Adding a splash of cream at the end of cooking is the simple way to ensure gravy is rich, silky and clings properly to a roast dinner. The common kitchen ingredient helps prevent the sauce from turning out too salty or watery.
Why Gravy Often Goes Wrong
Gravy forms the foundation of comfort food across the UK, and with autumn arriving, mastering the savoury sauce is essential. While most people prepare it towards the end of cooking because it is relatively simple, it can frequently become excessively salty or watery when ingredients are simply tossed into a pan.
Overseasoning is remarkably common because gravy requires numerous salty components, which often causes people to panic and add extra liquid, resulting in an extremely thin sauce. Nobody wants runny gravy that spreads across the plate.
The Secret Ingredient
Marzia Aziz, a cook and founder of The Spice Jar, has revealed a straightforward method to make gravy "absolutely delicious" — all you require is a splash of cream at the finish. Marzia said: "Some people use a pat of butter at the end to add shine. I've always added a tablespoon of cream right at the end. It won't make your gravy creamy, but it will add that little spark that makes the flavours dance on your tongue!"
Gravy demands considerable seasoning and sauces to develop its flavour, yet it is remarkably easy to overdo it, which can occasionally render it overly salty, bitter or even intensely meaty. Cream helps counterbalance any sharp or acidic flavours to rescue an overseasoned gravy.
How Cream Improves Gravy
Incorporating cream lends gravy a fuller, more satisfying taste, and its thickness prevents it from becoming overly thin or watery. Stirring a modest amount into the pan helps it adhere to meat or potatoes rather than sliding straight off, resulting in a smoother, genuinely velvety gravy.
However, dairy cannot be subjected to prolonged boiling, as this will cause it to split, whereby the fats separate and turn unpleasantly grainy. Simply add a dash of cream just as you complete the cooking process.
Recipe for Tasty Gravy
You will need: 600ml of pan drippings or stock, one teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, one teaspoon of low-sodium soy sauce, one chicken stock cube, 50g of unsalted butter, 30g of plain flour, half a teaspoon of onion powder, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional), salt and pepper, and one tablespoon of double cream.
Begin by preparing your stock if you're not using a shop-bought variety. Place the pan drippings or stock cube into the pot, then add Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Heat the stock in the microwave or gently in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring thoroughly until you have a warm liquid.
Once the stock is ready, take a separate saucepan and place it over a medium heat. Add the flour, onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne (if using). Whisk everything together and cook for two minutes. Add half the stock to the saucepan containing the dry ingredients and whisk thoroughly until you achieve a smooth, lump-free gravy. Pour the remaining stock into the pan and repeat the process.
Allow the gravy to simmer for three to five minutes until it thickens, then taste and adjust the seasoning as required. Stir the cream into the gravy at the end of cooking and you'll have a wonderfully rich gravy in just 10 minutes.
