Most often than not i use the juices left in in roasting pan after the roast is out if the oven.
I usually have a kettle boiling by then –
- place the roasting pan over the heating element on the stove top
- place the target gravy dish in the warm oven (cooling down after you take out the meat)
- pour some boiling water, let it simmer and absorb whatever is left in the pan – it helps to scrape the pan bottom with a wooden spatula or spoon
- some will attempt to ‘thicken’ the gravy here, bu adding and energetically dissolving a spoon or two of flour, but it is not necessary
- let the liquid reduce, think of taste shades possible:
- basic spices like salt, pepper,
- some fruity shade (currant jelly, raspberry or lingonberry confiture, apples, )
- herbal shade (mint, thyme…)
- creamy (whipping cream or butter)
- gentle but definite alcoholic flavour (vermouth, dry white or red, cognac..)
- any tempting combination of the above
- check the taste and the texture, pour into a hot gravy boat..
Most of the time i serve the gravy separately, but in some cases like leg of lamb, or my mom’s pork roast, the gravy travels in the same dish with sliced meat.