Gravy

First week of November in Tulsa. Brayden is fifty-seven weeks old. The corporate-luncheon job is Tuesday the eighth. The Thanksgiving plan for the Bryants visiting Tulsa is firming up. The apartment is in its autumn rhythm — the windows are closed by six PM, the thermostat is set to seventy in the daytime and sixty-six at night, the baseboard heat is running on a low cycle.

Gravy is the small skill that defines the difference between a good Sunday-brunch and a great one. The technique is the roux, the slow-whisk, and the cold-start temperature. I learned it at Mama’s cafe in 2017 when I was sixteen and Mama had decided I was old enough to be at the brunch service prep table. The recipe is bacon-fat (or sausage drippings from the morning’s breakfast service) saved from the morning’s cooking, flour whisked in to form a roux, cooked in the rendered fat for about ninety seconds until the roux is the color of light caramel, then warm milk whisked in gradually until the gravy is the right consistency, salt-and-pepper to finish.

The technique question is the roux color. Too pale and the gravy tastes raw. Too dark and the gravy tastes burnt. The right color is the color of light caramel — a warm tan, not a deep brown. The right cooking time is between sixty and ninety seconds in the hot fat with constant whisking.

Sunday I made gravy at the apartment for our small home-brunch (sausage, biscuits, scrambled eggs, the gravy). Dustin had two biscuits worth of gravy. Brayden had a small dab of gravy on a piece of plain biscuit. He approved. The brunch is now a Sunday tradition.

Gravy

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 55 minutes | Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef or chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
• 1/2 cup pan drippings or additional broth
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Build the roux. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once foaming subsides, whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1—2 minutes until the mixture turns a light golden color and smells nutty.
2. Add the liquid. Slowly pour in the broth and pan drippings a little at a time, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Add the liquid gradually —about 1/4 cup at a time —until fully incorporated and smooth.
3. Season. Stir in the garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking frequently.
4. Simmer and thicken. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 10—15 minutes, stirring often, until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. It will continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
5. Taste and adjust. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper as needed. For a silkier texture, strain through a fine mesh sieve before serving.
6. Serve. Ladle generously over spaghetti and meatballs (or anything that deserves it). Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 55 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 210mg