Chef’s Tips: 5 Quick-and-Easy Gravy Fixes

Chef Dan McGee shares his best tips to help you make the perfect gravy for your holiday meals.

Holiday dinners are loaded with our favourite things: roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce! But none of these things would be any good without a spoonful (or two, or three) of gravy poured on top—so to help you make the most delicious gravy this year, we enlisted Chef Dan McGee from Au Comptoir. Read on for his best tips.

Too runny?

If your gravy is too runny but still full of flavour, use a slurry or roux (equal parts flour and butter) to thicken it quickly. If your gravy is too runny and weak with flavour, reduce over medium heat.

Pro tip: Sage, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves all make great additions to gravy. I love adding finely chopped fresh herbs—like tarragon, parsley, chervil or chives—to the gravy before serving.

Too thick?

If you’ve ended up with gravy that’s too thick, add more stock while whisking until it reaches the desired consistency. You’ll likely end up with more gravy, but that’s never a bad thing during the holidays!

Too oily?

Heat the gravy in a pot on very low heat. This will allow the fat to rise to the surface so that it can be skimmed off.

Too floury/chalky?

If your gravy is chalky, your roux needs to be cooked longer. Simply pour your gravy into a heavy-bottomed pot and simmer on medium heat until the flour flavour disappears (usually about 20 minutes).

Too clumpy?

Clumps form when the stock is added too quickly or if the gravy hasn’t been stirred consistently. To remove clumps, whisk your gravy vigorously (work those arms!). If that doesn’t do the trick, pass the gravy through a fine sieve.

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Get the recipe for Chef McGee’s one-pan roast gravy here, or browse the WL Recipe Finder for more holiday recipes! 

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