Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 1, Episode 8 - Gravy Confidential - full transcript

(Alton Brown)
IN THE BEGINNING,

CUISINE IS, WELL,
EXPERIMENTAL.

(caveman)
POO-AAH, BLAH, OOOH.

AS FOR SAUCE,
THERE IS BUT ONE,

AND IT COMES
CONVENIENTLY PACKAGED

INSIDE WHATEVER
UNFORTUNATE BEAST

HAPPENS ONTO THE MENU.

ANCIENT ROME...
PUNGENT SAUCES

MASK THE FLAVOR AND AROMA

OF FOODS CONSIDERABLY
PAST THEIR PRIME.

1533... CATHERINE DE MEDICI



MOVES FROM
FLORENCE TO PARIS,

TAKING ALONG THE
NEWLY INVENTED FORK

AND A BATTALION OF COOKS,

WHO SOON TEACH SAUCES
TO FRENCH COOKS,

WHO EVENTUALLY
DOMINATE THE WORLD

WITH THEIR LABYRINTHINE
SYSTEM OF SAUCES.

MEANWHILE, WHILE IN ENGLAND,

A CHINESE FISH SAUCE
FINDS A NEW HOME.

MM! CRACKIN' GOOD SAUCE.

WE'LL CALL IT CATSUP.
AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!

AS FOR THE COLONIES,

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
TURNS UGLY.

TATONKA.
LUMPY.

WHO CAN BLAME US
FOR BEING A LITTLE SAUCE LEERY?



AFTER ALL, WHO HASN'T
SUFFERED AT THE HANDS

OF A BROKEN HOLLANDAISE,
OR AN INSIPID MARINARA?

JOIN US AS WE PEER INTO
THE INNER WORKINGS

TO HATE--GRAVY.
OF THE SAUCE THAT AMERICAN COOKS LOVE

TATONKA.
LUMPY.

LUMPY.
KEEP WORKING ON IT.

DON'T WORRY
ABOUT RECIPES...

THE RIGHT PAN,
A STOUT WHISK

AND SOME HONEST SCIENCE
ARE GONNA SET YOU FREE.

SO GRAB HOLD OF YOUR
GRAVY BOAT, KIDS.

THIS IS GONNA BE
SOME GOOD EATS.

LUMPY.
TATONKA.

♪

♪

CLOUDS, LAVA LAMPS,

GRAVY, FINGERNAIL POLISH,

PAINT, LIBRARY
PASTE, MAYONNAISE...

ALL MEMBERS OF A GROUP

THAT SCIENCE TYPES
LIKE TO CALL COLLOIDS.

NOW A COLLOID IS BASICALLY
ANY LIQUID OR GAS

THAT HAS ANOTHER SUBSTANCE
DISPERSED THROUGHOUT IT

IN PARTICLE FORM.

NOW BELIEVE IT OR NOT,

MOST SUCCESSFULLY THICKENED
SAUCES ARE INDEED COLLOIDS.

SOME, LIKE SAY, MAYONNAISE,

ARE ACTUALLY THICKENED BY
TINY LITTLE GLOBULES OF FAT,

WHILE OTHERS DEPEND
ON NOTHING MORE

THAN PULVERIZED
VEGETABLE MATTER.

BUT IN THE
MAJORITY OF SAUCES,

THE ROLE OF
PARTICLE IS PLAYED

PERFECTLY BY
STARCH GRANULES.

AND IF THERE'S ANY
MYSTERY TO SAUCE MAKING--

AND WELL, A LOT OF COOKS
WOULD SAY THERE IS--

WELL, THEN STARCH IS
THE PRIME SUSPECT.

NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF
STARCHES TO CHOOSE FROM--

A DOZEN OR SO FLOURS,

THERE'S CORNSTARCH, POTATO
STARCH, RICE STARCH,

INSTANT STARCH...
YOU KNOW, WHAT I NEED

IS A GOOD FOOD SCIENTIST.

YOU WOULDN'T HAPPEN TO BE A
FOOD SCIENTIST, WOULD YOU?

CERTAINLY AM...
WELL, WOULD YOU HELP US TO FIND

A NICE SAUCE-FRIENDLY
STARCH?

YES.

WHAT YOU PROBABLY
DON'T WANT

ARE THE ROOT STARCHES.

THEY'RE CRYSTAL CLEAR,
HOT OR COLD,

THEY FREEZE BEAUTIFULLY,

BUT THEY'RE CLEAR.

SO YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A
CLEAR SAUCE OR GRAVY.

WOULD YOU EAT A
SEE-THROUGH GRAVY?

NO, NO.

OKAY, SO THAT RULES
OUT POTATO STARCH,

ARROW ROOT AND TAPIOCA.

NOW AT MOST GROCERY
STORES, THAT LEAVES, WHAT?

... FLOUR AND
CORNSTARCH, RIGHT?

YEP, AND FLOUR...

PLAIN OLD WHEAT
STARCH IS FINE.

THEY MAKE
SPECIALTY STARCHES

JUST FOR THICKENING
SAUCE AND GRAVY,

BUT YOU CAN JUST USE
THE FLOUR YOU'VE GOT ON YOUR SHELF.

PICK THE LOWEST PROTEIN
FLOUR YOU'VE GOT THERE

AND GO WITH IT.
LOW PROTEIN, HOW COME?

BECAUSE THE
PROTEIN IN FLOUR--

SEE, IT'S GOT STARCH
AND PROTEIN--

THE PROTEIN COOKS
AND FLOATS TO THE TOP.

YOU CAN SKIM IT OFF
IF IT'S OBJECTIONABLE.

OKAY, SO A SOFT SOUTHERN,
OR ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR WOULD BE BEST.

THAT WOULD BE IDEAL.

WELL, THANKS... DO YOU
HAVE A FAVORITE SAUCE?

MY MAMA'S GOOD OL' MILK
GRAVY WITH FRIED CHICKEN

IS OUT OF THIS WORLD.

SHE WAS A GOOD MAMA.

SO WHY DO STARCHES
MAKE GREAT THICKENERS?

WELL, WHEN INDIVIDUAL
STARCH GRANULES

RUB UP NEXT TO HOT LIQUIDS,
THEY KIND OF BURST,

RELEASING ALL THESE
LONG CHAINS OF GLUCOSE,

WHICH IS A BASIC SUGAR.

NOW IF THERE'S ENOUGH OF
THESE, THEY TANGLE UP

AND TRAP PASSING LIQUIDS
AND THICKEN THE SAUCE.

NOW SINCE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR

IS THE KITCHEN STANDARD
IN THIS COUNTRY,

THAT'S WHAT I'M GONNA
USE TODAY FOR SAUCES.

BUT IF YOU'VE GOT PASTRY
OR CAKE FLOUR, USE IT.

OKAY, SO THEORETICALLY,
AT LEAST,

GRAVY'S REALLY
NOT MUCH MORE

THAN STARCH AND A
HOT LIQUID, RIGHT?

WELL, LET'S MAKE
SOME GRAVY, THEN,

BECAUSE WE'VE GOT STARCH,
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR,

AND A HOT LIQUID,
BOILING WATER.

SO GRAVY, RIGHT?

MAKIN' GRAVY, GONNA
BE SMOOTH AND TASTY.

GONNA BE...

UH-OH.

THAT'S NOT GRAVY,
THAT'S LUMP CITY,

BIRTHPLACE OF
THE GRAVY BLUES.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.

SEE, WHEN THAT BIG 'OL WAD
OF FLOUR HIT THE WATER,

THE OUTSIDE BITS
GELATINIZED IMMEDIATELY,

FORMING AN IMPENETRABLE, BUT
INCREDIBLY GOOEY OUTER COAT.

SO WHEN YOU CUT INTO
IT, YOU SEE THAT

NOTHING BUT DRY
ON THE INSIDE.

THAT'S NASTY.

SO WHAT WE NEED IS A METHOD

TO GET THE FLOUR OR
WHATEVER STARCH WE'RE USING

INTO THE LIQUID,
BUT STILL KEEPING

ALL OF THOSE LITTLE GRAINS
SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER.

AND THERE'S A FEW DIFFERENT
WAYS OF DOING IT.

SOME GRAVY MAKERS
FAVOR A SLURRY,

A COMBINATION OF FLOUR
AND A COLD LIQUID-- WINE, WATER OR STOCK--

THAT'S SHAKEN TOGETHER THEN
WHISKED INTO THE BASE LIQUID.

THEN THE LIQUID'S BROUGHT
JUST UP TO A SIMMER TO THICKEN.

OTHERS KNEAD EQUAL PARTS OF
SOFTENED BUTTER AND FLOUR

TOGETHER INTO A PASTE
CALLED A BEURRE MANIé.

THIS IS THEN WHISKED
INTO THE BASE LIQUID

AND STIRRED OVER LOW
HEAT UNTIL THICKENED.

NOW BOTH THESE METHODS WILL
INDEED THICKEN A GRAVY,

BUT...

THE PROBLEM IS, IT'LL
TAKE ABOUT AN HOUR

OF CONSTANT SIMMERING TO
COOK THE RAW FLOURY TASTE

OUT OF THESE SAUCES.

DURING THAT TIME, THE
LIQUID THAT EVAPORATES

HAS TO BE REPLACED.

AND EVEN THEN, THESE
SAUCES JUST AREN'T STABLE.

OOH, BUMMER.

IF, HOWEVER, YOU WERE
TO TAKE EQUAL PARTS--

BY WEIGHT--OF FAT AND FLOUR,
AND COOK THEM TOGETHER

BEFORE INTRODUCING THE
LIQUID, YOU'D HAVE A ROUX.

AND THAT, EXCUSE
THE EXPRESSION,

WOULD BE A GOOD THING.

FIRST, AS ALWAYS,
THE RIGHT TOOLS.

♪

IF YOU BUY SMART,
THERE'S NO REASON

YOU CAN'T LIVE A LONG,
HAPPY KITCHEN LIFE

WITH A LIMITED
CULINARY ARSENAL.

THE TRICK IS TO
HAVE EXPERT ADVICE.

DON'T TOUCH THAT!
HELLO, "W."

WHAT YOU NEED
IS A SAUCIER.

A SAUCIER--
I'M ALL EARS.

OUR NEWEST MODEL...
HEAVY GAUGE STAINLESS STEEL

WITH A LAYER
OF ALUMINUM SANDWICHED THROUGHOUT.

WHISK AND SPOON
FOR ANY PROFILE, IMPRESSIVE.

OVEN-SAFE HANDLE,
PERFECT FOR GRAVIES,

EMULSIONS AND
REDUCTIONS. WELL, IT'S NICE,

BUT I DON'T SEE WHAT'S
WRONG WITH MY OLD PAN.

RIGHT, NOW DO PAY
ATTENTION, A.B. YES, MA'AM.

STRAIGHT-SIDED
SAUCEPANS ARE FINE FOR A LOT OF THINGS,

JUST NOT SAUCE MAKING.

THE TIGHT CORNERS
AND HIGH SIDES

MAKE STIRRING AND
WHISKING IFFY, AT BEST, IFFY.

WHEREAS THE SLOPED
SIDES OF THE SAUCIER

ALLOWS FOR EASY
WHISK ACCESS.

AND THE WIDE PROFILE
ENCOURAGES REDUCTION

THROUGH EVAPORATION.

THE BOWL'S SHAPE
ALLOWS SMALLER AMOUNTS OF LIQUID TO POOL,

IMITATING A RANGE
OF PAN SIZES. IMITATING PAN SIZES...

GIVE ME YOUR WHISK.
MY WHISK.

NOT FOR GRAVIES.

THE MORE TINES
IN A SAUCE RESULT

IN BETTER STARCH
LIQUID INTEGRATION

AND A
SMOOTHER SAUCE.

NOW GET TO COOKING,
WILL YOU?

RIGHT.

NOW I HATE TO
BE LEGALISTIC,

BUT THE 1962 EDITION OF
"THE JOY OF COOKING"

IS QUITE CLEAR.

"... A GRAVY WITHOUT
MEAT DRIPPINGS

"IS NOTHING MORE
THAN A SAUCE."

LUCKILY, WE ARE TO BE RESCUED
FROM CULINARY HAIR SPLITTING

BY THIS MIRACULOUSLY
APPEARING PORK ROAST.

ALL WE HAVE TO DO TO
START TURNING THAT,

WELL, ADMITTEDLY UNATTRACTIVE
POOL OF GOO THERE

INTO A LOVELY GRAVY,

IS TAKE THE ROAST OFF
TO REST FOR A WHILE.

THEN WE'RE GONNA DEFAT THIS PAN,

JUST TAKING OFF ALL
THE FAT THAT WE CAN...

SAVING IT, THOUGH,
FOR THE ROUX.

THEN WE'RE GONNA PLACE
THE PAN OVER HIGH HEAT

AND ADD ABOUT A CUP,
MAYBE TWO, OF RED WINE.

JUST BRING IT TO A BOIL,

SCRAPING ALL THOSE LITTLE
BROWN BITS UNTIL THEY DISSOLVE.

THEN WE'RE GONNA STRAIN THAT
OFF INTO A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN,

AND ADD ABOUT TWO,
TWO AND A HALF, CUPS

OF CANNED STOCK OR BROTH,
THE LOW SODIUM VARIETY.

... TWO BAY LEAVES,
FIVE OR SIX PEPPERCORNS.

AND WE'RE JUST GONNA LET
THAT REDUCE OVER MEDIUM HEAT

FOR ABOUT FIVE
TO SEVEN MINUTES,

UNTIL IT'S DOWN TO
ONLY TWO AND A QUARTER

TO TWO AND A HALF
CUPS OF LIQUID.

NOW, THE POT THICKENS.

NOW ONE OF THE NICE
THINGS ABOUT ROUXS

IS THEY DON'T
HAVE A CONSCIENCE.

THEY DON'T CARE WHAT
LIQUID THEY THICKEN,

THEY DON'T CARE
WHERE IT CAME FROM,

BUT THEY DO CARE HOW
MUCH OF IT THERE IS.

NOW I'M NOT MUCH
FOR MEASURING.

I DON'T LIKE GETTING OUT
ALL THOSE LITTLE SPOONS.

I LOSE COUNT.

SO I THINK I'VE GOT
A GOOD RULE OF THUMB

BASED ON AN EQUAL
AMOUNT OF RATIOS,

ONE, ONE, ONE... AND
IT'S ALL ABOUT WEIGHT.

THE WAY I SEE IT IS
THAT ONE CUP OF LIQUID

CAN BE THICKENED BY
ONE OUNCE OF FLOUR,

AS LONG AS IT'S WITH
ONE OUNCE OF BUTTER--

AND THAT'S BY WEIGHT.

NOW SINCE I PLAN ON MAKING
TWO CUPS OF GRAVY HERE,

WE'RE GONNA BE TALKING
ABOUT TWO OUNCES OF FLOUR

AND TWO OUNCES OF BUTTER--
AGAIN, BY WEIGHT.

SO WE GET THE GRAVY
TRAIN STARTED HERE

BY FIRING UP OUR
SHINY NEW SAUCIER

OVER MEDIUM HEAT.

NOW WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND GET
THE BUTTER MELTED ALL THE WAY,

BECAUSE WE WANT
TO COMPLETELY COAT

ALL THE GRAINS OF
FLOUR WITH THE FAT.

SO GET THAT MELTED.

AND WHEN WE DO
ADD THE FLOUR,

WE WANT TO DO
IT ALL AT ONCE.

AND YOU WANT TO HAVE
A WHISK IN YOUR HAND

BEFORE YOU DO IT,
BECAUSE OTHERWISE,

WE'RE GONNA GET
LUMPS IN THE ROUX.

AND IF YOU GET LUMPS
IN THE ROUX,

UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE GONNA
GET LUMPS IN YOUR GRAVY.

SO THE BUTTER
IS MELTED NOW.

IT'S STARTING TO FOAM
OUT, WHICH IS ABOUT WHERE WE WANT IT.

AND GO AHEAD AND ADD
THE FLOUR ALL AT ONCE.

AND WHISK.

THIS IS THE HARDEST WORK YOU'LL
DO ON THIS DISH, I PROMISE.

NOW I'M ALREADY REALLY
LIKING THIS SAUCIER.

YOU CAN SEE I CAN
GET THE WHISK

ALL THE WAY DOWN
INTO THE CORNERS.

THAT'S REALLY NICE.

NOW AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE,
MAYBE TWO MINUTES, OF STIRRING,

DEPENDING ON YOUR BUTTER,
YOU'RE GONNA NOTICE A CHANGE.

THE ROUX'S ALL OF THE
SUDDEN GONNA GET THINNER,

AND IT'S GONNA KIND OF GET
VERY LIQUIDOUS FOR A MOMENT.

AND THAT'S GOOD,
BECAUSE WHAT IT MEANS

IS THAT YOU CAN TURN
DOWN THE HEAT A LITTLE BIT,

AND YOU CAN STOP
STIRRING SO HARD.

NOW WE'VE REACHED THE POINT

WHERE THE ROUX IS ACTUALLY
GOING TO COOK THE FLOUR.

THIS IS WHERE ROUXS ARE SO
MUCH BETTER AS THICKENERS

THAN ANY OF THE OTHER
THICKENING METHODS.

YOU SEE, WITH A SLURRY,
OR EVEN A BEURRE MANIé,

YOU GOT TO COOK THE
GRAVY FOR A LONG TIME

TO GET THAT KIND OF RAW-CEREAL
FLAVOR OUT OF YOUR MOUTH.

ROUXS ARE ALREADY COOKED,

SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OF
THAT FLAVOR GOING IN.

NOW AFTER ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE

WHAT'S CALLED A WHITE ROUX,

AND IT'S THE STRONGEST
OF THE ROUXS.

IT'LL THICKEN MORE LIQUID
WITH A SMALLER AMOUNT

THAN ANY OTHER ROUX.

BUT THERE ARE OTHER
DEGREES OF ROUX,

AND THEY'RE EXTREMELY
USEFUL IN THE KITCHEN.

ROUXS CAN BE COOKED TO
VARYING DEGREES OF DARKNESS,

FROM LIGHT,
TO BLOND, TO BRICK.

HAVING ATTAINED SEVENTH-
LEVEL ROUX MASTER STATUS,

SOME CAJUN COOKS CAN
ACTUALLY DIFFERENTIATE

BETWEEN A DOZEN DIFFERENT
DEGREES OF DARKNESS.

NOW THE DARKER A ROUX GETS,

THE MORE COLOR AND
FLAVOR IT WILL BRING TO A SAUCE OR GRAVY.

BUT THE DARKER A ROUX IS,

THE LESS THICKENING
POWER IT HAS.

A BRICK ROUX, FOR INSTANCE,
ONLY HAS ABOUT A QUARTER

OF THE THICKENING
CAPACITY OF A WHITE ROUX.

NOW IT TAKES A LONG,
LONG COOKING TIME

TO GET FROM THIS LEVEL OF
ROUX TO THIS LEVEL OF ROUX.

SO IF YOU WANT TO TRY
YOUR HAND AT DARKER ROUXS,

YOU MIGHT THINK ABOUT
COOKING THEM IN THE OVEN,

UNCOVERED, AT 350 .

JUST GIVE 'EM AN
OCCASIONAL STIR,

BUT IT'S GONNA TAKE
AT LEAST AN HOUR

TO GET FROM HERE TO THERE.

WELL, WE'VE REACHED ONE OF THE
GREAT AXIOMS OF GRAVY MAKING.

THE ROUX AND THE
LIQUID TO BE THICKENED

SHOULD BE AT OPPOSING
TEMPERATURES,

WITHOUT EITHER
BEING ICE COLD.

NOW OUR WHITE ROUX HAS COOLED
DOWN TO ALMOST ROOM TEMPERATURE,

BUT THE DEGLAZING LIQUID
WE'VE BEEN REDUCING

IS AT A FULL SIMMER, SO
WE'RE ABOUT READY TO GO.

WE'RE GONNA WHISK IN ABOUT
HALF A CUP OF THE LIQUID

INTO THE ROUX, AND
WORK IT INTO A PASTE.

THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT'S GONNA HELP TO SEPARATE
THE FLOUR GRAINS EVEN MORE

AND KEEP THE GRAVY SMOOTH.

NOW THE ROUX GOES
BACK ONTO HIGH HEAT,

ALONG WITH ALL BUT A
QUARTER CUP OF THE LIQUID.

AGAIN, BETTER TO END UP WITH
A GRAVY THAT NEEDS THINNING

THAN A THIN GRAVY THAT
NEEDS THICKENING.

WE'RE GONNA CALL
THAT THE THIRD AXIOM.

NOW ONE OF THE GREAT
THINGS ABOUT FLOUR,

AS OPPOSED TO, SAY,
CORNSTARCH AS A THICKENER,

IS THAT FLOUR STARTS
TO WORK THICKENING

WELL BELOW THE SIMMERING
POINT, AROUND 150 .

IF YOU KEEP STIRRING,
BY THE TIME YOU SEE

BUBBLES BREAK THE SURFACE,
YOU'LL BE FULLY THICKENED.

NOW THE FIRST FEW
TIMES YOU MAKE GRAVY,

YOU'RE GONNA BE SURPRISED
HOW SUDDEN THIS HAPPENS.

YOU CAN SERVE IT AS SOON
AS YOU LIKE THE TEXTURE.

BUT, IF YOU KEEP IT
OVER A VERY LOW SIMMER

FOR HALF AN HOUR
TO AN HOUR,

THE SAUCE WILL
BECOME MUCH SMOOTHER.

PROTEINS AND FATS FROM
THE FLOUR AND BUTTER

WILL EVENTUALLY WORK
UP TO THE SURFACE,

WHERE YOU CAN SKIN
THEM OFF EASILY.

SO IF YOU HAVE TIME,
TAKE THE TIME,

THE SAUCE WILL THANK YOU.

NOW A HEALTHY GRAVY
SHOULD HOLD ON TO FOOD

WITHOUT WEIGHING IT DOWN.

THIS LOOKS PERFECT
AT THE MOMENT.

THE TROUBLE IS, BY THE TIME
I GET THIS IN THE GRAVY BOAT,

DOWN THE HALL, INTO THE
DINING ROOM AND SIT DOWN,

THIS GRAVY WILL HAVE COOLED
DOWN BY SEVERAL DEGREES,

AND SAUCES THICKENED BY FLOUR
THICKEN MORE AS THEY COOL.

THAT'S AXIOM NUMBER FOUR.

WE'VE ALL SEEN IT AT
THANKSGIVING, RIGHT?

BY THE TIME YOU GET THE
PLATES BACK TO THE KITCHEN,

THE KIDS ARE KICKING THE
GRAVY AROUND THE LIVING ROOM.

SO THIN IT OUT
JUST A LITTLE BIT

TO MAKE UP FOR THE
INEVITABLE TIGHTENING.

AND NOW IS THE LAST TIME YOU'LL
HAVE TO GIVE IT A FINAL TASTE.

IT TASTES GOOD TO ME.

AND MY LAST GRAVY NOTE
IS ABOUT PRESENTATION.

I'LL ADMIT, I'M NOT
ONE FOR GARNISH,

BUT AFTER ALL THIS WORK, YOU
REALLY SHOULDN'T SERVE THIS UP

IN AN EMPTY MAYONNAISE JAR...
SO GET YOURSELF A GRAVY BOAT.

I MEAN, ASK YOUR
GRANDMOTHER FOR ONE.

SHE'S PROBABLY GOT ONE
SHE'D BE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU.

'CAUSE WHEN IT COMES
TO SOME THINGS,

DETAILS MATTER MOST.

♪

YOU KNOW, IT WAS IN ROADSIDE
DINERS JUST LIKE THIS

THAT THE WORD GRAVY
BECAME SYNONYMOUS

WITH EASILY OR
ILL-GOTTEN GAINS.

WHAT MANNER OF SAUCE
COULD POSSIBLY INSPIRE

SUCH A UNIVERSAL
COLLOQUIALISM?

... MILK GRAVY, MY FRIEND.

OR AS IT'S CALLED IN THE
SOUTH... SAWMILL GRAVY.

HERE'S HOW.

FOR TWO CUPS OF
SAWMILL GRAVY,

START BY FRYING UP SOMETHING
LIKE COUNTRY STEAK,

CHICKEN OR A BATCH
OF BREAKFAST SAUSAGE.

IF YOU'VE GOT MORE THAN
ABOUT TWO TABLESPOONS

OF FAT LEFT IN THE
PAN, POUR IT OFF.

THIS IS ABOUT RIGHT.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T
LOSE ANY OF THOSE

LITTLE BROWN BITS AND PIECES
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN,

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
"THE GOOD STUFF."

PUT THE PAN BACK OVER
MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT

AND THEN SPRINKLE OVER ABOUT
A QUARTER CUP OF FLOUR...

ABOUT FOUR TABLESPOONS.

THEN WHISK OR STIR WITH
VIGOR FOR A GOOD 30 SECONDS,

SCRAPING AROUND ALL
THOSE LITTLE BROWN BITS,

'CAUSE THAT IS WHERE
THE FLAVOR IS.

WE'RE GONNA LET THIS COOK
FOR ABOUT ANOTHER TWO MINUTES,

JUST TO GET RID OF THAT
FLOURY, RAW-CEREAL TASTE.

THREE MINUTES LATER, WE'VE GOT
A NICE, KIND OF NUTTY AROMA.

SO I'M GONNA TAKE
IT OFF THE HEAT,

AND I'M GONNA SWITCH
OVER TO A WHISK.

AND I'M GOING TO ADD
SLOWLY, IN INSTALLMENTS,

TWO CUPS OF MILK.

I'M JUST GONNA WORK EACH
LITTLE INSTALLMENT IN.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT
THE BUBBLING.

IT'S GONNA GET REAL
THICK AND UGLY,

BUT THAT'S OKAY.

THAT'S ABOUT A HALF
A CUP WORKED IN.

JUST TRY TO GET UP
INTO ALL THOSE CORNERS.

YOU COULD DO THIS WITH A
SPOON, I JUST LIKE THE WHISK.

OKAY, THAT'S ABOUT TWO CUPS.

AND YOU GO BACK
OVER HIGH HEAT.

WE WANT TO GET THIS UP TO A
SIMMER AS SOON AS WE CAN,

BECAUSE THERE'S, HEY,
NO REASON TO WAIT.

ONCE YOU'VE GOT IT ALL
WORKED IN, IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE SPOON

SO YOU DON'T SCRAPE
UP YOUR PAN.

I'M KIND OF PARTIAL TO THIS
PAN, SO I'M JUST GONNA STIR IT.

AND AS SOON AS IT
COMES UP TO A SIMMER,

IT'LL BE AS THICK
AS IT'S GONNA BE.

NOW SAWMILL GRAVY'S NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE A GLOPPY, HEAVY SAUCE.

AND SINCE IT'S
GONNA BE WORKED IN

WITH ALL THIS CRUMPLED
SAUSAGE WE'RE GONNA USE,

WE JUST WANT A NICE, KIND
OF VELVETY CONSISTENCY.

AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, EVEN
WITH A RUSTIC DISH LIKE THIS,

YOU CAN GET
THAT CONSISTENCY.

YOU CAN SEE THE GRAVY'S
JUST COMING UP TO A SIMMER, AND IT'S THICKENING NICELY.

I DON'T WANT IT
TO BE SUPER THICK,

I JUST WANT IT TO BE
KIND OF ENOUGH TO COAT.

YOU CAN SEE THAT I'VE
HELD BACK A LITTLE BIT OF THAT MILK.

THAT'S BECAUSE, AS
ALWAYS, A THICK GRAVY IS A LOT EASIER TO THIN

THAN THE OTHER WAY AROUND.

FROM THE LOOKS OF THIS, I
THINK I'M GONNA LEAVE IT OUT.

I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE IT A
TASTE... NO DOUBLE-DIPPING.

THERE WAS PLENTY OF
SALT IN THE SAUSAGE.

THERE WAS SOME RED
PEPPER IN THE SAUSAGE,

SO ACTUALLY, THIS IS
SEASONED REALLY NICE.

SINCE WE'VE COME TO A
SIMMER, THAT'S AS THICK AS IT'S GONNA GET...

OF COURSE, UNTIL
IT COOLS DOWN.

SO SERVE IT A
LITTLE BIT THIN,

AND YOU'LL BE REWARDED
WITH PERFECT CONSISTENCY.

NOW SERVE IMMEDIATELY
OVER TOAST WITH, SAY,

THE AFOREMENTIONED
SAUSAGE, NOW CRUMBLED,

AND BEHOLD, A MEAL TO
BREAK A TRUCKER'S HEART.

NOW THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN
EVEN BETTER OVER FRESHLY BAKED BISCUITS,

BUT THAT'S ANOTHER SHOW.

WHEN MADE WITH
A BUTTER ROUX,

THIS GRAVY IS THE SAUCE
THE FRENCH CALL BéCHAMEL.

AND IN THE SAUCE WORLD, BéCHAMEL
BASICALLY TRANSLATES TO PLASTIC,

BECAUSE IT CAN BE TURNED
INTO SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.

ADD SHREDDED ONION OR SHALLOTS,
AND YOU'VE GOT SAUCE SOUBISE,

WHICH IS GREAT ON
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING.

ADD A PINCH OF CAYENNE,
SOME SHREDDED GRUYERE

AND PARMESAN, AND
YOU'VE GOT SAUCE MORNAY,

READY AND WILLING TO POUR ITSELF
OVER VEGETABLE, EGGS OR FISH.

TRADE THE FANCY CHEESE FOR
GOOD OLD AMERICAN CHEDDAR,

AND YOU'VE GOT, YOU
GUESSED IT, CHEDDAR SAUCE.

MIX THIS WITH
COOKED MACARONI,

BAKE IT AT 350 FOR
15 OR 20 MINUTES,

AND YOU'VE GOT A SMOOTH
MACARONI AND CHEESE

THAT WILL NOT SPLIT ON YOU.

AND THEN LAST, ADD THE CRUMBLED
SAUSAGE TO THE BéCHAMEL,

AND WE'RE BACK WHERE WE
BEGAN, SAWMILL GRAVY.

IT MAY NOT LOOK VERY
FANCY OR SOUND VERY FANCY,

BUT IT IS DEFINITELY
GOOD EATS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, BéCHAMEL IS
THE MOTHER OF MANY SAUCES.

♪

KNOWING HOW TO MAKE
SIMPLE GRAVIES AND SAUCES

IS KIND OF LIKE FINDING THE
PERFECT LITTLE BLACK DRESS

OR NAVY BLAZER...

IT CHANGES THE WHOLE
LOOK OF YOUR WARDROBE.

NOW AS SOON AS
YOU'RE COMFORTABLE

WITH THE WHOLE ROUX/
LIQUID EQUATION,

THE WORLD IS
YOUR SAUCEPAN.

BéCHAMEL MAKES THE
PERFECT CASSEROLE BINDER.

CANNED TOMATOES THICKENED
WITH A LITTLE ROUX ON BISCUITS--

IT'S DINNER, IN MY BOOK.

AND THAT AMERICAN GOTHIC
CLASSIC, RED-EYE GRAVY,

IS LITTLE MORE THAN HAM
DRIPPINGS, FLOUR AND COFFEE.

IT'S DOWN-HOME COOKING EVEN
A BEATNIK COULD LOVE.

THE POINT IS, YOU
DON'T HAVE TO HAVE

FANCY FRENCH RECIPES
TO MAKE SAUCE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR
THANKSGIVING TO MAKE GRAVY.

AND HOPEFULLY,
YOU CAN'T WAIT

FOR THE NEXT EPISODE
OF "GOOD EATS."