If roasting meat doesn't generate much juices, why do gravy recipes assume it does?
The accepted answer to this question states that you shouldn't expect a roast to generate much in the way of juices left behind in the pan, and that accords with my experience (which admittedly has always been very small roasts).
But if that's the case, why do (British) gravy recipes very commonly expect you to have significant quantities of meat juices to start to make gravy with? For example, here ("up to 200 ml meat juices") and here (unspecified amount of juices and "2 tbsp meat fat").
It feels like I'm missing something obvious that these recipe writers expect readers to understand. Any thoughts?
Best Answer
They may or may not assume a significant amount of pan juices and there are quite a few ways to get more than “just a bit”. Including low-quality meat, bad temperature control and other ways to extract the water from the meat. Unfortunately most are also ways to get dry meat, especially in lean cuts.
Fattier cuts are usually cooked a bit longer and to hotter temperatures in comparison, which will give the collagen time to “melt” and also create more juices as a side effect. The drippings will also contain more fat, than can be used for the roux to thicken the gravy.
There are also lots of recipes that “top up” the pan juices with stock, water or wine (your links both add stock), and small but concentrated amounts of pan juices can bring a lot of flavor to a gravy - just add liquid and boil all bits off the roasting pan, don’t just pour the liquid out of the pan. And finally there are also many ways to “cheat”, from simple box mixes to separately cooked sauces or jus made from bones and scraps.
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How do you get the juice out of beef?
The idea with resting is basically allowing the hot steak to cool to about 120 F to 125 F. At that temperature, the cells have relaxed enough so that the juices can flow back in.How do I make gravy out of roast juice?
MethodShould roast beef juices run clear?
How do I check these meats are properly cooked? When you pierce the thickest part of the meat with a fork or skewer, the juices should run clear.How does roasting affect meat?
Roasting can enhance the flavor through caramelization and Maillard browning on the surface of the food. Roasting uses indirect, diffused heat (as in an oven), and is suitable for slower cooking of meat in a larger, whole piece. Meats and most root and bulb vegetables can be roasted.I COOKED a Brisket for a MONTH and this happened!
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Answer 2
Meat drippings are more evident in fatty cuts than in leaner cuts. Also, a lot of grocery stores sell meat that have been soaking in water for a long time, making them seem heavier. These factors go into play when wondering whether or not to expect meat drippings.
At my house hold, we used to buy meat from a local butcher. Stir-frying the meat didn't produce much liquid, which was optimal. Nowadays, we buy meat from big-brand grocery stores, and when we stir-fry the meat, boy does the added water flow!
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