Chef Steph de Sousa reveals common mistake that immediately ruins your gravy
Stephanie de Sousa has revealed the biggest mistake you're making with gravy.
Many families swear by a recipe that was usually passed down to them by the older generation.
However, de Sousa told 9honey Kitchen that one simple move can ruin your gravy instantly, it has nothing to do with ingredients and everything to do with timing.
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A close up shot of a small white ladle pouring brown gravy into a white ceramic gravy boat. Shot on a grungy old wooden table. Getty
Ahead of the Good Food & Wine Show Christmas Market in Sydney this weekend, the chef explained that gravy should never be seasoned before it has reduced.
A good reduction takes a fair amount of time. It can transform a liquid saucepan of ingredients into a delicious gravy.
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"Don't make the same mistake I have made and season your gravy before it's reduced to an amount you like," de Sousa warned.
"If you season it before you reduce it, you end up with an inedible salty hot mess of a gravy. And I don't know about you, but I think the gravy is the best bit of a roast," she shared.
As the reduction process occurs, gravy will begin to thicken as the liquid evaporates in the heat.
When you salt gravy to taste in its most liquid form, the salt level will remain with less dilution once it has been cooked down.
The flavour concentration in gravy also tends to intensify throughout the cooking process as the ingredients emulsify.
Suppose you have accidentally seasoned your gravy before it has been reduced and the flavour is overwhelming. In that case, you can offset it by adding acidity.
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You can balance out the salt in gravy using acidic ingredients or sugar. Getty
The overly salty flavour won't disappear, but you can balance it with a splash of white wine or by adding a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice at a time until the desired taste is reached.
Alternatively, whisking in a large pinch of sugar can counteract the saltiness without making the gravy sweet.
The Good Food & Wine Show's Christmas Markets are on this week in Sydney from November 22 to November 24, 2024.
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