Making Canned Gravy Taste Homemade?

15 years ago

Mom is going to be in the hospital for some time, and there's talk of her getting transferred to another one for physio therapy.

We're all going to see her on Christmas Day of course.

I didn't want to do the whole roasted chicken and all the sides without Mom, and suggested doing a slow-cooker recipe, etc.

My brother wrote back, suggesting he can buy a rotisserie chicken, me do the stuffing and gravy, and his g/f doing the potatoes.

Without the roasting chicken, how can I make canned gravy taste better?

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sheilajoyce_gw

15 years ago

My kids succumbed to the commercials about 10 years ago for canned gravy. "Something's in the gravy." I told them over and over that the somethings in the gravy were the drippings and bits of bird that stuck on the pan, and that is what makes the gravy taste so good. They did not believe me--Madison Avenue convinced them that gravy is better without the browned bits. So I bought canned gravy next time. End of discussion! One for Mom.

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Comments (20)

User
15 years ago
I buy the Heinz "Oven Roasted" turkey gravy in a jar. Its very good. I also looked up how to make canned gravy better and found this: "To make canned chicken and turkey gravy taste more like homemade, mix in a sprinkling of poultry seasoning,"

You can also add some dripping to the gravy for that extra flavor.
lilliepad
15 years ago
I don't know if that is possible.LOL I've never used canned gravy.I just make my own with a can of chicken broth.Make a roux with butter and flour,salt,pepper,a little poultry seasoning and parsley flakes,pour in the canned chicken broth and you have homemade gravy! You probably have all the ingredients on hand.Even if you have to purchase the broth it's still cheaper and a lot more flavorful than the stuff in a jar or can.
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OK Boop I'm going to give you my family recipe I use and my disclaimer and warning, I never measure so I will try to get as close as I can but most of the time I follow the rule of start small and keep adding to taste. If you can get 2 cups of drippings, add 1 to 2 cups of chicken stock. Then add the turkey neck and the turkey butt to the pot. Next add poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper to taste. Normally I add a bit of poultry seasoning and sage, let it simmer for awhile and then add more to taste. Next add 3 to 4 boiled eggs cut up, about a tablespoon of butter and let the whole thing simmer on low to slightly medium until it finally starts a good rolling boil. During the cooking process, stir every now and then mostly to make sure that it is not sticking in the pan. When you have a good rolling boil, then add a little water to a cup and slowly add a tablespoon, possibly two, depending on how much gravy you wind up making, of flower and stir in the cup until it is smooth. If you add the flour slowly and stir into the water quickly, it won't be lumpy. Once you have a smooth non lumpy flour misture, pour this mixture into the gravy and again cook slowly until it comes to a boil. At this point then begin adding the additional poultry seasoning, sage and salt and pepper to taste and cook until thickened and that's it! It is really easy peasy and if you feel you have to measure the seasonings start with a teaspoon and keep adding until you get to get just the right taste level. If you get really stressed email me and I will give you my home number and I can walk you through it! Gobble gobble!!
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I've ONLY used a fresh, nat'l turkey for 25+ years (Huntsinger in So. Calif.) and I get tons of brown bits, so I'm confused how this would happen to you. I'm clarifying to you that my turkey NEVER has been injected with the "8-12%" salt solution, etc. as many are but buyers often neglect to see the fine print. My procedure is to Pam my roasting pan and rack, place the washed and cleaned/trimmed turkey on the rack and THEN proceed to season it all over, including the insides, along with a final sprinkling of paprika for color all over. Some of all of this, of course, falls to the bottom of the roasting pan. I then always cook breast-side down for first 45 min. @ 425 F. and then breast side up for the remaining time at 325F., rubbing it with softened butter just once during cooking. I also tilt the unstuffed bird just prior to removing it from the pan for any add'l drippings that were inside. I have TONS of brown bits in the pan + about 1/2" at least of dk. brown drippings. I then separate this, commence with the gravy makings in the same roasting pan and then add in at the right time the cup or two of turkey broth (+ chp'd giblets and neck bits) I cooked earlier with the giblets, neck, wing tips, onion and water that boiled for 1.5 hrs. The color is DARK brown with NO soy sauce or anything else added (sorry, DCarch). Delish.
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Jeri, thank you, I hadn't seen your make ahead au jus. I like its fundamentals -- roasted soup bones and beef shank and onions. I will probably triple the onions, then deglaze the roasting pan with some red wine (a la Woodie's turkey gravy) and then proceed with additional stock, carrots, and celery for lengthy simmering. Strained it should make a great au jus. I'll probably gravy-tize it with a roux and stir in sauteed mushrooms and lots of ground pepper at the end. (Ummm, only 24 days til Christmas . . .)
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Angelaid-use the drippings from whatever meat you cooked to make brown gravy.If you don't have drippings use canned beef broth.I keep a couple of cans in the pantry at all times.Thicken with cornstarch,not flour,and the secret to brown gravy is strong left over coffee! About 1/2 cup to 2 cups other liquid (never use milk for brown gravy!).If you don't have leftover brewed coffee you can use a couple of Tbsps. dry instant coffee.I also keep that on hand just for gravy purposes.You can't taste the coffee at all and it makes the gravy nice and brown and flavorful.I made brown gravy for Thanksgiving like this because DGD requested brown gravy for her mashed potatoes and she loved it.If she will eat it,must be good cause she is a very picky eater.There is also a product called kitchen Bouquet that can be added to your liquid to make the gravy brown but it isn't something one normally has in the pantry.
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Jasdip
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks! I never thought of chicken broth.
The poultry seasoning would help, either way.
patti43
15 years ago
I've never tried the jarred chicken gravy but use the brown gravy in a jar when I make shepherd's pie and make roast in the crockpot. Have you ever tasted it? Maybe you should buy some and experiment--maybe add a little sage or other herb of your choice. If you are making broth for the stuffing, I'd skim some of the fat off the top and add it to the gravy. Or you could make your own with some of the broth.

Our newspaper has a weekly cooking section and every week they rate a different product. Last week it was brown gravy mix (in a package not the jar). Lawrey's won hands down with all 4 judges saying it tasted like homemade. I haven't tried it because most of those package things have too much salt for us.

Whatever you do, I hope you and your family will have a merry Christmas.
patti43
15 years ago
Sorry to repeat--I started this post earlier and got waylaid!
casey_nfld
15 years ago
I actually like some canned gravy better than homemade! I buy Cordon Bleu Turkey Gravy, it's really good. Not sure if it's available in the US (although I know you are from Canada, just saying in case someone from the US wants to try it out).

Here is a link that might be useful: Cordon Bleu
Jasdip
Original Author
15 years ago
Casey,
I've never seen nor heard of Cordon Bleu. What store is it available there? I wonder if it's regional.
tobygirl
15 years ago
To canned chicken gravy, I would add a little cream or half & half and, as suggested, a little poultry seasoning. The cream will cut the saltiness.
casey_nfld
15 years ago
Jasdip I get it at Sobeys here but usually if they carry it so does Dominion/Loblaws. Do you have Sobeys or is that an Atlantic Canadian chain?
Marcia Thornley
15 years ago
Add some drippings, and a little wine! I do it all the time. I buy Diana's Gravy in a jar. It is really good. I just doctor it up and tell everyone it's homemade. Everyone loves it! I usually roast a chicken on Sunday afternoon. DH has hockey on Sundays so we carve it up and have hot chicken sandwiches with this gravy.
country_sunshine
15 years ago
I have never used canned or jarred gravy... so I am no help really.. but using chicken stock with seasonings in it sounds like it might work..

Whenever I bake a chicken, I save all the drippings in the refrig..and then skim off the fat... and keep the rest for gravy making... I probably have a dozen little chunks of drippings in the freezer..

I'm sure whatever you do will end up okay...

Carolyn
Jasdip
Original Author
15 years ago
Yep Sobey's here Casey!
Thanks for ALL the tips. I'm sure it will all work out good in the end. I'll try to get some of the drippings at the bottom of the tray.
happyhappy
15 years ago
Save that chicken fat!!! Cover the bottom of a frying pan with onions ...ladle on some chicken fat. Fry til onions are done (do not brown onions). Strain off onions. Save this wonderful fat, called "schmaltz". Next time you want to fry potatoes, add your canola oil and then about 2 T of the schmaltz for flavor. HEAVEN!
vicki_lv_nv
15 years ago
I keep all the bones (carcass) from my rotisserie chickens and when I have 3 or 4, I make a rich stock from them. I put this in the freezer. When I need gravy, I use this to make it. It's saved my rear end on many occasions. I don't think I have ever had gravy from a jar or can, so other than adding some cream and some spices, I can't help.
janie_ga
15 years ago
Go buy some at KFC or a local restaurant that has home cooking. Explain why you need it and they will not think you are too crazy.

I would not even try to make anything taste like my Granny's. I figure, we moved away from home so we have to deal with lumpy, non-Granny gravy as punishment, lol.
susanjf_gw
15 years ago
why not bake the potatoes and and not bother with gravy at all? i just don't care for any canned product...

at least if you use the chicken stock recipe, you can get the sodium reduced...

hope mom is doing well and will be in and out of rehab place soon!
jannie
15 years ago
I occasionally use canned gravy. I fix it up with any fat drippings from the meat, or just a little Kitchen Bouquet liquid seasoning. Or a little bit of dried herbs-marjoram, tarragon, thyme. I don't personally care for sage or poultry seasoning.
bluejeans4ever
15 years ago
Jasdip, Swiss Chalet has a really nice chicken gravy in a packet, (it's a powder that you mix with water) that you can get any any grocery store. 100 times better than canned.

My Mom was in hospital one Christmas, it didn't seem like Christmas at all. I hope you can all have a celebration once she's home!

BJ
cynic
15 years ago
Canned/jar gravy isn't all that bad and far better than many a homemade I've had! I have news for the anti-can snobs. Just because something is homemade does NOT mean it's better. Anyone can make gravy. Not just anyone can make GOOD gravy. If you really don't like the canned stuff, go with baked potatoes, scalloped, au gratin, fried, roasted, hashbrown casserole or something. How about a wild rice "dressing" instead?

As suggested there's the "imitation" homemade gravy with just roux, stock and seasonings, or the 3 condiment gravy, both of which I like too, though they're really not much different than canned IMO.

Let me tell you about my last meal with brother & his wife:
-Spiral cut ham put in the oven uncovered for probably 4-5 hours. Similar to ham jerky.
-Soupy mashed potatoes. After all, potatoes can't stand on their own, they need a gallon of milk and margarine in them, right?
-Gravy was a burned sauce of some sort, separated, lumpy... Anyone want the recipe?
-Best part was the frozen corn that wasn't overcooked
-Homemade lemon meringue pie consisting of a frozen pie shell with a can of lemon pie filling in it. Meringue? Added when served. It came out of a plastic tub with "Cool Whip" on the lid. Yes, it was homemade. Yum??? Hardly.

I went home and had a sandwich.

Making Canned Gravy Taste Homemade?

sheilajoyce_gw

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