As colder and darker nights begin to settle in, many will be drawn to hearty meals in keeping with the autumn season. With gravy tying together much-loved classics such as a roast dinner and sausage and mash, chefs have shared the one ingredient they swear by to create the sauce.
According to The Times Weekend, Jack Stein, the chef director of the Rick Stein Group, recommends “cheating” by using shop-bought fresh stock.
“Cook down some onions, garlic, and thyme with a good glug of red wine. Allow this to reduce by around half, and then add the stock.
“I use those pouches you can buy. Let it simmer for half an hour, then add a tablespoon of Marmite and soy sauce for an umami hit and a splash of vinegar to taste.”
Onion is also a go-to ingredient for Lisa Goodwin Allen, the executive chef at Michelin-starred Northcote restaurant in Langho.
She recommends gently frying onions on a low heat until caramelised, then adding thyme, garlic, wine (red for beef or lamb, white for chicken), and good stock.
“Reduce this nicely so it starts to thicken,” she says, then strain. “If you do this the day before, then on the day you can whisk or blend in all those lovely roasting juices that have come off your meat.”
To make it even tastier, Lisa recommends whisking in a little melted fat to your gravy from your chosen meat.
“This will give it that glossy look, but it will also really impact the flavour,” she added.
Adding stock to gravy is often a good idea when it comes to flavour, consistency, or balance.
According to chef, broadcaster, and food writer Melissa Thompson, making your own stock cubes to freeze is the best way.
In order to do so, she also champions onion, and suggests cutting a few with carrots, and half a whole bulb of garlic, leeks, celery, herbs, and vegetable scraps.
After heating the oven to 180C fan, she advises spreading the ingredients out in a large roasting tray and topping with 750g of large beef bones and trimmings.
Chef Mike Reid also recently named onion as his must-have ingredient for most meals, alongside chilli and garlic.
“Those are the three I couldn’t cook without. Probably onion is my absolute favourite – it goes in everything almost,” he confessed.
“It’s the base of so much flavour: onion, garlic, I couldn’t survive without it.”
Yorkshire chef Tommy Banks advises looking at the ingredients when it comes to buying shop-bought gravy ot stock.
“You’re roasting beautiful meat and veg, then covering it in processed thickeners,” he shared.
“If you must use them, add pan juices, a splash of wine or a spoon of Marmite. All of that will make it better.”
Melissa agreed, adding: “I’d never use granules alone, but with real stock they can add depth.”