A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2005 Half & Half, Part II

Well, since we were chatting about gravy of every description, I wanted to tell you all about the disaster gravy we tried to have tonight.

In a hurry to get dinner on and not having any drippings of any kind, but really in the mood for some gravy on the mashed potatoes, I gave in and opened the CAN of Turkey Gravy someone had given me and I thought I would never use.

The ONLY thing I could taste was SALT! gaggggg

The texture of the stuff was also not very nice.

It reminded me of the thickener they added to ALL liquids before I learned how to eat again after the coma. I'm not kidding! The kitchen staff would pour some stuff in my water, my coffee, my soup to make it gelatinous so I'd have to eat it with a spoon.

Maxi, at 8, looked in my water cup and saw that thick stuff, asked me what it was and when I said "my drink of water" he said "what's the point?" (that's no drink!)

So the canned gravy was rather like that stuff... not nice at all!

So now I really can't wait to make the real thing next week!

Merme

Um, can someone walk me through the gravy making process step-by-step? Would it be better to use the turkey drippings or the ham? Can you even do it with ham?

Furthermore, what's the best way to bake/roast a ham?

Ha. This thanksgiving ought to be fun. Or scary. Maybe I should see which resturant around here is open, as a plan "b"....

Barley, I think it was Dave/Peppereater who gave quite good directions for making gravy in the first Half & Half or perhaps the thread about beef cuts. I'm sorry I can't be more specific, but I can help you look.

Many of us here seem to be quite good gravy makers although we use an assortment of techniques and ingredients. Much depends on what you like!

Some of us are staunch supporters of flour based gravies; others prefer cornstarch as the thickening agent. Some add milk; others water.

So read through all the directions, knowing it is VERY EASY to make gravy any way you like it, and pick the method that seems to suit you best.

Merme

Thank you Merme!

Barley,
I find the best and easiest way to do a ham is to slice it before cooking it, spread it around a baking dish and baste it with a glaze. I make mine out of corn syrup, brown sugar, mustard and vinegar. I bake it for about 45 mins at 350-375....uncovered. Some might disagree with this but people rave over my ham. Doing it this way ensures that every piece has a nice helping of glaze on it and it is yummy!!!
Christina
P.S. I've never heard of ham gravy.

Christina...I like that thought for doing ham! Thank you for sharing it.

I really should have paid more attention when mom or grandma were doing holiday meals! :rolleyes:

Barley...I was real intimidated by gravy for a long time! I thought it was gonna be this really hard thing to make...it's not at all. But, my suggestion to you is not use Thaksgiving as your trial run...bad idea, you will be frazzled if it doesn't turn out. So, If I were you...I would have a practice run before the big day. Even if it is just with an inexpensive can of chicken broth, through in a little rosemary & sage and thicken it with corn starch.(use a whisk)

I bake mine in a brown paper bag. After spicing it up with pretty pineapples, marachino cherries and a ton of whole cloves poked in it...I make a "baste" out of the juice left from the pineapple, orange juice concentrate (can of frozen) and Heinz 57 sauce and brown sugar...it is absolutely the best baste I have come up with...the Heinz gives it a super duper kick that I love! So, you certainly wouldn't want to make gravy out of the ham...because it would be a sweet gravy ...and mostly, your gravy is going to top your turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes....so I would stick to turkey gravy.

Yea! I'm glad you started this.

Merme, when I don't have any drippings but want gravy, I melt butter in a pan, add flour and stir out all the lumps, let it get brown, turn the heat way up and add milk. Everyone loves it. My sisters and nieces and nephews want me to make it for every occasion even when there is turkey to use for gravy, they want Sheri's milk gravy.

Merme, you've had quite the life. You're always saying something that sounds like you should be on CSI. Glad you're ok now.

Sheri ~ That butter in the pan with flour browned a bit is how I start all my cheese sauces. I never thought of doing it without adding any cheese! What a concept!! Thanks!

CSI? I thought you were going to say Insane Asylum!

Merme

You might meet up with our Cindy Lou, Fay, Louise at the Asylum.

Sheri & Merme...I add a bit of garlic to it to make the cream sauce for creamed peas, creamed potaoes or creamed spinach...........ewe...now I want some creamed spinach!!!!!

Now I'm craving creamed spinach and salmon.

Oh man. Can't you crave something normal, like chocolate?

Can't do the creamed spinach. Just don't like the sound of it.

I always have spinach with my salmon patties...haven't had creamed spinach in a long time though....I think I like just plain spinach with the salmon patties because I pour on the malt vinegar...and let some run into the salmon...and EWE MAN...can I have a good time!!!


~V~

Normal????

Sheri...do you like spinach dip?

That is what creamed spinach reminds me of...it really is yummy!!!

Oh....malt vinegar too? :p Wrong, I tell you!

I've got to go find that can of whipped cream to get the thought out of my mind.

Oh Barley, I meant to tell you that when I roast a ham I do not glaze it per se. I just let 'er bake and bake.

Then, before serving, I whip up a special sauce made out of cornstarch and water with cherries and apricots all diced up and a touch of cloves added. That stuff is DELICIOUS!

It's what we served at one of my weddings.

Oh, and I know plenty of people who baste the ham with pepsi.

Merme

I do love spinach dip with lots of water chestnuts. But stillcan't do the creamed spinach.

OMG!!! I forgot I had a big can of Redi-Whip in the fridge!
I'm gonna go eat all of it...just because it's there!

...and I have nothing better to do right now!

Hey, no fair! I thought of it first! I was going to eat it all, but then I read the label. :rolleyes:

So now I'll just eat half of it!

So, Barley...I guess it would be safe to assume that you don't like sardines either...?

~V~

DON'T READ THE LABEL!