Bisquit & Gravy fiasco

"theChas." <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I need help...like a good, easy recipe for biscuits & gravy.
The biscuits were edible, but I still have a half quart of flour paste
(with pork bits) to eat. (hate to waste food).
Once I get past the lumps, it is not too bad.
What spices besides salt & pepper are good? Sage, nutmeg ?
I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket
science, but I sure messed it up.
in advance. . . thanks. . .theChas.

For making gravy you need a couple of tablespoons of fat, be it chicken,
pig, turkey, etc., a couple of tablespoons of flour, and some watery
liquid, be it milk, stock, or whatever. Any other flavoring depends on
context. Without salt and pepper it will be really bland. If you're
making chicken or pork gravy, sage would go well, so would a little
thyme. Some gravies have minced or sliced mushrooms and onions in them.
Some people like to add a little soy sauce or Worcestershire, maybe a
spoonful of molasses even. You know what you like to eat, I don't.

The principle of the thing is this: Heat the fat and add the flour. Stir
the flour around and cook it in to the fat for a minute until it forms
your roux. Now comes the important part: Add the liquid a *very*little*
at a time, stirring constantly. On no account add another spoonful of
liquid until the previous one has been thoroughly mixed in and heated.

Start with just one tablespoonful of liquid, then a second, mix it well
in, then add a third. Once the roux is less of a roux and more of a thick
slurry, you can up the quantity you add each time, to a quarter cup, and
maybe a half a cup when it's nearly ready (which means at the consistency
you want to eat it at).

Do not allow yourself to become impatient and add too much liquid at any
time, or lumps you will get, yes, yes.

Use the force of a blender to fix your lumpy gravy and to the dark side
you have fallen.

HTH,
Mark.
--
While I'll admit that anyone can make a mistake once, to go on making
the same lethal errors century after century seems to me nothing short
of deliberate.--V.

theChas. said:

I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket science,
but I sure messed it up.

A couple tricks to help:

The roux is fat and flour in equel parts. Mix together and cook for a
few minutes. When you finally do add liquids, if they are at least
warm, this will help avoid lumps. Cold liquids can cause lumps. I
always nuke liquids to a coffee-drinking temperature. Also, a good
quality whisk will correct a multitude of mistakes.

If you are adding a flour/water slurry to pan drippings, make sure
there are no lumps in the slurry. You can insure this by making sure
the mixing container is spotlessly clean. NO OIL residue! Unlike
adding liquids to a hot roux, always add flour to COLD water and stir
for a lumpless slurry.

nb

start with a littl veg. oil or baken grease. usr a sifter 4 ur flour,
stir a u add flour w/ it starts 2 bubble start adding milk. allitle at a
time use the bakk of ur soon to keep lumps out keep adding mil 2 ur
desired voulume. bring2 boil. then use 2 tespoons of corn starch mix n
class of cold water first. turn heat 2 simmer a stir n corn starch.
continue 2 stir .as it cools it will thicken
good luck!

theChas. said:

I need help...like a good, easy recipe for biscuits & gravy.
The biscuits were edible, but I still have a half quart of flour paste (with
pork bits) to eat. (hate to waste food).
Once I get past the lumps, it is not too bad.
What spices besides salt & pepper are good? Sage, nutmeg ?
I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket science,
but I sure messed it up.
in advance. . . thanks. . .theChas.

You're right, it's *not* rocket science. What does your gravy have in
it besides lumps.... any meat?

I can tell you how to make regular gravy or I can tell you how to make
biscuits and (breakfast style) gravy which includes sausage meat when
I make it. Both ways are easy.

--
See return address to reply by email

sf said:

You're right, it's *not* rocket science. What does your gravy have in
it besides lumps.... any meat?

I like lumpy gravy. I call it dumpling gravy. 🙂

--
Zilbandy

In article <[email hidden]>,

notbob said:

theChas. said:

I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket science,
but I sure messed it up.

A couple tricks to help:

The roux is fat and flour in equel parts. Mix together and cook for a
few minutes. When you finally do add liquids, if they are at least
warm, this will help avoid lumps. Cold liquids can cause lumps.

I do not agree. I've been making sauces and gravies for years by dumping
the entire amount of *cold* milk (or other liquid) into the pan of roux
all at once, with the pan over high heat. Whisk continually until the
mixture comes to the boil.

Never a lump.

The only trick, I think, is to be certain that every particle of flour
is saturated with fat before you add the cold liquid.

Isaac

isw <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:isw-05C191.20441124052007@[216.168.3.50]:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

notbob said:

theChas. said:

I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the
rue ? Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket
science, but I sure messed it up.

A couple tricks to help:

The roux is fat and flour in equel parts. Mix together and cook for
a few minutes. When you finally do add liquids, if they are at least
warm, this will help avoid lumps. Cold liquids can cause lumps.

I do not agree. I've been making sauces and gravies for years by
dumping the entire amount of *cold* milk (or other liquid) into the
pan of roux all at once, with the pan over high heat. Whisk
continually until the mixture comes to the boil.

Never a lump.

The only trick, I think, is to be certain that every particle of flour
is saturated with fat before you add the cold liquid.

Isaac

Put the flour and the cold liquid in a jar and shake vigorously (after
putting on the lid) to ensure complete saturation of the flour then pour
into the fat/pan drippings....works everytime and is a relatively easy
and simple way to do lumpless gravy. Another method is to buy a wand
blender to purree out the lumps in the pan while it cooks/thickens; a
more pricey but also effective method.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore

Zilbandy said:

sf said:

You're right, it's *not* rocket science. What does your gravy have in
it besides lumps.... any meat?

I like lumpy gravy. I call it dumpling gravy. 🙂

<snork!>

--
See return address to reply by email

Gravy is how the waste from cooking meat can be used. I think the best
breakfast gravy is from sausage; the spices give it a good flavor.

After you cook you sausage, what is left in the pan is grease, dark stuff
that is stuck to the pan, and maybe some crumbs. Add some flour (almost
equal volume as the grease). Mix it to a paste on low heat. Add milk as
you continue mixing. Watch the consistancy - don't let it get too thin. If
I get lumps, I usually mash and mix them with the sputula. Salt and pepper
to taste.

When I don't make sausage I like sorghum molasses and butter on my biscuits.

Mitch

"isw" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:isw-05C191.20441124052007@[216.168.3.50]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

notbob said:

theChas. said:

I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket
science,
but I sure messed it up.

A couple tricks to help:

The roux is fat and flour in equel parts. Mix together and cook for a
few minutes. When you finally do add liquids, if they are at least
warm, this will help avoid lumps. Cold liquids can cause lumps.

I do not agree. I've been making sauces and gravies for years by dumping
the entire amount of *cold* milk (or other liquid) into the pan of roux
all at once, with the pan over high heat. Whisk continually until the
mixture comes to the boil.

Never a lump.

The only trick, I think, is to be certain that every particle of flour
is saturated with fat before you add the cold liquid.

Isaac

The best trick however you assemble it to use a good whisk. Mine is 18/10
steel and absolutely doesn't rust in the dishwasher. I've had it up here
with el cheapo models.
Personally, I like the fat & flour cooked together over low heat, it burns
quick! A little onions or garlic may be added to the fat first. Or a little
onion powder added to gravy gives a certain "depth." Try a spoonful of
marsala. Lots of pepper. And have your main liquid warm and a little more
water handy if you need it.
Edrena

theChas. said:

I need help...like a good, easy recipe for biscuits & gravy.
The biscuits were edible, but I still have a half quart of flour
paste (with pork bits) to eat. (hate to waste food).
Once I get past the lumps, it is not too bad.
What spices besides salt & pepper are good? Sage, nutmeg ?
I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket
science, but I sure messed it up.
in advance. . . thanks. . .theChas.

I'm going out on a limb here since when I hear "biscuits & gravy" I think of
the typical southern U.S. breakfast gravy.

Brown about 12 oz. bulk pork sausage, breaking it up into small bits like
ground beef mince. Remove it with a slotted spoon; set it aside. You
should probably have 2-3 Tbs. of drippings left in the pan; if you have
more, drain off all but about 3 Tbs. With the drippings still hot,
gradually add flour, quickly stirring it until all the flour is incorporated
into the fat. You definitely do not want more flour than fat, hence my
instructions to gradually add flour. Season with salt & pepper. When the
fat/flour combination is smooth and bubbly, gradually stir in 1 cup milk or
light cream. Stir the mixture constantly so it will be smooth and
incorporated. Heat almost to boiling until the gravy is slightly thickened,
then add back the cooked pork sausage to the pan. Continue stirring and
heat until thickened to the desired consistency. Note: the gravy will
thicken further upon standing.

Season generously with pepper and more salt to taste. Many people make the
mistake of not adding enough salt which results in a bland gravy. You do
not need to add any other seasonings.

Jill

jmcquown said:

theChas. said:

I need help...like a good, easy recipe for biscuits & gravy.
The biscuits were edible, but I still have a half quart of flour
paste (with pork bits) to eat. (hate to waste food).
Once I get past the lumps, it is not too bad.
What spices besides salt & pepper are good? Sage, nutmeg ?
I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket
science, but I sure messed it up.
in advance. . . thanks. . .theChas.

I'm going out on a limb here since when I hear "biscuits & gravy" I think of
the typical southern U.S. breakfast gravy.

Brown about 12 oz. bulk pork sausage. You
should probably have 2-3 Tbs. of drippings left in the pan; if you have
more, drain off all but about 3 Tbs. With the drippings still hot,
gradually add flour, quickly stirring it until all the flour is incorporated
When the
fat/flour combination is smooth and bubbly, gradually stir in 1 cup milk or
light cream.

Jill

With that little amount of milk/cream with 2-3 tablespoons flour you
will get something you can hang wallpaper with. Jill the Pill is
wrong. You will need more milk/cream than that. Also, I would use
half milk and half water, about two cups unless you like really t-h-i-
c-k gravy which will be on the verge of sludge. Also, heating the
milk mixture is something I do also. The mixture seems to come
together quicker (which results in getting to eat it quicker) rather
than dumping in ice cold liquid as one states they do.

"itsjoannotjoann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

jmcquown said:

theChas. said:

I need help...like a good, easy recipe for biscuits & gravy.
The biscuits were edible, but I still have a half quart of flour
paste (with pork bits) to eat. (hate to waste food).
Once I get past the lumps, it is not too bad.
What spices besides salt & pepper are good? Sage, nutmeg ?
I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
Unless one prefers lumps.
When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket
science, but I sure messed it up.
in advance. . . thanks. . .theChas.

I'm going out on a limb here since when I hear "biscuits & gravy" I think
of
the typical southern U.S. breakfast gravy.

Brown about 12 oz. bulk pork sausage. You
should probably have 2-3 Tbs. of drippings left in the pan; if you have
more, drain off all but about 3 Tbs. With the drippings still hot,
gradually add flour, quickly stirring it until all the flour is
incorporated
When the
fat/flour combination is smooth and bubbly, gradually stir in 1 cup milk
or
light cream.

Jill

With that little amount of milk/cream with 2-3 tablespoons flour you
will get something you can hang wallpaper with. Jill the Pill is
wrong. You will need more milk/cream than that. Also, I would use
half milk and half water, about two cups unless you like really t-h-i-
c-k gravy which will be on the verge of sludge. Also, heating the
milk mixture is something I do also. The mixture seems to come
together quicker (which results in getting to eat it quicker) rather
than dumping in ice cold liquid as one states they do.

No, she's right. 2 tablespoons of flour to 1 cup of milk makes medium sauce
and 3 to a cup makes thick sauce. I make two cups of sausage gravy for the
two of us and add 5 tablespoons of flour to 5 tablespoons of fat and it's
perfect. You want gravy thick enough that it sits on the biscuits and
doesn't soak in. There's no reason to heat the milk first either or add it
gradually. Dump it all in at once and then stir well.

Ms P

In article <[email hidden]>,

theChas. said:

I need help...like a good, easy recipe for biscuits & gravy.

Campbell's Sausage Gravy is pretty good. $1.29 for a can.
--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://web.mac.com/barbschaller - blahblahblog - Orange Honey
Garlic Chicken, 3-29-2007
jamlady.eboard.com
http:/http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor/

Ms P said:

"itsjoannotjoann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

jmcquown said:

theChas. wrote:
> I need help...like a good, easy recipe for biscuits & gravy.
> The biscuits were edible, but I still have a half quart of flour
> paste (with pork bits) to eat. (hate to waste food).
> Once I get past the lumps, it is not too bad.
> What spices besides salt & pepper are good? Sage, nutmeg ?
> I take it that the flour has to be added very slowly to make the rue ?
> Unless one prefers lumps.
> When does one know when to add the milk? I know this is not rocket
> science, but I sure messed it up.
> in advance. . . thanks. . .theChas.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I'm going out on a limb here since when I hear "biscuits & gravy" I think
of
the typical southern U.S. breakfast gravy.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Brown about 12 oz. bulk pork sausage. You
should probably have 2-3 Tbs. of drippings left in the pan; if you have
more, drain off all but about 3 Tbs. With the drippings still hot,
gradually add flour, quickly stirring it until all the flour is
incorporated
When the
fat/flour combination is smooth and bubbly, gradually stir in 1 cup milk
or
light cream.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Jill

Quoted message said:

With that little amount of milk/cream with 2-3 tablespoons flour you
will get something you can hang wallpaper with. Jill the Pill is
wrong. You will need more milk/cream than that. Also, I would use
half milk and half water, about two cups unless you like really t-h-i-
c-k gravy which will be on the verge of sludge. Also, heating the
milk mixture is something I do also. The mixture seems to come
together quicker (which results in getting to eat it quicker) rather
than dumping in ice cold liquid as one states they do.

No, she's right. 2 tablespoons of flour to 1 cup of milk makes medium sauce
and 3 to a cup makes thick sauce. I make two cups of sausage gravy for the
two of us and add 5 tablespoons of flour to 5 tablespoons of fat and it's
perfect. You want gravy thick enough that it sits on the biscuits and
doesn't soak in. There's no reason to heat the milk first either or add it
gradually. Dump it all in at once and then stir well.

Ms P

She said 2-3 tablespoons so that's what I'm basing my post on. 3
tablespoons of flour to one cup (8 ounces) is too thick. And no, the
milk mixture doesn't HAVE to be heated first, just shortens the time
of the all the ingredients coming back up to temperature. I don't add
a bit of milk at a time, I do dump it all in at once, it's just been
warmed in the microwave a minute or two. Try heating your milk next
time and see if you like the shortened time to get your gravy to the
biscuits.

"itsjoannotjoann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ms P said:

"itsjoannotjoann" <[email hidden]> wrote in message

No, she's right. 2 tablespoons of flour to 1 cup of milk makes medium
sauce
and 3 to a cup makes thick sauce. I make two cups of sausage gravy for
the
two of us and add 5 tablespoons of flour to 5 tablespoons of fat and it's
perfect. You want gravy thick enough that it sits on the biscuits and
doesn't soak in. There's no reason to heat the milk first either or add
it
gradually. Dump it all in at once and then stir well.

Ms P

She said 2-3 tablespoons so that's what I'm basing my post on. 3
tablespoons of flour to one cup (8 ounces) is too thick. And no, the
milk mixture doesn't HAVE to be heated first, just shortens the time
of the all the ingredients coming back up to temperature. I don't add
a bit of milk at a time, I do dump it all in at once, it's just been
warmed in the microwave a minute or two. Try heating your milk next
time and see if you like the shortened time to get your gravy to the
biscuits.

It takes less time to make gravy than it does for the biscuits to bake. I
don't see any advantage to making it any faster than that.

Ms P

Ms P said:

No, she's right. 2 tablespoons of flour to 1 cup of milk makes medium sauce
and 3 to a cup makes thick sauce. I make two cups of sausage gravy for the
two of us and add 5 tablespoons of flour to 5 tablespoons of fat and it's
perfect. You want gravy thick enough that it sits on the biscuits and
doesn't soak in. There's no reason to heat the milk first either or add it
gradually. Dump it all in at once and then stir well.

With due respect for other opinions, you are absolutely right, Mrs. P.

For years, I watched my sainted mother-in-law make bechamel in a heavy
saucepan right over a naked flame, when everything I thought I knew
suggested it ought to be carefully constructed in a double-boiler. I
praised her 'daring'! She smiled and said "you need a little
courage". Ever since I have made roux-based sauces like her: roughly
equal quantities fat and plain flour (a little more fat doesn't hurt),
cooked in a heavy saucepan (le Cruset is marvellous) on low heat until
it bubbles and pales slightly (but watch and don't let it turn brown),
the tip in the [cold] liquid all at once and stir. I don't even whisk
anymore. Just stir. And don't stop stirring until it gets to the
desired stage of thickness. This means no answering phones, no
answering doorbells, and no toilet breaks. You can't stop stirring or
the flour will fall out of suspension and scortch on the bottom of the
pan. I use a wooden spoon. I use 600 mils. (1 metric pint) per 2
tbsp each fat/flour for a thick bechamel. Gravy is made on exactly
the same principles, but my Mom always used dripping (or fat from the
roasting pan).

So there you have it. Your lumping problem is probably because you
might have used too much fat/flour for your quantity of liquid, and
you didn't stir it all the time until it reached the desired
thickness.

Ron

I forgot to add .... the thickening power of plain flour will decrease
over time. So if you buy large quantities of flour and store it in a
cupboard, no matter how tightly sealed, you will find a few months
later that it just doesn't thicken up like it ought to. Best to buy
smaller quantities and use it up within a month or so.

Cheers,
Ron