Buzz
Using leftover roasted fat, you can effortlessly create an incredibly flavorful meat broth. Alternatively, if roasted fat isn’t available, you can still prepare a rich broth using cream and stock. What if you’re short on time? No worries! You can still whip up a delicious meat broth with just a few simple ingredients. Below are three methods to guide you in making meat broth:
Ingredients
Simple Meat Broth
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 cup of stock
Meat Broth Without Roasted Fat
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Meat Broth With Roasted Fat
- Roasted fat
- 1/4 cup flour or cornstarch
- Stock (optional)
- Butter (optional)
Steps
Simple Meat Broth
Bring 1 cup of stock to a simmer in a pot over medium heat. You can use chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, depending on your preference and the dish you plan to pair with the broth (for example, use chicken stock for dishes featuring chicken).
- This recipe serves 2-4 people, so a large pot isn’t necessary. If needed, you can double or even triple the ingredients and use a bigger pot.
Combine 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour in a small bowl, mixing until creamy. Ensure the butter is soft but not melted (melted butter won’t form a creamy mixture). The result should be a smooth paste, known in French as “beurre manié.”
- If the mixture is slightly lumpy, let it rest for 5-10 minutes before adding it to the stock. Simmer the stock on low heat and increase to medium once the butter-flour mixture is ready.
Add the butter-flour mixture to the stock and whisk vigorously. Initially, the mixture may appear lumpy and uneven. However, it will gradually dissolve into the stock, thickening it.
- Continue stirring while cooking. This step helps circulate air and thicken the broth more quickly.
Reduce the heat and allow the broth to thicken. High heat can cause the broth to boil too rapidly, thicken too quickly, and form bubbles. Keep the heat low, stir gently, and check the broth’s consistency. This process takes about 10 minutes, so there’s no need to rush.
- Taste the broth once you think it’s thick enough. Use a spoon to sample and check if the consistency meets your preference.
Seasoning. For broth prepared this way (without roast fat or cream), you should add a bit of salt and pepper or your preferred spices. Add seasonings gradually and taste to avoid over-seasoning.
- Note that the broth is meant to accompany other dishes. Therefore, if the broth's flavor isn't strong enough, there's no need to worry. The broth's taste will blend harmoniously with the flavors of the accompanying dishes.
Cooking Broth Without Roast Fat
Prepare a Roux sauce (pronounced 'roo') by cooking flour with butter until a smooth mixture is achieved. Then, the Roux sauce is cooked with cold broth until it thickens to form a rich gravy. The process of making Roux sauce is as follows:
- Cut 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) of unsalted butter into chunks (salted butter will make the gravy too salty). Then, place the butter chunks into a medium-sized pot.
- Turn the heat to low and cook until the butter bubbles. If the butter starts to burn, the heat is too high.
- Add ½ cup of white flour to the pot.
Stir continuously and consistently. Initially, the mixture may look unappetizing and lumpy, but it will gradually become smooth and well-combined. Keep stirring and cooking the mixture over low heat to allow air circulation and thicken the mixture.
- After about 6-12 minutes, the mixture will smell like baked goods. At this point, the flour is cooked and won't give the gravy a raw flour taste.
Add 1 cup of broth to the pot. Use chicken, beef, or vegetable broth. Continuously stir while pouring the broth into the pot to ensure the ingredients blend well. Add another cup of broth and keep stirring until the mixture is smooth. Repeat the process until the final product is a thick, lump-free gravy.
- The gravy should be thick. However, if it looks a bit soupy at this stage, don't worry as this is normal.
Simmer on low heat until the gravy thickens. When tested with a spoon, the gravy should coat the spoon and drip slowly, not run like water. Achieving the right consistency typically takes about 10-15 minutes.
- Stir continuously to prevent the bottom from overheating and to ensure even heat and air distribution. This process requires patience as it takes some time.
- However, this is not the final step in making the gravy.
Add 1/3 cup of heavy cream to the pot once the gravy has thickened. Stir for 2-3 minutes, then check the consistency with a spoon. The gravy should stick to the back of the spoon and drip slowly. Your gravy is now ready to serve.
Seasoning. While this gravy method doesn’t require additional seasoning, you can add salt and pepper to taste. Other popular flavor enhancers include:
- Tomato sauce
- Soy sauce
- Coffee
- Sugar
- Pureed mushroom soup
- Sour cream
Cooking Gravy with Roast Drippings
Save the roast drippings. To make gravy using roast drippings, start by saving the fat and meat bits left in the pan (usually from chicken, beef, or duck). Roast drippings add a rich flavor that other broths can’t replicate.
- Transfer the drippings to a wide-mouthed bowl. A wide-mouthed bowl makes it easier to separate the fat.
Separate the fat. Allow the roast drippings to settle for 1-2 minutes so the fat rises to the top. Use a spoon to skim off the fat and transfer it to a measuring cup. While the fat may not look appealing, it will add a rich flavor to the gravy.
- Measure the fat to ensure it matches the amount of flour needed. Typically, you’ll need about 1/4 cup of fat.
- Set aside the remaining drippings (without the fat layer) for later steps.
Combine fat and flour in a 1:1 ratio. Pour the measured fat into a large pot and heat over medium heat. Then, add an equal amount of flour (e.g., 1/4 cup of flour for 1/4 cup of fat).
- If you need more gravy and don’t have enough drippings, you can supplement with butter. Melt butter in the pan and add an equal amount of flour.
- If you’re out of flour, cornstarch can be used as a substitute.
Mix the fat and flour. Use a wooden spoon to stir until the mixture thickens and turns a light brown, resembling melted butter. This usually takes a few minutes, and you must avoid burning the mixture.
- If the bottom of the pot starts to scorch, the heat is too high. Keep stirring and maintain low heat to prevent burning.
Add the broth. Pour the reserved drippings (without the fat layer) into the pot and stir continuously with the flour-fat mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture becomes smooth and thick, resembling gravy.
- If the drippings aren’t enough to make the desired amount of gravy, you can use canned broth. Choose broth that matches the meat used in the dish (e.g., beef broth for beef dishes or chicken broth for chicken dishes).
Season to taste. Gravy made with roast drippings is already flavorful, but you can enhance it with salt, pepper, cream (sour cream or heavy cream), tomato sauce, soy sauce, or coffee (for beef-based gravy) based on your preference.
Finalize.
Tips
- If using cornstarch for gravy, mix it with cold water before adding it to the broth (including the pan drippings and fat). Stir until the cornstarch dissolves completely before pouring it into the broth.
- For leftover gravy, transfer it to a container, top it with a thin layer of water or milk, and seal it for storage.
- If time allows, roast bones in the oven at 200°C until they turn brown. Then, add them to the broth to "capture the browned flavors" and create a richer taste.
- If the broth takes too long to thicken, add a small amount of raw flour and butter to speed up the process. While the final flavor may not be as refined, it will still taste better than gravies made using other methods.
What You'll Need
- Pot
- Bowl
- Measuring cup
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
- Knife
- Seasonings (optional)
