Perfect Gravy

Perfect Gravy

Honestly, a good gravy can make or break a roast, and this one is a total game changer. We've been making this for years and it's the thing people always ask us about at the dinner table. It's rich, deeply savoury, and packed with layers of flavour from the veggies, rosemary, and all those gorgeous caramelised bits in the pan. Once you've made this from scratch you'll never go back to a packet mix, trust us on this one.

Cook: 35 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large pan with lid
  • Sieve
  • Small glass
  • Bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 tbsp cornflour
  • 6 tbsp room temperature water
  • 1 tsp yeast extract - e.g. marmite
  • 1 tsp dark brown sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 small carrot
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 celery stick
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 2 sprig of thyme
  • 350ml red wine
  • 1 litre vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 tsp English mustard

Method

1

Prep and cook the veggies

  • Peel and finely dice the red onion, carrot and celery, keeping them separate on the chopping board
  • Heat up your pan on a medium heat. Pour the olive oil into the hot pan
  • Add the diced onion and cook for 2 minutes
  • Crush the garlic cloves into the pan and stir everything together
  • Cook for 2 minutes until you’ve released the aroma of the garlic
  • Add the diced carrot, celery and the rosemary and thyme sprigs
  • Stir everything together on the heat for about 7 minutes, until the vegetables are well softened
2

Add the red wine and stock

  • Pour in the red wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated
  • Pour the vegetable stock into the pan
  • Turn up the heat so that it’s bubbling nicely, then reduce to a gentle simmer, put the lid on and cook for 10 minutes
3

Strain the gravy

  • Take the pan off the heat and strain the liquid into a bowl through a sieve so that you’re left with a clear stock
  • Pour it back into the pan and put it back on the heat
4

Thicken the gravy

  • Put the cornflour into a small glass
  • Add the water and mix together with a fork, stirring really well to ensure there are no lumps
  • Add the cornflour mixture to the pan and whisk continuously while the gravy bubbles away for 5 minutes, until you have a nice thick consistency
5

Add the final flavours and serve

  • Add the tomato purée, yeast extract, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper and stir until well mixed
  • Thin the gravy to your desired consistency with some boiling water
  • Pour the gravy into a jug ready to serve

Tips & Variations

  • Make it richer: We love adding a good splash of red wine or a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar when the veg is cooked. It adds a lovely depth and a tiny bit of sweetness that really rounds everything out.
  • Get the consistency right: If your gravy is too thin, just let it bubble away for a few more minutes uncovered. If it's too thick, a splash of veg stock loosens it right up. You're in control here.
  • Prep it ahead: This gravy actually gets better the next day once the flavours have had time to mingle. Make it the day before your roast, keep it in the fridge, and just reheat gently on the hob.

Why This Works

The trick here is taking your time with the veg at the start. Getting the onion, carrot, and celery properly softened and golden before you add anything else builds a flavour base that gives the gravy that real depth. The rosemary and garlic do the rest of the heavy lifting, and you end up with something that tastes like it's been cooking all day.