Celebrity chef Rick Stein has issued a timely warning to home cooks everywhere, urging them to avoid a common festive kitchen "nightmare" by planning their gravy strategy ahead of time.
The Gravy 'Nightmare' Scenario
Speaking on a festive episode of The Travel Diaries podcast on December 16, the star of shows like Rick Stein's Food Stories highlighted the potential pitfalls of last-minute cooking. He pointed out that while making gravy is typically a "simple operation", it can quickly descend into chaos when you're preparing a meal for a large group, such as a dozen people.
Stein described the all-too-familiar scene: trying to finish the gravy just before serving the turkey or beef, while guests are "milling around you", perhaps with an "odd glass of champagne", and wanting to chat. His blunt advice for this high-pressure moment? "Don't do it then!"
Stein's 'Do It Ahead' Method
The chef's solution is straightforward and designed to remove stress: prepare your gravy the day before Christmas. Stein revealed that he deliberately followed this method himself, making a rich giblet stock in advance. He emphasised taking your time to build flavour, mentioning that he even used some frozen chicken stock to "reinforce the savouriness".
For his own Christmas meal, which featured goose, Stein made a generous amount—about a litre—using duck fat thickened with flour. He stressed that having "lots of it" is very important for the festive table.
The Final, Stress-Free Touch
On Christmas Day itself, the process becomes refreshingly simple. After removing the roasted bird from the tin and pouring off the excess fat, Stein deglazed the pan with the pre-made gravy. This step captures all the delicious caramelised bits from the roast, adding a final layer of depth and flavour to the sauce. He noted that this "simple" advance preparation makes "all the difference" to a smooth and enjoyable cooking experience.
This practical advice aligns with tips in his festive cookbook, Rick Stein's Christmas, where he advocates for forward planning to handle Christmas prep "painlessly". Stein contrasts the controlled environment of a restaurant kitchen with the multitasking required at home, advising that many tasks we think must be done at the last minute "really don't" need to be.
His overarching message is clear: to enjoy the festivities yourself, take the pressure off by preparing key elements like roast potatoes and, crucially, the gravy, ahead of time.
