All-Purpose Gravy

It is no secret that I like to cook.  Even when I was little I loved to help my grandmothers cook.  My Italian grandmother wasn't fond of baking but she loved to cook meals.  Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan, Manicotti, etc., I watched her make it all.  My Polish grandmother was more of a baker and I remember around the holidays the heat would always be cranked up and the rooms closed off as she had tubs of dough for bread rising everywhere.

Although I don't cook nearly as much as they did, I do cook supper several nights a week and most everything is from scratch.  There are some days, however, where I just take shortcuts.  Friday night I had marinated some chicken breasts in Italian dressing and threw them in the oven.  On my way home I stopped and grabbed a box of Uncle Ben's Broccoli and Cheese Rice to go with it.  Served up supper and they started eating and then stopped and looked at the rice and looked at me.  Comments ranged from it being bland (really, with a ton of sodium in it?) to it tasting funny.  Great, I think I spoiled them.

So when I pulled the beef sirloin roast out of the freezer I figured I'd better not push my luck and decided to make gravy from scratch.  This really is an easy and versatile recipe.  I use a can of each if I am making this for beef or pork but if it is for a roast chicken, I use 2 cans of chicken broth.

All Purpose Gravy
Cook's Illustrated

1 small carrot , peeled and chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces
1 small rib celery , chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces
1 small onion , chopped into rough 1/2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups broth
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
5 whole black peppercorns
   
In food processor, pulse carrot until broken into rough 1/4-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses. Add celery and onion; pulse until all vegetables are broken into 1/8-inch pieces, about five 1-second pulses.  If you chop them too small you won't be able to strain them all out and then people will complain there are things floating in their gravy.  :)

Heat butter in large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, add vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and well browned, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, until thoroughly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add broths; bring to boil, skimming off any foam that forms on surface. Reduce heat to medium-low and add bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns; simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced to 3 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.

Strain gravy through fine-mesh strainer into clean saucepan, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Serve hot.