Cullis, or Thickened Gravy
Ingredients
Directions
In a basin, whisk 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour into a ladleful of gravy until smooth.
Gradually add the remaining gravy, stirring continuously until well combined.
Pour the mixture back into a stew pan and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ensure the stew pan is only half covered to prevent burning.
If the gravy is too thick, simmer longer or add a spoonful of warm broth or water to thin it.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Flour
- Starch that thickens the gravy as it heats and gives it body.
The step that matters
Whisk the flour into a ladleful of gravy until smooth. Flour added directly to hot liquid clumps, because the outer layer of each particle gels before the inside can disperse. Mixing it first into a small amount of cool gravy spreads the starch evenly so the final gravy thickens smoothly.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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