Today, I want to share a little secret from my kitchen: my homemade gravy recipe. It all begins with chicken stock, made from scratch using two chicken carcasses. But here's the twist – I add a bit of milk powder to the carcasses before roasting them in the oven. Sounds unusual, right? Trust me, it's a game-changer. The milk powder helps caramelize the carcasses, adding a rich depth of flavor to the stock that's just incredible.
Make your own chicken stock, it will make all the difference...
Now, onto the gravy. It starts with a classic roux – just flour and butter – but here's my trick for the smoothest gravy you'll ever taste: pour the homemade stock in all at once. That's right, no gradual adding; just one bold move to avoid any lumps. The result? A silky, flavorful gravy that's perfect for drizzling over your favorite dishes. It's a simple yet effective technique that elevates your gravy from good to great. So, next time you're in the kitchen, give this method a try. It might just become your new favorite too!
Ingredients:
(Make about 500ml)
Chicken Carcasses, 2
Milk Powder, 1 TBSP
Sea Salt, Pinch
White Pepper, Pinch
Mushroom Powder, Pinch
Yellow Onion Wedged, 1
Carrot Obliqued, 1
Shiitake Mushrooms Sliced, 50g
Garlic Crushed, 3 Cloves
Herbes de Provence, 1 TSP
Bay Leaf, 1
Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 60g
Unsalted Butter, 60g
Black Pepper, Pinch
Cayenne, Pinch
Equipment:
Oven
Heavy Pot
Baking Dish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius or 400 fahrenheit.
Transfer chicken carcasses into a baking dish.
Sprinkle milk powder, salt, white pepper and mushroom powder over the top.
Mix to coat well.
Wack into the oven and bake for 40 to 50 mins or until the bones are dark browned, flipping halfway thru'.
Transfer the chicken carcasses to a pot.
Add some hot water to the baking dish and deglaze.
Take your time to deglaze as it is liquid gold.
Transfer the deglazed liquid to the pot, along with onion, carrot, mushrooms, garlic, herbes de provence and bay leaf.
Add in 1.5 L of water and stir to combine well.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring it up to a simmer.
Cook for about 8 to 10 mins.
Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt, pepper and mushroom powder.
Remove from heat, cover and steep for 5 mins.
Drain and set the stock aside; you can consume the residue.
In another pot over medium heat, add flour and butter.
Whisk until the butter has melted and well combined.
Continue whisking until the mixture turns to a dark shade of brown.
Add in 1 L of that stock all at once.
Continue whisking until the mixture has thickened.
Taste and adjust for seasonings with salt, black pepper and cayenne.
Remove from heat and serve this with your mashed potatoes or roast.
Thick...