What exactly is gravy?

Question

I don't know how it got brought up. lol. But what is it and where does it come from? Is it man made? I'm standing in a room of 4 not-so-bright people.

Answer 1

You can make gravy a few ways. The way I usually do it is when you make a roast in a slow cooker (or even the oven) the jucies that come from the meat in the bottom of the pan... drain it into a pot and you mix it with flour over the stove top continuously stirring until it reaches the ideal consistancy.. of course adding seasonings that you prefer. You can also go the powder route and get a package from your local grocery store and follow the directions.

Answer 2

How else would it be made if it wasn't man made? Gravy is a sauce made from meat juices, usually combined with a liquid such as chicken or beef broth usually with water added, wine, milk and thickened with flour, cornstarch, arrowroot. or some other thickening agent. A gravy may also be the simple juices left in the pan after the meat, poultry, or fish has been cooked.

Then there's the age old argument for the Italian sauce we put on pasta... whether it's correctly called "gravy" or "sauce". Some have said one is right and the other is wrong. Some have said it's a regional thing. But in reality, it boils down to that some immigrants translated the Italian for what they put on their pasta as gravy, while others translated it as sauce, and the translations have been passed down through the generations, becoming law in the process. So either is correct.

Although I had this information in my head, the internet helped me put it into words more succinctly, and probably with more accuracy. Good question though.

(to the person who said gravy is made from the drippings of meat that has been fried... not so! And generally we only use milk if it's chicken. Water if it's beef, turkey or pork. And it's made from meats that have been pan roasted but browned well to give us the nice drippings for a rich gravy. Also, oil is rarely used. In fact generally NO oil or butter is added to meat drippings as the meats provide their own fat from cooking. Generally, the milk or water is mixed in a container with the flour to slight thickness, then stirred into the slowly simmering meat drippings until gravy is the desired thickness. Butter and (rarely oil) is used to make a cream sauce for vegetables and other vegetable-based casseroles.)

Answer 3

The juices that drip from cooking meat.
A sauce made by thickening and seasoning these juices. By adding butter and flour you make a wonderful gravy. A little onion or garlic and it's heaven.

Answer 4

Gravy is a thick sauce made from the oil that is left after meat has been fried. First you add flour and allow it to absorb the oil and begin to brown. Then add milk stir constantly until it thickens. Then you have it.

Answer 5

Gravy is the stuff you put over mashed potatoes usually made from the drippings of the meat you cooked. Basic recipe
2 tbs. butter or oil
2 tbs. flour
whisk it it up in a pan over medium heat then add the juice from your meat or broth from a can add salt and pepper to taste and pour over meat and potatoes. Yum

Answer 6

You must not be from the south or you would know what gravy is.gravy is man made. its made of flour, meat grease,water with salt & pepper. its the best stuff you could ever eat. i make gravy all the time.

Answer 7

gra·vy [gráyvee]
(plural gra·vies)
n
sauce made with meat juices: the juices produced by meat while it is being roasted, fried, or broiled, or a sauce made with these juices or another liquid and poured over cooked meat and vegetables

Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Answer 8

Gravy is a sauce made from meat drippings, flour, and a liquid.

Answer 9

gravy is created when liquid, fat, starch, and heat are combined in the correct proportions. generally, it consists of: water or milk, meatdrippings, and flour or cornstarch.

when the starch and liquid are combined and heated, they create an environment in which the fat can be suspended within in the starch.

if you do not include the starch, you have what is called a jous...which is basically just "meat juice".

Answer 10

Flour basically. I saw it on Rachel Ray! =D