The encyclopaedia of gravy
A stock cube supplies salt and savoury flavour but no gelatin. Used knowingly it makes decent gravy; used as a substitute for technique it makes salty brown water.
There is no shame in a stock cube. There is a problem in expecting it to do a stock's job.
What is in one¶
Salt (often the first ingredient by weight), flavour enhancers, dried vegetable and yeast extracts, fat, and flavourings. "Beef" cubes frequently contain little or no beef, which is why many are suitable for vegetarians — and why vegans should still read the label, as milk derivatives are common.
Many contain wheat. See gluten-free gravy.
What they cannot supply¶
Gelatin. Real stock gets its body and lip-sticking texture from dissolved collagen. A cube has none, which is why cube gravy needs more flour to feel substantial and never quite has the same mouthfeel. See gelatin from bones.
Using them well¶
- Make them slightly stronger than the packet says, and use that as a base to build on — not as the finished article.
- Brown an onion first. Fifteen minutes of caramelised onion does more for a cube gravy than any other single step.
- Add fat. Butter or dripping in the roux, and a knob of cold butter off the heat at the end.
- Add acid — a teaspoon of worcestershire sauce or a splash of wine.
- Do not add salt until you have tasted. The cube has already seasoned it.
- Use vegetable cooking water instead of tap water for the liquid.
Full method: gravy from stock.
Cubes, pots and concentrates¶
| Form | Notes |
|---|---|
| Cube | Cheapest, saltiest, most convenient |
| Stock pot / jelly | Gelling agents give a little body; richer flavour; more expensive |
| Liquid concentrate | Good control over strength; check salt |
| Powder | Useful for seasoning a gravy directly, a pinch at a time |
| Fresh chilled stock | Not a cube at all, and much better. See beef stock |