Just wondered ......had friends round for Sunday lunch the other week & got the comment from friend's husband - ooh your gravy is oxo gravy isnt it?    I said well, yes, did add oxo to pan juices - also several sloshes of red wine (as one does ;) ) but didn't think oxo was prevailing flavour......

He said his mum always used oxo and so he recognises it -  but Lou says that she always uses bisto for browning/making gravy.

Now I'm wondering - should I buy some bisto this weekend & see if anyone else can tell the difference

Margot

I never use OXO as it always seems to be the only flavour I can taste (my dad used to use it when I was a kid tho and we loved it then :) ) 

My favourites are
Stock Cubes -   KNORR (all flavours, they even do roast pork :) )  and ALDI's (just like knorr)

Instant gravy (for when there aren't enough juices from the roast, or just making small amount for Little One) - BISTO BEST :)  Its really lovely :)  I also use it if I eat out and want gravy - its gluten-free so I sustitute this for whatever the cook made (usually with flour)

Browning gravy - Tamari Soy Sauce this is great for browning the gravy and not too salty, just a few drops needed :D
I also love Bouillon Vegetable Stock (lower salt version) which makes lovely soup when added to the vegetable water if we aren't having gravy :D  nothing wasted in this house :D :D

I love trying new things :D   mmmmmmmmmm think a roast is on the cards this weekend :)

I use both, for different meats or meals, oxo when i want to cook something in liquid stock but when i want it thicker i use bisto granules.

I nearly always use oxo cubes with the meat and veggie juices and thicken with cornflour.That is unless i feel a bit peckish between dinner and bed then ill make chips with bisto.I love chip butties and gravy :D

I never, ever, ever, ever use Bisto - I'm a gravy snob :D :D I always keep the juices from the previous meat and use them if there aren't sufficient from the joint. I always use flour as well - never cornflour, which some people use :) If I'm cooking chicken/turkey, I boil the giblets up and use the stock from them. If I'm dessperate I use Bouillon vegetable stock granules :)

Daisy

I use both.  Oxo for cottage pie and Bisto Best for roasts.

I use the meat juices and bovril :)

Unless I am making chicken soup ...*then* I use knorr chicken stock cubes :)

I use the meat juices oxo and marmite and flour to thicken. My mum always made gravy like this and I suppose its what you are used to.

Ok this is going to sound like a stupid question to those that know, I have never known and always wanted to ask but didn't want to come across as being thick or stupid.

Gravey, I use those jars of bisto best, only coz I do not know how to make whats commonly known as proper gravey.

You say you make it from the meat juices, not being a meat eater as such (joints etc), although we eat the odd chicken etc, now anything that comes out of the chicken, is what I would describe as fat, not juices, surely you do not make the gravey out of the fat juices that come from the meat. Also someone mentioned boiling the giblets to make stock? how exactly, do you just put it in a pan of water and boil for how long, do you use the water then as the stock?

Sorry for the questions, like i said if you know these things they may come across as being really stupid questions but I have never known, as a kid my mum used to use the gravey granuels, 4 tablespoons to 1/2 pint of boiling water, thats what gravey is to me. But now i feel like i am missing out somewhere.

When you cook the meat ...pour all of the juices that collect in the roasting tin into a jug. I usually then take most of the fat off the top and use that for my roast potatoes ;) Then, gently fry a tablespoon of plain flour in with some of the juices and fat ....then add the rest of the juices plus about half or 1 pint of water (or stock if you have any) ..bring to the boil gently. I add a large teaspoonful of bovril as well ;)

For stock , remove giblets from chicken, put into a pan with water , chopped carrot, celery, bouquet garni or anything else you want and boil for a while. Allow to cool and remove all the solids and you will be left with stock. You can do this with bones as well (if you don't have giblets) but I always seive the solids out to make sure there are no bits of bones left

*Proper* gravy always gets better the more often you make it :) Like anything else, it is practice ..have a go, you will love the results :D

Good luck!

OH and other people will probably give their recipes here - most people do it differently :D :P

Put the giblets in a saucepan and cover with plenty of water (depends how much gravy you want - perhaps a pint). Bring to the boil and simmer for about 1 and 1/2 hours. Turn off and leave. When you take your chicken out of the oven to 'stand' - pour off into a bowl most of the fat/juice, but leave a tablespoon or two in your pan (just depends on how much you want - I just do what I think). You basically are making a 'white sauce' with the fat and flour. Heat the pan on top of the cooker gently and stir enough flour into the fat until it has absorbed it all - stirring all the time. When it has cooked for a couple of minutes start adding the giblet stock slowly at first and stir well into the flour. Continue until it is the thickness you like your gravy (we like it fairly thick) and then let it simmer for five to ten minutes, stirring from time to time (if your gravy goes lumpy use a whisk). You can make gravy like this with any joint - you can use the water from the vegetables if you haven't any giblet/vegetable/meat stock and also add an oxo cube or Bouillon granules :)

I usually roast an onion with the joint to add flavour to the juices :)

Daisy

Forgot to say, that if you have a lot of jiuces left over that you have poured into a bowl - put it into the fridge - it will keep for quite a while. The fat will separate from the juices. When you cook your next roast, use the fat from the top of the bowl to cook your roast potatoes and use the juice jelly to add to your gravy :)

Daisy

After boiling the giblets, I chop them up and add to the dogs' dinner (except the neck bones) :)