Home Made or Gourmet

Spaghetti sauces should be home made or gourmet.

Gravy Facts

  • Store bought sauces are for the most part high in fat and calories. Prego extra chunky with sausage and green pepper is 47-percent fat. Ragu marinara is 40 percent fat. One of the lowest in fat for store-bought is Neumann’s Own; the mushroom sauce is 22-percent fat.
  • A good method of removing fat from gravy or stew is to wrap a few ice cubes in a piece of cheesecloth, then pull it back and forth over the surface. The fat will become hard and sa to the cloth when it comes into contact with it.
  • Packaged sauces and gravies are all lower quality convenience items. They contain chemicals for the flavor, coloring, freshness and texture.
  • When country style gravy ends up with lumps, stir and mash them out with a potato masher. This utensil also comes in handy for stirring up the batter for packaged cake mixes.
  • By adding 2 or 3 shots of brandy or 1/3 to 1/2 cup of port wine to plain gravy and bringing it to a quick boil you will add a little extra pizzazz to a roast.
  • Adding thin strips of citrus zest to a sauce or gravy will enhance the flavor. We suggest using lemon or lime as a compliment to grilled meats, chicken, or fish.
  • Instead of water use wine, tea, or beer in stews and sauces. It will help tenderize tough cuts of meat and add a rich flavor to the gravy.
  • Add a teaspoon of peanut butter to cover up the burnt flavor of gravy. This will not alter the taste.
  • When using butter for sauteing, always use unsalted butter since the salt separates from salted butter when heated and may leave a bitter taste.
  • If you add a pinch of salt to flour before mixing it with a liquid, it will help keep the gravy from becoming lumpy.
  • To obtain a richer brown color to your gravy, spread the flour on a cookie sheet and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally until brown before using the flour or add a small amount of coffee to the gravy. You will not taste the coffee flavor.
  • A high fat gravy will have a better consistency if you add one-quarter teaspoon of baking soda to it.

Sauce Facts

  • If you purchase spaghetti sauce, never purchase the ones that already have the meat included. By law they only need to include meat that is 6 percent meat. Best to add the meat at home for a better quality sauce.
  • If you like your spaghetti sauce a little sweeter, try adding 1 tablespoon of grape jam to your favorite sauce recipe.
  • Another trick to turn gravy brown is to add onion skins to the gravy while it is cooking, but only for a few minutes, then discard the skins.
  • When making a white sauce, add a dash of nutmeg for a great taste.
  • If a brown sauce becomes too acidic it can be balanced with a small amount of port or Madeira wine. If the sauce becomes too sweet finish with just a touch of wine vinegar before adding butter or cream.
  • If your Hollandaise sauce has curdled, try beating a tablespoon of cold water into it and it will bring it back to smooth texture.

Troubleshooting Gravy

  1. Gravy is lumpy: With a whisk, beat the gravy until smooth. If this fails, use a food processor, strainer or blender.
  2. Gravy is not thick: Dissolve 1-teaspoon cornstarch (per 1-cup of gravy) with 1-teaspoon cold water or broth. Whisk into gravy and simmer one minute until thickened.

Read More: Food Facts