General Chat

last weekend,i met a very nice lady from gc.....we're meeting again next weekend,and i wont to have a nice dinner waiting for her. ime going to do,either steak,or roast beef,not a problem for me...but as a single dad,ive got into the habit of using oxo cubes,just for the ease of use.....but now i really want to do a nice gravy,and ime stuck...do i use bisto,if so ..how? your advice would be appreciated. bryan.

Brian, Either Oxo or Bisto granules are very easy and tasty, you are still able to do it with the juice from the meat if you wish too. June

best to do what you are used to doing, or practice first. If using meat juices with most fat removed, add water from cooking potatoes, and thicken with cornflour mixed with small amount of cold water and coloured with either bisto powder or gravy browning. Hope all goes well. Val

hiya bryan my mam was a cook and this is what she taught me( she was self taught i might add)if i do beef or lamb i put it in tin foil and put it in a oven proof dish with some water( some people will say thats not proper roast as i have not used fat) keep your eye on the water that it does not dry up.When your meat is cooked you have all your stock in your foil tip it into a pan along with the stock off your vegs( potatoes carrots and turnips and cauli or what ever and i use 1 or 2 oxos and thicken it with a mixture of flour and water by now i could eat a scabby horse lol good luck

thank you ladies,for your help.......ive heard about using water from the veg,as a base...but my mate lynda seems to know me........so i think i will have a look in sainsburies,just to see,if they do a ..ready gravy..lol bryan.

Hi Bryan, I am risking being "shot" by the others but here goes. My late Dad was the best gravy maker ever. Together with the roast he would cook a chopped onion and a potato or two and mixed with the juices of the meat would make the gravy on top of the stove (on a low burner) with a fork mashing the potato and onion to thicken the gravy, If you want a thicker gravy add a bit of flour. No "cubes" Yuuk! Lindy;-)))

hiya lynda which supermarkets gravy do you like best i will try it saves faffing about

Hi Lynda, I am not a "happy camper" went to the dentist and have a swollen jaw, otherwise fine, thank you! It's too hot for this time of the year and not a rain cloud in sight So Spain being, closer to North Africa is even hotter. I know it was 30 degrees in Madrid yesterday so Andalucia, would be even hotter. Lindy;-))

Lindy Please keep the weather there! am looking at going back to the Algarve 26 Dec for a week but will keep you posted, as the one I looked at on Monday had gone up 50€ by Tuesday night, and this time will not be diversed!!! Kim x

Thanks Lynda;-) Kim , I hate to tell you this, but it always rain over Christmas and New Year. Lindy;-))

hiya brian... just pop in now and again, nice to see your back on site..... oxo gravy really nice... not so keen on bisto sure at the end of the day the company is more important lol. have a nice time!! Lynda xx

Brian whatever method of gravy you use, i hope your meal goes well, and your new friend enjoys herself, it is so nice to be able to have company that is also interested in the tree hobby. lol sandra

Hope it all goes well Bryan, am sure she'll love the dinner, whatever the gravy!, have a nice time!..

See how we all differ, personally I dislike oxo gravy & prefer Bisto. Hope when you've gone to all that trouble, she is not one of those people who dislike ANY gravy on their dinner!! I have a couple of visitors who don't

bistos the best brian but what i usually do if your doing roast beeef then put the juices in the gravy to give it a better taste.don't forget your yorkshires and good old english mustard.have a lovely time.love and hugsxxxxx(:

When I'm making gravy to go with a roast I chop up an onion, a carrot and a stick of celery, put them in the bottom of the roasting tray and set the chicken or joint on top with some sunflower oil poured over. When the bird or joint is cooked, pour these vegetables into a sieve set over a saucepan, together with all the cooking juices, and use a wooden spoon to puree the cooked veg through the sieve. Then add a tablespoon or so of plain flour to the pan and cook for a minute stirring all the time. At this point you can pour off any excess fat. When the vegetables you are having with the roast are cooked save the liquid, add an appropriately flavoured KNORR stock cube (the best tasting, in my opinion), and then pour over your flour and puree mix in the saucepan stirring constantly. Bring to the boil, simmer for a minute or two and serve in a gravy boat. You'll never want to touch Bisto gravy again! Dee x

bryan have a lovely time don't worry about the gravy as you can buy it already made aswell.so it's already done for you.love and hugsxxxxxx(:

thanks everyone for your help, going to try experimenting on wednes,just as a re-run,see how different gravy's taste,might not have a dinner,just dip bread in it lol. also been on..oxo.. site,learned a lot...did you know,when frying sausages,you can sprinkle oxo on them,for a nicer taste! bryan.

lynda, you could always make a guess lol. bryan.