pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk vigorously.

  • You will have to move the pan off the burner momentarily, then back again..This way, you keep a proper temperature and you don’t get scrambled eggs.

  • As they cook, the eggs will become frothy, increase in volume, and thicken. When you can dip a spoon into the emulsion and it coats the back of a spoon, you are on the right track.

  • Add the softened butter, whisking constantly to incorporate.. As you emulsify the ingredients add more butter, whisking until fully incorporated.

  • Continue whisking until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you desire

  • Serve immediately and hold warm over a water bath.

  • Do not reuse.

Velouté

Veloute is the French word for velvety, velouté sauce, also known as blond sauce, is made by thickening a light-colored stock with a light-colored roux.

Velouté Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock or (Beef, fish, turkey or shrimp stock)

  • Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

  • 1 bay leaf

  • Fresh herbs (tarragon, thyme, rosemary etc)

Velouté Execution:

  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.

  • Add flour to pan, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently with a whisk.

  • Gradually add chicken stock, whisking until smooth, bring to a boil and then turn down to simmer.

  • Add bay leaf

  • Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly thick, and add salt and pepper to taste.

  • Finish with fresh herbs

  • Remove bay leaf.

  • Serve hot.


Mother Sauce Derivative Sauces


Espagnole Sauce Derivatives

  • Bordelaise: Red Wine Reduction / Poached Marrow

  • Chasseur: Mushroom / Shallot / White Wine / Tomato concassé

  • Lyonnaise: Carmelized Onions

  • Madeira: Madeira Wine

  • Périgueux; Chopped Truffles / Madeira

  • Robert: White Wine / Onions / Mustard / Butter


Velouté Sauce Derivatives

  • Allemande: Veal Stock / Mushrooms

  • Curry: Veal Stock / Onions / Apple / Curry / Coconut Milk

  • Normande: Fish Stock / Mushrooms / Oysters / Egg Yolk / Butter / Cream

  • Diplomate: Sauce Normande / Lobster Butter / Lobster / Truffle

  • Suprême: Chicken Stock / Reduced Heavy Cream

  • Aurore: Sauce Suprême / Tomato

  • Hongroise: Sauce Suprême (Veal Base) / Onion / Paprika / White Wine

  • Vin Blanc: Fish Stock / Shallot / Butter / Fines Herbs


Béchamel Sauce Derivatives

  • Aomard à l'Anglaise: Anchovy / Cayenne / Lobster

  • Cardinal: Fish Stock / Truffle / Cream / Lobster Butter

  • Crème: Cream / Lemon Juice

  • Mornay: Butter / Gruyère & Parmesan Cheese

  • Soubise: Chopped Onion

  • Oeufs à l'Anglaise: Diced Hard Boiled Egg / Nutme


Tomato Sauces Derivatives

  • Chaufroid: Aspic Jelly

  • Meat: Cooked Ground Meat

  • Nantua: Mirepoix (Onion, Celery, Carrot) fried in Crayfish Butter / White Wine / Cognac / Tomatoes /Fish Velouté / Cayenne

  • Portugaise: Fried Onions, Tomato Concassé / Meat Glaze / Garlic / Parsley

  • Provençal: Sliced Mushrooms / Sugar / Garlic Parsley / Oil


Hollandaise Sauce Derivatives

  • Bavaroise: Reduction of Pepper / Horseradish / Thyme / Bay Leaves / Parsley / Vinegar / Crayfish /Garnished w/ Crayfish Tails

  • Béarnaise: Tarragon & Chervil

  • Choron: Béarnaise with Tomato

  • Foyot: Bearnaise with Meat Glaze