There are a lot of different ways to incorporate either flour or cornstarch in a gravy. Some people just slowly whisk small portions into the liquid and home for the best. I've seen people use a special tupperware shaker where you add a little liquid and the flour and shake it until your arm is sore. That works most of the time, but remember that I an inherently lazy and would rather do something much easier.
So let's look at why the flour or cornstarch sticks together. If you pore water directly into a bowl of flour, everything becomes a clumpy, doughy mess. That's because flour likes to absorb liquid and once it's wet, it also likes to stick. The starches start bonding together and once that has happened, it takes a lot of whisking or mulching in the food processor to obliterate them. Now once the starch molecules reach a certain high temperature, the starch doesn't stick together. They explode into extremely small bits and become the thickener we want.
SO the key is to keep the starch molecules separated until it gets hot enough to devolve into the thickening agent. The best way to do that is to coat them with a fat that will block the liquid until it's hot enough to break through the fat and fluff up the starches. That where a roux comes in.
A roux is a mixture of fat and starch that can thicken liquid at a high temperature. To make a roux, all you need to do is mix equal parts of a fat and a starch in a saucepan and cook it over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then you can add your liquid whenever you're ready. But add the liquid slowly and whisk it as you go. When the sauce reaches a boiling point, the fat then frees up the starch to expand, thicken the sauce, and stay separated from each other so there's no way lumps can develop.
One tablespoon of fat (like butter) and one teaspoon of starch (either cornstarch or flour) will thicken about 4 ounces of liquid into gravy. You can use any type of liquid you like. I especially like to add the leftover liquid from cooking, such as broth from a crock pot recipe (like the Crock Pot Turkey Breast) or the drippings from a roast. But if you don't have any, just use your favorite broth. Feel free to size this up or down as you need, just keep the proportions of 1 tablespoon fat/1 tablespoons starch/4 ounces liquid the same. I prefer the cornstarch because there's slightly less of a starchy taste, but my no means does flour overpower the other flavor.
4 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
About 16 ounces of broth, drippings from a roast or turkey, or other flavorful liquid
1/4 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until completely combined and stir it for about 3-5 minutes. Add the thyme and stir for 10 more seconds. Slowly add the broth in small portions, whisking for about 20-30 seconds after adding the liquid. Add liquid until the consistency is a little thinner than you want it to be on the table. Allow it to cook for 5 more minutes or until it reaches a light boil, then remove from the heat. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour the gravy into a serving vessel and allow to cool for about 3 minutes. Serve on meat, potatoes or drink straight from the gravy boat.
SO the key is to keep the starch molecules separated until it gets hot enough to devolve into the thickening agent. The best way to do that is to coat them with a fat that will block the liquid until it's hot enough to break through the fat and fluff up the starches. That where a roux comes in.
A roux is a mixture of fat and starch that can thicken liquid at a high temperature. To make a roux, all you need to do is mix equal parts of a fat and a starch in a saucepan and cook it over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then you can add your liquid whenever you're ready. But add the liquid slowly and whisk it as you go. When the sauce reaches a boiling point, the fat then frees up the starch to expand, thicken the sauce, and stay separated from each other so there's no way lumps can develop.
One tablespoon of fat (like butter) and one teaspoon of starch (either cornstarch or flour) will thicken about 4 ounces of liquid into gravy. You can use any type of liquid you like. I especially like to add the leftover liquid from cooking, such as broth from a crock pot recipe (like the Crock Pot Turkey Breast) or the drippings from a roast. But if you don't have any, just use your favorite broth. Feel free to size this up or down as you need, just keep the proportions of 1 tablespoon fat/1 tablespoons starch/4 ounces liquid the same. I prefer the cornstarch because there's slightly less of a starchy taste, but my no means does flour overpower the other flavor.
Gravy Without the Lumps
4 tablespoons butter4 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
About 16 ounces of broth, drippings from a roast or turkey, or other flavorful liquid
1/4 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and stir until completely combined and stir it for about 3-5 minutes. Add the thyme and stir for 10 more seconds. Slowly add the broth in small portions, whisking for about 20-30 seconds after adding the liquid. Add liquid until the consistency is a little thinner than you want it to be on the table. Allow it to cook for 5 more minutes or until it reaches a light boil, then remove from the heat. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour the gravy into a serving vessel and allow to cool for about 3 minutes. Serve on meat, potatoes or drink straight from the gravy boat.
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