Easy Gravies and Sauces

Roux gravy
Brown 2tbsp flour in 2-3 tbsp oil, grease, or butter very slowly in a heavy skillet on low heat. When you have a brown paste (how brown depends on the meat - darker for beef or gumbo and lighter for chicken and fish) stir in with a whisk: 1-1.5 cups (for thicker or thinner gravy) liquid: milk/bullion/ stock/wine and seasonings. Bring to boil, lower heat stir til thick. Adjust thickness by adding more liquid or simmering to thicken.

Red-eye gravy
Same as above. Use ham/bacon grease and strong coffee for the liquid.

Flour Gravy (no fat)
Bring 1-2 cup liquid - to a boil in a heavy skillet. Put 2 tbsp flour in bottom of a heat proof measuring cup, stir in 2-3 tbsp of the hot liquid. This will become a thick paste. Whisk this paste into the boiling liquid, lower heat, add seasonings and simmer stirring till thick. Adjust thickness as above.

Milk Gravy
Use 1/4 c roast drippings other strongly flavored stock as the boiling liquid and mix 2 tbsp flour into 1 cup cold milk. Pour this mixture into hot skillet of drippings and stir quickly until thick.

Sausage Gravy
Brown sausage. Keep fat. Stir in 1-2 tbsp flour. Brown flour as above. Add 1-1.5 cups milk. Bring to boil, lower heat, add black pepper and salt , simmer until thick.

Cornstarch Gravy (no fat)
Bring l cup liquid to a boil. Put 1/4 c cold liquid in measuring cup and stir in 2-3 tsp cornstarch.
Whisk cornstarch paste into boiling liquid. Lower heat and adjust thickness with more liquid if needed. This is good for oriental style sauce/gravy if you add soy, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes.

Sauces
This will include instructions for cream sauces.For spaghetti sauce see Homemade Spaghetti.

Most sauces also start with the roux base above.

Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Prepare the roux with butter and flour. Add 1 -1.5 cups of milk. Stir quickly with a whisk and bring to boil. Add 1/2 cup or so of grated cheddar cheese, whisk it in, lower heat. This will thicken the sauce so you may need to add more milk to desired thickness. This can be used for baked macaroni, cheese potatos, or broccoli rice casseroles.

Nacho Cheese Sauce
Make Cheddar Cheese Sauce above but use pepperjack cheese half and half with the cheddar. Use more cheese to make it cheesier and thicker. Add jalapenos, garlic powder or other cooked flavorings at this point.

White Pasta Sauce
Make a light colored roux. Add 1 cup milk or cream. Whisk quickly, bring to boil, and lower heat. Add parmesan or a mixture of parmesan, romano or mozarella. You can also add red pepper flakes, garlic, basil, or other flavorings. See about seasoning.

I will add more sauces as there are requests for them.