Creamy, comforting, warm, aromatic, rich—it’s no wonder that gravy finds itself on fall and winter menus. These qualities hearten patrons on chilly days and lift spirits during the holiday season. To heighten the guest experience, build upon these characteristics that make gravy great with unique flavor twists. Many patrons will enjoy traditional flavor profiles during their in-home holiday gatherings, so be sure your menu listings are exceptional. And most importantly, remember, gravy isn’t just for turkey this holiday season. We’ve put together three jumping-off points for changing up conventional gravies. These gravy concepts start with products from our Chef's Own® Gravy Mixes and Master’s Touch® Gravy Concentrates, which include beef, pork, poultry, and white gravies. By incorporating just a couple ingredients, you can transform a classic gravy into something unexpected.
Booze-Infused:
Spike up your gravy with alcoholic additions.
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Kick the classic apple and pork combination up a notch by incorporating applejack brandy and sliced pears into savory pork gravy. The creamy gravy would give a nice contrast to crispy fried pork chops.
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For another twist on pork gravy, balance the deep flavors of Guinness Stout with the sweet notes of caramelized leeks. A gravy like this can pair well with meat proteins or alternatives such as hearty mushrooms.
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Savory Whiskey Gravy is created using poultry gravy, rye whiskey, and chervil. Use this to top carved chicken or turkey or incorporate into other dishes. Whiskey Pot Pie anyone?
Easy Elevation:
Finishing our gravies with these add-ins will be the cherry on top of a guest’s night out.
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A minor change that makes a big impact to a standard poultry gravy is the addition of white wine, sage, and shallots. These flavors blend beautifully in a chicken or turkey dish.
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A well-balanced steak sauce starts as beef gravy before being mixed with butter, tarragon, and balsamic vinegar.
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Whole grain mustard and white wine mixed in a pork gravy bring classic French flavors to a roast.
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Roasted Garlic Turkey Gravy is always a fan favorite and is your entry into so many variations. Once you’ve prepared the Custom Culinary® Master’s Touch® Turkey Gravy Concentrate, swirl in Custom Culinary® Master’s Touch® Roasted Garlic Flavor Concentrate and take in the compliments. The same results will occur with this Mushroom Turkey Gravy, of course. Starting with the same Turkey Gravy Concentrate, we added Custom Culinary® Gold Label Mushroom Base, but where you go is really your choice. Swapping in one of our most popular products, Custom Culinary® Gold Label Latin-Style Citrus Chili Sauce, will lead you to a Latin Citrus Chili Turkey Gravy. All will be just as easy, just as delicious. One more twist: try it with apples. For an Apple Turkey Gravy, we start with Apple Cider, whisk in Turkey Gravy Concentrate, and finish with diced, peeled apples. We especially like this version with a smoked turkey breast, but with other game birds, too.
Not Just For Drizzling:
Gravies don’t have to simply accompany a cut of meat. Use the gravy base as a building block to standout sauces.
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North Africa influences beef gravy with the additions of our Custom Culinary® Harissa and Roasted Garlic Concentrate. Use this sauce to flavor your spin on traditional North African beef tagine.
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Begin with charred corn mixed into country gravy, then add Tajin seasoning to give it a kick. Choose a Tajin blend that matches your desired heat level. A white gravy like this is perfect to create a creamy breakfast chilaquiles for brunch.
Give our gravies a shot this season. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how easily they’ll bring robust flavors and authentic textures to your dishes. For even more easy add-in ideas, scroll through our gravy menuing guide, filled with on-trend concepts and elevate your gravy game. Until next time!
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