The encyclopaedia of gravy
Woody herbs go in early and are removed; soft herbs go in at the end. Matching the herb to the meat is one of the simplest ways to improve a gravy.
The matching table¶
| Meat | Herb | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | Thyme, bay | Rosemary works but dominates |
| Lamb | Rosemary, mint, thyme | See lamb gravy |
| Pork | Sage, thyme | Sage is strong — 3–4 leaves for four people |
| Chicken | Tarragon, thyme, parsley | Tarragon is the classic |
| Turkey | Thyme, sage, bay | Keep it restrained; the plate is busy |
| Mushroom / vegetarian | Thyme, bay | Thyme and mushroom are a natural pair |
| Sausages | Thyme, sage | With onions |
Timing¶
Woody herbs — thyme, rosemary, bay, oregano — are tough, and their oils need time and heat to release. Add them early, with the flour or the stock, and remove them before serving. Rosemary in particular goes woody and bitter if left in and eaten.
Soft herbs — parsley, tarragon, chives, chervil — lose their aroma with cooking. Chop finely and stir in during the last minute, off the heat.
Fresh or dried¶
Dried thyme, bay, oregano and sage all work well in gravy and are about three times as concentrated as fresh — use a third as much. Dried parsley, tarragon, chives and basil are largely pointless; they lose exactly the volatile aromatics that make them worth using.
The trivet trick¶
Tuck herb sprigs under the joint before roasting, along with the onion and carrot. They perfume the roasting juices directly, and go into the gravy when you deglaze — a more integrated result than adding herbs to the finished sauce. See roast-dinner gravy.
Restraint¶
Gravy is a background sauce. The most common herb error is too much rosemary or sage, both of which turn resinous or medicinal in quantity and cannot be removed afterwards. A sprig, not a handful.