The encyclopaedia of gravy
Yeast extract is a concentrated source of glutamates — the single most effective umami shortcut for meat-free gravy, used in tiny quantities.
Why it works¶
Yeast extract is extremely rich in free glutamates, the amino acids responsible for the savoury taste we call umami. It also contains nucleotides that amplify that effect. In a gravy short of meat, it supplies the savoury weight that would otherwise be missing.
It is also very dark, so it deepens colour at the same time. Some people find it extremely rich. I can eat it by the spoonful, but only one or two spoonfuls.
The dose¶
Half a teaspoon per litre. This is not a suggestion. Yeast extract is overwhelming in quantity and a gravy that tastes of Marmite is unpleasant to everyone including people who like Marmite.
Dissolve it in a little hot stock before stirring it in, so it disperses evenly.
Avoid Vegemite, it has a weird name and the consistency is so very different to Marmite, as is its flavour: it tastes almost artificial - but that is from a hardcore Marmite fan. If you prefer it, you use it.
Where it helps most¶
| Gravy | Effect |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian gravy | Transformative — the single biggest improvement |
| Vegan gravy | Same, and it is reliably vegan |
| Gravy without drippings | Replaces some of the missing roast depth |
| Cube-based gravy | Adds depth the cube lacks |
| Chip-shop gravy | Part of the authentic flavour |
| A good pan gravy | Usually unnecessary — the fond has done the job |
Origins¶
Yeast extract is a by-product of brewing: the spent yeast left after fermentation, autolysed and concentrated. Justus von Liebig — also behind the meat extract that became Oxo — identified the process in the nineteenth century, and the Marmite Food Extract Company began production in Burton upon Trent, a brewing town, in 1902.
So the two great British savoury shortcuts, Oxo and Marmite, trace back to the same chemist.
Alternatives¶
| Alternative | Dose | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White or red miso | 1 tsp | Rounder, slightly sweet; whisk into liquid first |
| Soy sauce or tamari | 1–2 tsp | Adds salt and colour too |
| Dried mushrooms | 10 g, soaked | Slower, but the best flavour |
| Tomato purée, cooked out | 1 tbsp | Umami plus sweetness and colour |