Gravy and Sauces... 1670

On Sat, 31 Dec 2005, Matthew Givens

NotBob, you are incorrect in disagreeing with the other two posters above. My 40 years of cooking notwithstanding, the chefs of the Food Network are saying the one hot-one cold rule of sauces-gravies. A number of them - including Emeril and Alton Brown - expounded on the point. AB had an entire segment about sauces and gravies.

As far as large batches, I made sauces and gravies in quanbreasties of one gallon to 20 gallons on a daily basis for 10 years in the restaurant business. I had professional pots and professional whisks. I used the hot-cold method - as I had always done at home. There is absolutely no difference in technique in making a pint or a gallon or more.

You said:

This is just the opposite. The "proof", if one can call it that, is Milk Gravy. In all the tons of milk gravy I have made, or seen, or tasted, I have never seen lumpy milk gravy. Southerners always pour cold milk into the hot roux and it is always smooth. Milk gravy is the first gravy we learn to make because it is virtually foolproof - though I don't know that all those grandmothers knew why.

You said:

Here you acknowledged that cold liquids into roux {buttuming the adjective "hot"} reduces the likelihood of lumps. That is the point being made by the others in this part of the discussion. Your perception that the batch size or only a small amount of liquid added to the roux at one time makes a difference in the incidence of lumpiness is incorrect. I always dumped all my liquid in at once and then whisked because it took both my hands to lift the gallon or more of liquid up and pour it in the pot. I never drizzled and I never used a fork - even at home. AAMOF, drizzling is the worst thing one can do - no matter the batch size.

(NB)

the "ability to thicken" has absolutely nothing to do with hot-cold. It has to do with hot-cold preventing lumps.

I do agree with you that the terms "hot-cold" are not totally literal. It doesn't mean that the temps must be on the oppsite ends of the scale. And I do consider warm, lukewarm, room temp, cool, etc. to be on the "cold" side when dealing with "hot" roux. I've never had a problem as long as the liquid was a fair measure cooler than the roux. (The reverse is true, as well, and is most commonly used in and AKA tempering, as well as in thickening).

Elaine, too