How to doctor this chicken gravy

[Anonymous]

DH made a chicken with gravy for Thanksgiving. It was his first time for both, and he followed recipes online. The chicken with herb butter was great. The gravy, which was a roux with butter, flour, and chicken stock, tasted like…flour. It needed drippings, which the chicken didn’t produce (it was small). I was wondering if we could have added lemon juice or if that wouldn’t have done much for the gravy taste. Now that I think about it, I had my own homemade chicken broth in the freezer. Would that have made a difference since it had more fat than the store-bought box of stock? Just curious: what could we have done to make it better?

[Anonymous]

You may not have cooked it long enough for the flour taste to go away. Just a guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may not have cooked it long enough for the flour taste to go away. Just a guess.

It cooked for about 30-40 minutes. Normally if I make a roux, I can make it in less than ten minutes. However, he made a much larger quantity than i
I ever have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may not have cooked it long enough for the flour taste to go away. Just a guess.

This. I use half flour half cornstarch and you want it to get golden and toasty

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not have cooked it long enough for the flour taste to go away. Just a guess.

This. I use half flour half cornstarch and you want it to get golden and toasty

To clarify, you cook off the flour taste in the first step when you have just the fat and flour/cornstarch. After you add the liquid, you’re just reducing/thickening. There isn’t any more actual cooking at that point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not have cooked it long enough for the flour taste to go away. Just a guess.

This. I use half flour half cornstarch and you want it to get golden and toasty

To clarify, you cook off the flour taste in the first step when you have just the fat and flour/cornstarch. After you add the liquid, you’re just reducing/thickening. There isn’t any more actual cooking at that point.

+1. Melt the fat and get it bubbly, then add the flour until it’s a light brown color and smells nutty. Then add your drippings and/or broth.

[Anonymous]

Cook the roux longer and absolutely use homemade stock

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You may not have cooked it long enough for the flour taste to go away. Just a guess.

This. I use half flour half cornstarch and you want it to get golden and toasty

To clarify, you cook off the flour taste in the first step when you have just the fat and flour/cornstarch. After you add the liquid, you’re just reducing/thickening. There isn’t any more actual cooking at that point.

+1. Melt the fat and get it bubbly, then add the flour until it’s a light brown color and smells nutty. Then add your drippings and/or broth.

Very helpful. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cook the roux longer and absolutely use homemade stock

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

PPs are right, if it tasted like flour you didnt cook the flour long enough in the fat before adding stock. it seems like it takes forever and then all of a sudden it begins to brown quickly. homemade stock helps, and I often add a splash of port or sherry to kick up the flavor a notch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PPs are right, if it tasted like flour you didnt cook the flour long enough in the fat before adding stock. it seems like it takes forever and then all of a sudden it begins to brown quickly. homemade stock helps, and I often add a splash of port or sherry to kick up the flavor a notch.

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PPs are right, if it tasted like flour you didnt cook the flour long enough in the fat before adding stock. it seems like it takes forever and then all of a sudden it begins to brown quickly. homemade stock helps, and I often add a splash of port or sherry to kick up the flavor a notch.

Thank you!

Did you see the roux? Has he made a roux before? Was the roux the right color? Maybe too much flour to oil? Also, I have found that using a nonstick pan does not work well for me when making a roux.

[Anonymous]

Get that roux good and brown!

[Anonymous]

These can save a gravy — sage, thyme, a bit of Unami seasoning (traders joes), salt, white pepper, and wondra brand flour if too thin.