It might seem early, but James Martin swears by this festive tip
Preparing your gravy in advance will save you time on the day(Image: Jonathan Knowles via Getty Images)
It’s still just over a month away, but as Christmas approaches, those who prefer to stay organised will already be pondering presents and shopping. One essential element you mustn’t overlook is the festive feast itself.
Getting organised for Christmas well in advance means you won’t need to spend endless hours toiling away in the kitchen on the big day. Whilst many have their own tried-and-tested methods for preparing each component of a Christmas meal, celebrity chef James Martin has dished up a simple recipe.
The TV cook shared his three-ingredient gravy that you can start preparing right now – saving you loads of time on December 25. During an appearance on This Morning, James urged viewers to pick up some ready-made stock from the shops immediately. This is crucial because these products often sell out in the lead-up to Christmas.
The chef says it’s a major time-saver come Christmas(Image: Stuart C. Wilson via Getty Images)
This stock will then become one of the main components in your gravy – just like how professional chefs make gravy in restaurants, he explained, reports the Mirror.
James continued: “It’s veal stock or chicken stock – that’s what you want. You can’t really make it out of turkey stock, because it’s not gonna taste the same.”
When it comes time to prepare your gravy, James began by pouring red wine into a saucepan. You’ll need roughly half a bottle if you’re cooking for 10 guests. He said: “Doesn’t have to be anything fancy, in the pan. Then you put these stocks in there, about a litre and a half of this stock, so a decent amount.”
The chef suggested adding ‘a good knob’ of butter – approximately a third of a block – before gently reducing everything on the hob.
James clarified: “Now, the butter will sit on the top. When the sauce is ready, it all emulsifies into a gravy, into a classic chef style jus or a sauce.”
Contrary to popular belief, there’s no need to use cornflour or any other type of thickener for the gravy. By adhering to the simple three-ingredient method and being patient, the gravy will thicken as you reduce it in your pan.
Once everything has cooled down slightly, James portions out the reduced gravy into ice cube trays for freezing. Then, when Christmas comes around, he uses about two ice cubes worth of gravy per person and heats it up in a pan.
This means you can save time and effort on the big day, without having to fuss over making a gravy.
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