Like you, I always make my gravy from scratch, but I've never heard of a gravy separator. I'll have to google that. :)

Yep - I use one too.

Now do you thicken your gravy with flour or corn starch? We use corn starch.

Mammie...here is a link to the one I use. I like it because it has a stopper in the spout and the grid top to filter out particles for a smoother gravy. They aren't always easy to find but are a bit more common now.
They pour from the "bottom" of the container. Simply put your drippings in, wait a few minutes for the fat to float to the top, then pour till just when you see the fat at the bottom of the spout.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gravy separator

Here's one from Bed Bath and Beyond for $4.99

Never used one before.

Always used flour.

{{!gwi}}

I have one too but seldom use it unless I put too much butter on Tom or he's really fatty. I like all that junk in the gravy. LOL

I usually use cornstarch for the thickener but I can make flour work if I have to.

Maire_cate...I first use all the stock from all the various cooked veggies etc. then prefer to use corn starch...but will use flour if I have to. If there isn't enough liquid from drippings & veggies I will use a low sodium bought chicken stock if I don't have any of my own in the freezer.

Never used one either....grandmom taught me how to skim any grease off the top with a shallow spoon. It works.

I have a gravy separator, but seldom use it. I skim the grease with a spoon, like my mother did.

I use flour, and mix it with water in my Tupperware gravy-maker thing that I couldn't live without.

I don't use a gravy separator. I usually just chill the broth and then take the fat off the top. That is what I did this evening for our gravy. I prefer to use corn starch mixed with cold water and add that to the very hot broth. For fried chicken gravy, I use flour and just blend it into the drippings until it is cooked and then add the milk and maybe some water.

Sue

Well, for making the gravy, I use the potato water from the potatoes that were boiled for the mashed potatoes. Got to have something to pour the gravy over.
Potato water from white potatoes has natural starch. If I want thicker gravy, I add some potato flour, and stir it in with a whisk.

I usually brown some Wondra flour in a bowl along side the turkey while it it roasting. When the flour gets a nice golden brown color, I take it out to use to thicken the gravy.
I try to make some extra turkey stock using roasted wings and necks before I am going to cook a turkey dinner so I can have lots of tasty gravy.

Another that uses potato water to help thicken gravy, and flour.

Potato water as well. Always flour and water, shaken in a jar to make the gravy with.
I see so many people on tv sprinkle flour directly on the hot drippings. I tried it once and got lumps.

I had a plastic gravy separator once years ago, and it cracked first time I used it. I use a dinner spoon to skim the fat with.

I use the separator, too, and also have used a nylon brush-like thing (Pampered Chef), but it's hard to get really clean again, so I use the separator, or, if I have time, chill the broth. I do use flour usually.

I have 2 of different sizes but don't often use them. Depending on the amount of fat I want removed. I even have used paper towels to blot off some of the fat if I am in a hurry.

Taigen, thanks for the link. After viewing it I realized I used to own one of those! My aunt gave it to me and I always forgot to use it so gave it away. :)

If you like gravy, a different one, chocolate gravy on a buttered biscuit is AWESOME.

umm.... use a spoon, all of 2 times a year I make gravy! lol I DO have the separater though

As time goes on I use jar or canned gravies more. Or make the 3 condiment gravy I saw on Rachel Ray's show and it isn't bad.

When I make it from scratch I skim the top. Sometimes refrigerate it. Thought about a separator but wouldn't use it enough to justify it. Also use paper towel strips to get the stuff I miss. And I usually use Wondra or cornstarch but in beef stew I use Minute Tapioca.

Sometimes I make it from scratch, using flour. I put ice cubes in the drippings as the fat clings to the ice then you can just scoop them up.

If I am crunched for time, I make those Clubhouse gravies, which seem to get more compliments than my own! lol I just mix up the Clubhouse gravy then add the turkey drippings to that. It is always good.

Man, I'm getting hungry! :-)

I enjoy the ease of a gravy separator too. But mostly, using one or not, I prefer homemade gravy. I have always used flour. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of flour over 2 or 3 tablespoons of the fat in the bottom of the roasting pan. Use a whisk and quickly and briskly whisk the SPRINKLED flour into the fat so that it will not lump. Cook the flour for 2 minutes, a la Julia Child's instructions, stirring frequently so it does not scorch. Slowly add 1 or 2 cups hot water or chicken or turkey broth or more till you get the thickness you like, whisking it into the flour and fat and stirring up all the browned bits from the pan. Simmer several minutes, stirring frequently and adding more liquid as necessary as the flour absorbs the liquid. Season with salt and pepper. For larger amounts of gravy, increase the fat, flour and liquid.

I make my gravy base the day before by simmering the neck and innards in broth along with veggies and spices. I then strain the whole thing. I make a flour and butter roux and gradually add it to the strained broth mixture until everything thickens up.

The next day I reheat the base and add the poured off drippings while the turkey is resting. Smooth creamy brown gravy and no separator needed.

One other thing. I get nice brown crusty drippings because I won't use a non stick pan for turkey and roasts. I use a shallow open graniteware or stainless roaster depending on the size needed.

I always make gravy from scratch too. I'd never heard of a gravy separator. If I have too much grease, I'll skim it off with a spoon. I use either flour or cornstarch to thicken gravy, depending on what kind of gravy it is and what I'm going to do with it.

Cornstarch makes a nice, clear gravy that is great for hot beef or hot turkey sandwiches or even over potatoes. Cornstarch thickened gravy doesn't reheat as well if there are leftovers. It tends to not be so smooth when reheated, although you can beat it with a mixer or wire whisk and that helps a lot. It's not lumpy reheated, just not smooth.

Flour makes a hmm.... non-transparent gravy. It is good for everything that cornstarch gravy is good for but is different... richer maybe. It's more like a stew type gravy. It reheats very nicely too.

And I also use my potato water in my gravy.

But my favorite, and least healthy, is a milk gravy. This is usually made from the lumpy pan stuff from fried meats. It's also the way I make sausage gravy when I make sausage gravy and biscuits, or the way I make gravy when I've made fried chicken of chicken fried steak. When starting out, I have just the greasy, lumpy stuff in the pan. Sometimes I add margerine or oil if there is not enough grease. Then stir in the flour right there in the pan and let it brown. Add cold milk, stirring constantly, until I have a nice, thick, gravy. Yummm.... this is the stuff that heart attacks are made from so it's a very very occasional treat!

I've never tried cornstarch. I'm not sure I've even heard of that before. Always just used flour. For milk gravy I do like most of you and sprinkle enough in the pan to absorb the grease and then add milk. For Swiss steak or turkey gravy I put some flour in a jar and add water, shake and add the thickened flour mixture to the liquid in the pan until it's the right consistency. I think I may try the cornstarch--I'm pretty sure that's what restaurants must do, because mine never looks like theirs.

Another thing when I make brown gravy is add a little Kitchen Bouquet. Doesn't change the flavor, but makes a pretty brown gravy.

I am a cook in a restaurant and we make beef roast almost everyday for hot beefs. We use cornstarch and Kitchen Bouquet. My gravy is never lumpy. Along time ago I read you are not supposed to have your broth boiling or even on a hot burner when you put flour in it and it will never be lumpy and when I use flour and do it that way mine is never lumpy. After you have the flour mixed in put it back on the burner and simmer it until it is the right consistencey and whisk it or use a fork like my mother did. My mother-in-law made her gravy with potato water and browned flour. I hated that stuff. It never even tasted like gravy. When we cook a roast at work we cover the roast with water and add lowry salt and simmer it for about 4 hrs and it is so nice and tender never tough.I panfry about 12 chickens every Friday ane then put them in the over to bake the rest of the way until done. I add the left over flour to the oil in the pan that I fried the chicken in well 3 pans and more flour if needed, until crumbly. Then I add boiling water and stir it with a whisk and let it cook on low until thick. i keeep whisking it occasionally so it isnt lumpy. After it is thick enough I add powdered creamer. It is absolutely delicious. We get lots of compliments on it. People come it just for it and they have to come in early because there are lots of times when I run out of it. I read in a magazine one time someone was looking for a good recipe for sausage gravy. Use a dry mix like we do at work some of them are really good.

Yea! I learned there's someone else that likes chocolate gravy. Best stuff in the world for making good memories show up and making our whole family feel they have come home.

OH, owned several separators, never used them so I gave them away. Daddy couldn't stand the taste of corn starch, so I learned to make gray with flour. I couldn't stand brown gravies until two years ago. taste-buds changed I guess.

Skim the fat, add some potato water, add a bit of cornstarch mixed with cold water, and leave those wonderful little 'bits' right in the gravy... mmmm yum

We love chocolate gravy on cathead biscuits here too. Also a major yummm..

Carolyn

I start my gravy the day before i cook the turkey. I make a roux and just add water to it and the next day i add the turkey drippings.I also use ice cubes to remove the fat from it.If it's not tasty enough i add a can of cjicken broth.

I have two methods for making gravy. The first, easy, one is to put water (or potato water) in a bottle (old spagetti sauce jar works well), add flour, shake, and wisk that into the drippings. The second method is to make a roux of butter and flour. Melt the butter, add flour, wisk until it browns (this cooks the flour and prevent a floury flavor). The browned roux also darkens the gravy if the drippings are too light. Wisk the roux into the drippings. I have a separator at home but usually do without since I am often assigned gravy duty at someone else's house.

I've tried potato flour (my sister has Celiac) but it came out awful. Any specifics on working with it?