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I guess a southern raised household is different. I simply tilt the pan, pour the liquid into a bowl, scrape the pan to loosen the food, add back enough liquid as called for (grease and all), add my other ingredients and go.
Same deal with red-eye gravy, bacon gravy, sausage gravy.. Never did it any other way. Even my brown mushroom gravy (or jaeger sauce) is prepared that way. All in an iron skillet.
You want 3 tablespoons of duck fat left in the pan. Spoon out extra or add some butter if you are short. Add the flour and mix well. Turn the heat to medium and cook the flour for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the bourbon. The roux will seize up, so be ready with the stock or water. Add it, stirring all the while, to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer. Pour in the maple syrup, Tabasco, and add salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for for a minute or two. If the gravy has the right consistency, you are ready to add the cream. If it is too thick, add more stock. If it is too thin, let it boil down a bit. Once it is the consistency of Thanksgiving gravy, add the cream and cook 1 minute.
Carve the ducks and give everyone some breast meat and legs. Serve with mashed potatoes, pouring the gravy over everything.
From what I've seen:
Southern method- cook the flour in the drippings;
Northern method- add water and then sprinkle the flour into it.
I would agree with this (although I don't use water.) My general method goes something like this:
-Separate juices from fat, put juices in a pot and bring to a boil. Add stock to increase volume if needed
-In a separate container, mix a small quantity of stock with thickener (flour/corn starch/potato starch/etc.)
-Add herbs/spices/flavorings to boiling juices as desired
-Add thickener mixture gradually while juices are at a rolling boil. Whisk thoroughly to prevent lumps from forming
-Allow gravy to come to a low boil and serve
I just checked my Southern cook book. White chicken gravy, red-eye gravy, bacon gravy- all call for pan drippings which includes the fat.
Interesting how regional it is.
Even Maryland fried chicken is known for its' white gravy. Maryland Fried Chicken was a staple in my household growing up. We had either ham or fried chicken on most Sundays, and the white gravy was just great. Our family used Old Bay in the recipe to season the bird, so the gravy took some of that flavor on. Pour off most of the lard, leave the fried chicken bits, add butter, flour, milk and salt and pepper.
Gravy: its used on mashed potates, chopped pork pieces, and chicken fried steak. but why? why we need it? why does it even exist?
If you even have to ask....you just wouldn't understand....
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