The encyclopaedia of gravy
Skimming removes excess fat; straining removes solids. Between them they turn a rustic pan gravy into something silky.
Skimming: removing the fat¶
A roasting tin produces far more fat than a gravy needs. Left in, it floats as a greasy film and coats the mouth unpleasantly.
Methods, best first:
- A fat separator jug. Pour everything in, wait a minute, and pour from the spout at the bottom — which draws the juices from beneath the fat layer. The most reliable method there is.
- A jug and a spoon. Let the fat rise for two minutes, then spoon it off. Tilting the jug helps.
- Chill it. If you have made the gravy ahead, the fat sets solid on top and lifts off in one piece. Perfect, but needs hours.
- Kitchen paper. Lay a sheet flat on the surface and lift it off; it takes the film with it. Repeat. Wasteful but fast.
- Ice cube. Drop one in briefly and swirl — fat congeals on the cold surface and can be lifted out. A party trick, but it works.
Keep the fat you skim. Beef dripping and chicken fat are excellent for roast potatoes.
📌 Note
Do not skim it all. A little fat carries flavour and gives gravy its shine. Aim to remove the floating layer, not every trace.
Straining: removing the solids¶
Pour the finished gravy through a fine sieve into a warmed jug, pressing the solids firmly with the back of a ladle to extract all the liquid they hold. What stays behind — spent vegetables, herb stalks, any lumps, bits of fond — has already given up its flavour.
For a very fine finish, use a conical chinois or line an ordinary sieve with muslin, though for Sunday lunch this is gilding the lily.
Strain when: you used a vegetable trivet, whole herbs, a wine reduction with shallots, or you have lumps.
Don't strain when: the solids are the point — onion gravy, mushroom gravy, sausage gravy and giblet gravy all want their texture left alone.
Finishing: the last 30 seconds¶
Two optional touches used in professional kitchens:
- Mount with butter. Whisk 15–20 g of cold butter into the hot (not boiling) gravy off the heat. It adds gloss and a rounder mouthfeel.
- A final acid check. A few drops of vinegar, lemon or Worcestershire sauce lifts a gravy that tastes flat but is properly seasoned.