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Flour is all the thickener you need, but it won't stir into liquid smoothly, it'll remain lumpy. So your flour needs to be stirred into something greasy, which will absorb it without lumps. Roux is any greasy material with flour uniformly mixed in. When that is added to your liquids, it mixes nicely to form the gravy thickness and texture.
I always just use a fork to mash four into a little soft butter -- instant roux. If gravy is your goal, you'll need to have pan drippings for flavor, so use that instead of butter.
Not any kind of oil? Wow. That kind of blows my mind. I don't think I could cook without at least olive oil or coconut oil. They both sit right by the stove because they're used so frequently that there's no point in putting them away. LOL
I can't take the smell; I avoid it like the plague. I bake the fish fillets too with a little butter on top rather than oil...matter of fact, my husband drives me NUTZ when he cooks because he soaks everything in oil and then leaves the pan out for the elfs to clean which is infuriating because that smell of burnt oil makes me even more sick; its to the point where I want to throw up.
Everytime I tried that it got lumpy, but I'm sure I was doing something wrong. Do you use superfine (Wondra flour)?
No, just regular flour. It will only be lumpy if the pan is too hot before the flour gets incorporated. So I stir the flour thoroughly into the pan drippings, then stir in cold broth or water. Stir over the heat until it thickens, and you will never have lumps.
Another method is to shake the flour and cold water in a jar until the flour is mixed smoothly. Then dump this into the pan drippings and stir over the heat until thickened.
Just remember the flour will thicken with the heat, so it must be incorporated while its still cool.
Another thing you can use is Beurre Manie - which is nothing more than equal parts of butter and flour blended together into a paste. It keeps the flour from getting lumpy when adding it to a reduction or stock. I try to keep some in the fridge at all times, and add it to reduced pan drippings at least a couple times a week.
Also - always make sure to cook gravy/sauces for a bit if you're adding flour, there's nothing worse than the taste of raw flour in a sauce.
Classic French cooking techniques are classic because they work. Forget pouring in cold water and sprinkling on flour. While it may work, it is just as apt to get lumpy. You need roux, or a beurre manie.
OP, good gravy is REALLY easy to do. Let's say you pan fry a steak. when done, remove the steak, and deglaze the pan with a little red wine (red wine is great for beef, but with chicken, I will just use chicken stock). The deglazing is important as you want to utilize all of the fond on the bottom of the pan, it's where all the flavor is. Add beef stock (NEVER water - always stock). Then add rouex or beurre manie. Adding plain raw flour can create lumps. A little corn starch slurry can be added instead as a thickener. If you need more gravy (you are making mashed potatoes and gravy and need a larger amount of gravy), add stock (either chicken or beef as appropriate).
Homemade stock is MUCH better than the canned stuff from the grocery store. I can't emphasize this enough - good stock is the KEY to a lot of good cooking (that and a lot of butter). Learn to make stock, then take a Saturday and make up a batch in your largest stock pot (it has that name for a reason). The freeze it in ice cube trays, and then add cubes as necessary to your cooking. Your taste buds will thank you. ;-)
Another thing you can use is Beurre Manie - which is nothing more than equal parts of butter and flour blended together into a paste. It keeps the flour from getting lumpy when adding it to a reduction or stock. I try to keep some in the fridge at all times, and add it to reduced pan drippings at least a couple times a week.
Also - always make sure to cook gravy/sauces for a bit if you're adding flour, there's nothing worse than the taste of raw flour in a sauce.
Another thing you can use is Beurre Manie - which is nothing more than equal parts of butter and flour blended together into a paste. It keeps the flour from getting lumpy when adding it to a reduction or stock. I try to keep some in the fridge at all times, and add it to reduced pan drippings at least a couple times a week.
Also - always make sure to cook gravy/sauces for a bit if you're adding flour, there's nothing worse than the taste of raw flour in a sauce.
I was typing as you posted. Good call on the beurre manie.
All you do is take some flour and water, put them into a clean jar and shake them so that there are no more lumps. You could substitute broth instead of water if what you have in the pan isn't flavorful enough. Just make sure the cap is on tight and shake the H*** out of it.
The fat/grease/whatever you want to call it, from the meat is in a pan on the stove on low heat. You very slowly add the contents of the jar to the fat, stirring all the while. Then let it cook, leave it alone, stir if it starts to stick to the bottom of the pan. It becomes gravy.
I can't take the smell; I avoid it like the plague. I bake the fish fillets too with a little butter on top rather than oil...matter of fact, my husband drives me NUTZ when he cooks because he soaks everything in oil and then leaves the pan out for the elfs to clean which is infuriating because that smell of burnt oil makes me even more sick; its to the point where I want to throw up.
Sorry. This is still puzzling to me. Different oils smell differently.
Sorry. This is still puzzling to me. Different oils smell differently.
But whatever. I don't have to "get" it.
I can't help but wonder if the oil her husband uses has gone rancid...especially if not used often.
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