gravy boat
Wendell Webber, FoodPix / Jupiter ImagesGravy, Harold McGee writes in On Food and Cooking, is "the homely Anglo-American cousin of French sauces." As such, it's not supposed to be difficult, time-consuming, or particularly refined. The best thing about it is that it's a byproduct of anything you cook, be it a roast, a turkey, or even a cheeseburger. If you've got drippings, in other words, you have gravy, which traditionally is composed of pan drippings, liquid, and something to thicken it. What distinguishes a good gravy from a bad one is consistency and flavor. Whether you're making gravy with giblets, pan drippings, or wine, the goal is to achieve a finished product that is what the French refer to nappant -- gravy that will evenly coat the back of a spoon.

The following three examples will give you some idea of how the three components of gravy work together. Three rules of thumb to bear in mind, regardless of which kind of gravy you make, is that too much flour kills flavor, acid cuts fat, and salt -- as in any dish you make -- imparts brightness.

1. Giblets: Roast the giblets with whatever poultry you're cooking. When they're finished, remove the poultry from the pan, chop the giblets fine, keep them in the pan with the drippings, and add about a quarter cup of white wine to deglaze the pan. With the pan over a burner, reduce the liquid, add a cup of stock and cook down until it's achieved the flavor you desire. Next, sprinkle flour over the reduced liquid – the more flour you add, the thicker the gravy will be. To avoid lumps, use a wire whisk, stirring constantly as you add the flour. Once you've gotten the consistency you want, season the gravy with salt and pepper.

2. Cornstarch gravy: to use cornstarch as a substitute for flour, dissolve it in enough of your cooking liquid to make a thin paste. Then pour it gradually into the pan with the drippings and blend it all together using a wire whisk or metal spatula. Stir until the gravy begins to thicken, and add seasoning.

3. Pan drippings with wine: Dark, rich pan drippings make dark, rich gravy. The trick is to roast the drippings long enough for them to turn into a dark brown glaze without burning. If the drippings start to look dry, just moisten the bottom of the pan with water, wine, or stock. Once the meat or poultry has finished roasting, proceed to make the gravy as you normally would, being sure to scrape up as much of the browned drippings as possible – remember, more drippings equal more flavor.