How to make gravy for any roast

Add flour

Sprinkle 3 tbsp plain flour into the tin and mix until well blended. Continue cooking, stirring continuously, for 2 minutes allowing the flour to cook through to make a ‘roux’ (a thickening base for your gravy).

Thicken

Turn the heat back on and bring the gravy to the boil, stirring constantly with a balloon whisk until thickened. If you prefer a thicker gravy allow it to boil and reduce for around 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally – you can check the consistency using the back of a spoon.

Flavour variations

Try these tasty twists for different meats:

Turkey – mash 3 cooked chestnuts into the pan juices at the end of step 1, before adding the flour, then proceed as per the recipe adding 3 tbsp cranberry sauce when adding the stock. Thicken as above.

Pork – add 3 tbsp Bramley apple sauce and 1 tsp English mustard just before you add the stock in step 3, and replace 200ml of the stock with cider or apple juice. Thicken as above.

Beef – replace 100ml of the stock with Madeira or replace 200ml with red wine and thicken as above.

Duck – add 3 tbsp Seville orange marmalade along with the stock. Thicken as above.

Chicken – add 5 sage leaves to the tin once the fat has been spooned off in step 1 and cook for 1 minute over a high heat until golden, then remove with a slotted spoon, before reducing the heat to continue with the recipe as above, adding 1 tbsp Dijon mustard with the stock.

Lamb – Add 1 tbsp finely chopped thyme leaves to the tin once the fat has been spooned off in step 1 and cook for 1 minute. Continue with the gravy as above adding 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly along with the stock.