Gravy Perfect for Your Dishes: Tailoring Seasoning to Match Your Cuisine

Gravy is a versatile ingredient that adds depth and richness to a wide range of dishes. Whether you're pan-searing pork chops, enhancing the taste of your vegetables, or adding flavor to your meat, the choice of gravy is critical. Let's explore the different types of gravies and how to tailor them to match your culinary creations.

Basic Gravy Recipes

For a classic recipe, you can start with a simple slurry of either water or milk (depending on whether you want a creamy or clear gravy) and flour or corn starch. Mix this with the pan drippings from cooking the meat. Deglaze the pan first with wine or beer for added flavor or use a bit of water or a matching broth or vegetable broth to get all the tasty bits into the gravy. Stir over medium heat until the right consistency, being careful of the salt content, tasting as the pan drippings can be a little salty from the meat cooking.

Caramelized Onion and Garlic Mushroom Gravies

Caramelized onion gravy or garlic mushroom gravy adds an exquisite touch to any meat dish. These gravies enhance the natural flavors of the dish, making it special and memorable. Perfect for adding that extra layer of flavor to your meals, these adjust well to create a unique dining experience.

Gravy for Specific Cuisines

No single gravy goes with “most” dishes. Each cuisine has its distinct sauce that complements the primary ingredients. For example, Mexican cuisine classifies dishes by their sauces, and the meat or ingredients are secondary. The idea is that if all dishes have the same sauce, they are essentially the same. This argument holds a point in that the question is nonsensical when attempting to apply a universal gravy to most dishes.

Customizing Gravy for Different Dishes

Your question reflects the common tendency for few diners to overlook adding a uniform gravy to all foods. In my kitchen, I prefer to make my gravy according to the main component of the dish. For chicken, I might use the chicken drippings as the base and add some chicken broth. For beef, the process remains similar, sometimes using the fat from the beef to make a roux and other times using butter. The goal is to enhance the dish, not to make everything taste the same.

Experimenting with Cream Gravies

Cream gravies offer endless possibilities. You can add dill, lemon zest, and chopped scallions for a fresh twist, or mix in scrambled sausage for a hearty flavor. For a pourable custard consistency, add a bit of egg for thickening and perhaps a hint of instant chicken bouillon or even a touch of peanut butter or tahini for a unique flavor profile. For beef dishes, use a brown gravy with the meat's juices or au jus. Pair this with mashed potatoes, and for chicken dishes, consider a cream onion gravy, Mexican-style enchilada sauce, salsa verde, or guacamole sauce.

Gravy is a true testament to the importance of tailoring your seasoning to your specific cuisine. Whether you're a seasoned chef or a home cook, understanding the nuances of gravy can elevate your dishes from good to great, making each meal a special experience.