Chicken gravy from stock cubes??

CSMonkeh · 4 Jan 2016 at 19:24

This is kinda urgent (and also a n00b in this particular sub-forum) but getting off-the-shelf GF gravy is proving hard tonight and we were planning chicken pies for dinner
Do have some OXO Succulent Chicken stock pots - is it as simple as adding cornflour to it to thicken it?
Usually use sachets to make up 300ml so thats what quantity we're after

Thanks guys

FrenchTart · 4 Jan 2016 at 19:26

Yeah, that'll work though you may want to add less water (or reduce the gravy a lot). I'd personally also caramelise some onions to stick in there with it and add a little garlic, maybe some herbs, etc. Just chicken stock cube gravy will be kind of bleh.

bsoltan · 4 Jan 2016 at 19:29

What FrenchTart said. depending on the stock pot it could be rather salty as well. You could try adding some cranberry sauce or jam in that case. Or get some wine in there.

CSMonkeh · 4 Jan 2016 at 19:29

It supposedly has garlic and thyme in it.
Can't have onions - make me sick

So just gently heat say 250ml water with stock cube and add cornflour??

FrenchTart · 4 Jan 2016 at 19:40

Yeah but as bsoltan said, make sure to test how salty it is. If it's too salty just add a small amount of sweetness to it to help cover the saltiness. Don't worry, if you only add a little you won't be able to taste the sweetness - just will be able to taste less salt.

Stovepipes · 4 Jan 2016 at 20:42

With cornflour you don't add it to the dish you should create a slurry first or it'll just clump up.

That being said if you're making chicken pies any decent recipe wouldn't need chicken gravy.

Lt_Red · 4 Jan 2016 at 21:25

+1 gotta slurry cornflour first, one table spoon and enough water to turn it, add it in small amounts and stir, test, add a bit more. A little goes a long way. Make sure its not boiling too ferociously when you add the slurry, but bring it back to the boil before adding more - when its boiling that is as thick as it will get. Heat it through for at least 8-10 minutes before serving or you will taste the flour. Cornflour slurry reduces flavor, so you will likely need more seasoning, bearing in mind the saltiness of the stock cube as stated above. Finally, take it off the boil and add a knob of butter to bring back the shine.

Participant · 4 Jan 2016 at 22:09

Make a roux please noobs, none of this cornflour rubbish.

monkentage · 4 Jan 2016 at 22:35

Isn't that a Veloute not gravy? For gravy I think you need to brown some meat scraps first.

Stovepipes · 4 Jan 2016 at 22:45

Participant said:
Make a roux please noobs, none of this cornflour rubbish.

Snob much.

Do whatever works.

Stovepipes · 4 Jan 2016 at 22:47

monkentage said:
Isn't that a Veloute not gravy? For gravy I think you need to brown some meat scraps first.

You're probably right but we're talking about stock pots and corn flour here, that's our level at the moment.

Wizzfizz · 5 Jan 2016 at 05:46

Back when I grew up in the 80s/90s gravy from oxo cubes alone was the norm

FrenchTart · 5 Jan 2016 at 08:17

Stovepipes said:
You're probably right but we're talking about stock pots and corn flour here, that's our level at the moment.

Indeed. I thought it would be more useful to give you advice on your current situation rather than lecture you about what you 'should' be doing

FrenchTart · 5 Jan 2016 at 08:21

Wizzfizz said:
Back when I grew up in the 80s/90s gravy from oxo cubes alone was the norm

Same here. Then again, go back another 20 (?) years and making stock from scratch was probably the only option.