Revealed: The secret to making perfect gravy

Making the perfect gravy may seem like a daunting task. Photo / Getty Images

No roast dinner would be complete without it - but it can be surprisingly tricky to make the perfect gravy.

Cooking experts from Good Housekeeping have now shared the recipe that will guarantee delicious meaty gravy every time by taking home cooks through every stage required to make the best sauce.

And there are very specific instructions you should follow to make the perfect gravy, including only using plain flour, adding a splash of booze, and roasting vegetables alongside your meat so you can use their juices in the sauce too.

There's no need to worry if anything goes wrong either, as the cooks have also revealed how to fix any mistakes easily.

How to make the perfect gravy

1. Roast your meat on a tray or in pan that can then be heated on the hob, and roast it alongside vegetables such as celery, carrots and onions. You won't eat the vegetables but they will add sweetness and extra flavour to the gravy.

2. Start making the gravy when the meat has roasted and needs to rest. Lift the meat off the tray onto a board and cover with foil so it keeps warm. Then if there's lots of fat left on the tray, strain the fat and juices into a jug. Sit for a minute so the oil comes to the top. Don't discard the fat in your sieve. Leave the vegetables on the tray.

3. Put the skimmed fat back onto the tray and keep the juices in the jug after skimming off the oil that rises to the top.

4. Then choose a good quality stock to make up the body of your gravy that matches the meat you've roasted, eg a chicken stock for roast chicken. If you don't have the exact stock, use chicken or vegetable. Don't pour it in yet, just prepare it.

5. You should have a little oil and fat on your tray. Add plain flour and stir it in. Put the tin over a heat and scrap off the meaty residue on the bottom of the tin from when you roasted the meat. Cook for 30 seconds.

6. Whisk in the stock a little at a time, and add a splash of booze such as white wine, vermouth or brandy.

7. Add in the meat juices in the jug as well as any other fat that may have come out now that the meat has rested.

8. Bring to the boil and bubble for a few minutes, whisking constantly until thickened.

9. To add body and flavour, you can mash the vegetables a little before straining the gravy.

The perfect gravy isn't easy to make and requires a lot of steps.

But if you follow Good Housekeeping's instructions perfectly, you should end up with a savoury, rich sauce for your roast meat.

The secret is to save the fat and juices from your roast meat, as well as to keep any roasted vegetables in the gravy until the last second to add flavour.

Good Housekeeping has also shared the secret to fixing gravy that lacks punch or is too salty.

If your gravy is too salty, Good Housekeeping recommends adding a splash or cream or a squeeze of lemon as they can help to rebalance the flavours.

If the gravy needs more flavour, you can try adding a spoon of Marmite or mustard.

If the gravy is too bitter, then adding redcurrant jelly or even marmalade can help sweeten the sauce.