Make a gravy mix without spending a fortune! (Ok …. it’s only $5 !) for a box of Bisto mix….. But it’s more about avoiding the ton of salt /MSG that’s in the Bisto, and being able to have a gravy mix on hand at any time, with ingredients you likely have on hand already.
** I’ve made it in the microwave, but you could also do it on the stovetop.
Ingredient amounts below are give or take, so experiment with spices! …..
This recipe will give you a pretty good ‘general purpose’ brown gravy, but if you wanted to make it more of a beef gravy, you could swap out the Rotisserie Chicken powder for something with a bacon or a beef flavour to it …. use your imagination!
The quantities below will give you enough gravy for one average family meal for 3 or 4 people. To increase the quantity you are making, just double, triple, quadruple, etc, your amounts, once you are happy with the taste, write down any adjustments you’ve made to it’s ingredients and/or amounts.
Ingredients:
- 3 teaspoons Corn Starch
- 1/2 teaspoon Perfect Pinch Rotisserie Chicken powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon Onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet browning and seasoning sauce (add more or less to get a lighter or darker gravy) Do Not Add this to your mix if you are going to save your mix as a powder. This stuff is liquid, and would be added each time you are making your gravy. If you don’t have this Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce, you could try using Soya Sauce, but cut back on the salt you’ll put in, as Soya sauce tends to be pretty salty. This will add flavour, and give you some brown colour – I haven’t tried the Soya myself, but I think it would work just fine!
I opted NOT to use boullion cubes for flavouring, as is suggested on many recipe sites, as they are just LOADED with MSG and salt. Who needs that? (Just 1/2 of a cube contains 37% of recommended daily salt intake!).
Directions:
1.) Put 1/4 Cup water or so into microwave-safe coffee mug. Add the Cornstarch to it, and stir. Then add the ingredients above except the Salt and Pepper, and stir again.
2.) Microwave for 30 seconds, take out and stir.
3.) Microwave again for 30 seconds, take out and stir. Check for thickness, and add water if necessary, which you will likely have to do as you continue.
4.) Microwave in 30 second shots, until you get the thickness you want! Again, add water where necessary.
5.) When you are happy with it’s consistency, add salt and pepper to taste.
For comparison purposes, I got the recipe below online …… a DIY Brown Gravy Mix Recipe …. Beef bouillon granules were used vs bouillon cubes, but the recipe still works out to have a lot of msg/salt in it, I’m sure ……
Ingredients:
1/4 cup flour
1 Tablespoon beef bouillon granules
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Dash of dried parsley
Procedure:
Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
Store in airtight container until needed.