Until today, I’ve never successfully made home-cooked gravy.  I know, it’s a shame.  A perfectly burned roux is an absolute staple in any Louisiana kitchen.  I watched my mom cook it every Thanksgiving and Christmas of my entire childhood life, and I even stirred it for her.  She TAUGHT me how to make a roux.  She also wrote me a tutorial on it after I got married so I could cook yummy gravy for my sweet husband.  Yet still, I’ve been scared to death to do it.  It seems to go against the grain of cooking to intentionally burn something.  I tried making gravy once and couldn’t get it to turn out right, so I’ve pretty much given up on it.  But this Thanksgiving, I have no choice.

Some sweet friends of ours invited us to join them for Thanksgiving dinner.  We have shared several turkey days with them since living in Oklahoma, and we always look forward to the fun times and good food.  It just so happens that this friend was my son’s first grade teacher.  And her close friend, whose family will also be there this year, is my daughter’s kindergarten teacher.  Since the hostess is coming off of her daughter’s wedding, JUST LAST WEEKEND, I offered to cook the turkey.  Piece of cake.  A turkey.  I cook a delicious gourmet turkey straight from a Southern Living Annual called Citrus-Rosemary Turkey breast.  (Except I adapt it for a large turkey.) And then she asked if I’d be bringing the gravy too.  What?  The gravy?  I stammered a bit and then recognized it was certainly my job to bring the gravy if I was bringing the bird.  Glad she mentioned it!  We may have been gravy-less.

I knew that worse come to worst, I could call my mom and let her talk me through.  She makes the perfect gravy (that I always passed by for the packet of gravy my sister and I preferred!?!).  I remembered that my sis raved about her South Louisiana style gravy last Christmas.  She had talked about using some sort of flowery spice to make it cook a lot more quickly.  So I texted her yesterday to get the low down.  Nevermind that I thought about this DAYS ago and could have been better prepared.  I texted her from the spice aisle of wally world the very day before Thanksgiving, knowing she would be at work and unable to respond.  I didn’t hear back from her until later in the day, but she came through for me and I found the seasoning sauce at another local grocer.  For all I know wally carries it and I was just looking in the wrong place!

I decided to share her gravy method with you, straight in the form of our text conversation.  It’s definitely more fun that way.  After I give you the scoop on the gravy, I’ll tell you about our near-disaster with the bird itself.  I’m still holding my breath that there’s not a disaster with the gravy, since it’s still simmering.

Holly Unplugged: Making a Roux

How to Make a Gravy from a Roux

me: Holly. What is that magic ingredient you use to make gravy?

Holly: Like a roux or the packet of gravy? If it’s a roux it’s kitchen bouquet.

me. Hey! a roux. I knew it was something floral sounding. Actually thought of the word bouquet when i was looking at spices. They didn’t have that. need instructions

Holly: The only thing kitchen bouquet does is gives it the burnt flavor without actually spending time to burn it. Really not necessary if you can’t find it. Equal portions of flour and oil, whisk together, med heat, once it’s whisked together don’t stir again till it’s bubbling to give it time to brown. After it’s the color you want add water till it’s the correct consistency then salt pepper shake of garlic salt, zatarans till it tastes right and always a dripping of whatever meat your using.

me: Thanks!! I am making turkey and gravy for 14. How much flour/oil would u start with

Holly: Oh wow! Well prolly about 1/4 cup of each but the key is to use a pot that’s a decent size around cuz it will never brown if it’s not spread out enough in the pot. Don’t use a skillet cuz you can’t add water to it. 1/4 cup will make a ton of gravy. And don’t be scared to actually let the flour/oil burn cuz that’s what gravy is.

me: K. Thanks big time.

me: smile Wish you could come show me how. Going to attic for christmas tree…

Holly: Oh I’d love to! Be sure and call me if you have trouble and I’ll walk you thru it. I’ve made every possible kitchen booboo ever.

Holly: Also you may wanna make it tonite cuz it is a little time consuming.

me: Oh I will then. So it rewarms ok then? just found the kb spice. grocery store is holding it for me.

Holly: Yeah it rewarms fine…and you can wait till you heat it tomorrow to add the meat drippings but if you use kb you need that when you first make it. And the kb does save time.

me: Thanks a billion for your advice.

Holly: You’re welcome!

me: I love you!!

Holly: I love you too!

Holly: Oh heather I meant to tell you to use only a tiny drop of kb

me: smile I wondered. Would have way over done it.

Holly: You put it after you let the flour/oil brown for a couple of mins and then whisk it really quickly and it will clump up the flour/oil mixture. That’s when you add the water.

And that was the end of our conversation.  I was digging through boxes of greenery after that.  So, if you haven’t made your gravy yet, go for the gusto and make one from a roux!