Gluten Free Gravy recipe

Originally Posted November 15, 2011

If you think making homemade gravy is harder than the SAT’s, think again. Instead of using a gluten-based roux (butter and flour), you can use a slurry or a gluten-free flour based roux; the slurry is the easiest.

Gluten Free Slurry-Based Gravy

A slurry is a combination of a starch and cold water (equal parts) which are mixed into a hot liquid like chicken or turkey broth. The ratio that I use which seems to work well is:

1 Tablespoon Cornstarch to 1 Tablespoon Cold Water to 1 cup of liquid

If you can’t tolerate corn, try arrowroot, tapioca or potato starch. Make sure the gravy is seasoned well with herbs, spices and…salt (again, assuming you can tolerate). To give it the creaminess and texture you might miss with a regular gravy, add 1 Tablespoon of unsalted butter at the end. You can also try cream or a plain unsweetened milk, like coconut (it has a thicker texture than rice).

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chicken broth

Note: to make turkey gravy for the holidays, substitute 1/2 cup (or more) of the broth and use 1/2 cup of the drippings from the turkey. You can add about a cup of very hot water to the bottom of the roasting pan to make a broth.

• Slurry: 2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water

• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon fine sea or kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh, chopped or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• Optional: 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or butter substitute to make creamier

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1. Heat broth in a small to medium sized pot.
2. Meanwhile, make the slurry in a small bowl. Mix until smooth and the slurry looks like whole milk (see photo above). Make sure to mix the slurry right before adding it to the broth.
3. Once broth is simmering, whisk in slurry and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until thickened. If the sauce is not thick enough, add more slurry if necessary.
5. Make sure the sauce does not have a starchy texture. The way to tell is to taste it. If there is a gritty texture, the sauce needs to cook more.
6. Add sage at the end. Optionally add 1 tablespoon of butter to make the sauce more creamy and similar to a roux-thickened sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings. If it tastes “flat”, add more salt, 1/8 teaspoon at a time.

Variations

For variations, add the following ingredients to the sauce when the broth is added. You may need to add more slurry to achieve the proper thickness.

• Lemon and Garlic: Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 minced garlic clove to a chicken or vegetable based broth.
• Wine and Herb: Add 2 tablespoons of dry white wine and 1 teaspoon of dried herbs to the broth.
• Mustard: Whisk in 1 to 2 teaspoons dijon or grainy mustard into the sauce as it thickens.
• Creamy: Add 1 tablespoon cream to any of the above sauces.

Gluten Free Roux-Based Gravy

Makes about 2 cups

• 1 1/2 tablespoons/20g butter or butter substitute
• 1/4 cup or more gluten-free flour (use one with rice and starch; not almond or coconut flour) or superfine rice flour
• 2+ cups/450g warm broth (chicken, turkey, or vegetable) or drippings from a chicken or turkey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground sage or poultry seasoning, or other dried herb. See Variations above for other flavors.

1. Melt butter or butter substitute in a medium sauce pan over medium heat until bubbling.
2. Add flour and whisk. The gluten-free roux should appear very thick (add more flour if it does not) but as it cooks, will become more like a paste. Lower heat to medium low. Continue cooking until roux starts to become golden brown.
3. After about 10 minutes of total cooking time, whisk well one more time (the roux should come together) before adding broth. Start by adding 1 3/4 cups of the broth slowly, whisking constantly until all of it is added.
4. Raise heat slightly so the gravy is simmering and cook until the right thickness is obtained. Taste and adjust salt if needed.
5. Add seasoning at the end if using. If the gravy is too thick, add more broth.