I Just Learned Why Restaurant Gravy Is So Much Better, And I'm Taking Notes

Cooking can be a little funny sometimes. A dish that sounds tricky, like mousse or chocolate fudge, is often deceptively easy. But while “just OK” poached eggs and fried rice are easy to whip up at home, it often takes advice from the pros to get the simple-seeming dishes to restaurant-level perfection. Which is why I’m glad, as roast dinner season rolls in, to hear from Ros Heathcote, founder of Borough Broth, about how the experts make their gravy so, so good. Here are her five rules: 1) Use a hob-safe roasting tray when cooking your meatThe best gravy, Heathcote explained, is made with the juice of whatever meat you’re cooking. That’s why experts like Jamie Oliver use their protein roasting tray, meat and veggies removed, to begin their gravy. So, Heathcote told us, it’s important to pick a vessel that’ll survive as well on the hob as it will in the oven. “It means you can roast the joint of meat and make the gravy all in one pan,” she said. 2) Keep your onion skins onBecause the best gravy will usually need straining (see: the above roasting tray trick), Heathcoate said there’s simply no point wasting time and flavour by peeling your onions. Leaving the skin on as your sauce simmers, she said, “adds colour and flavour (and saves you time too)”. 3) Don’t settle for thin gravy It’s a common dilemma: you realise your gravy is looking a little soupy and thin minutes after adding flour to the mix, which makes you feel as though adding more without creating lumps is impossible. Not so, the broth expert explained. “If your gravy isn’t thick enough, make a cornflour slurry by combining one tablespoon of flour and two tablespoons of water,” she explained.“Whisk into the gravy until smooth.” 4) Don’t forget a mirepoixWhether you’re making a beef stew or a spag bol, you’ll almost certainly want to start with a flavour-boosting mirepoix – a mixture of onions, carrots and celery. And to get the most out of your gravy, Heathcote recommends doing the same for your sauce too (Jamie Oliver roasts all three under his meat and mashes them into the liquid later).“Starting with this combination creates a savoury and aromatic base, then you can layer in extra flavour with herbs and seasonings depending on the meal you’re pairing it with,” the founder told us. 5) Watch your boilThe secret to a glossy gravy? “Don’t let it boil too vigorously,” Heathcoate warned. And for an extra-shiny finish, “strain [your gravy] through a fine sieve, and whisk in a knob of cold butter at the end”.Related...Jamie Oliver's Unexpected Secret Ingredient Makes Gravy DeliciousI Just Learned How To Make Egg Fried Rice At Home And It's Incredibly SimpleGordon Ramsay’s Secret To ‘Perfect' Fried Eggs Is Already In Your Fridge

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