Gravy.

Anything under 7 or 8 is just brown water

 

I know it’s how ‘proper’ gravy is made but I can’t think of anything less appetising than the congealed mess that is meat juices. It makes me feel sick just thinking about it.

 

I bet she does

 

wot - no onions! Liver with potatoes and ONION gravy - brilliant!

 

When I worked down south I convinced some of the lads in the office that in Yorkshire we had a gravy test. You had to drop a chip (or roaster, carrot etc) from a foot high into your gravy. If it splashed, it needed thickening up.

 

Similar, @SuperTyke to what TT says here.

I wouldn't want thick gravy on things that are already moistened by juices etc.

 

Thick enough to drown a rat.

 

In the Navy we used to serve it thick so it would stay on the plate in rough seas.

 

5 maximum. If it's well made it should have plenty enough flavour and not be watery. Anything thicker is just a gloopy paste of cornstarch or flour, and looks like it should be used for hanging wallpaper.

 

Not sure about parsnips /potatoes in stock... Carrots onion celery crushed black peppercorns and some salt plus meat poultry bones etc. are the standard content. Potatoes and cauli are a 'no-no' in my book. I only put potato in if the stock is accidentally over salted as it absorbs a lot of salt (an old chefs trick) If you are simmering for hours/days cauli and potato turn to mush and cloud the stock.
In winter and being 'rural' we usually have the woodstove/wood oven 'ticking over' in the kitchen all day and evening which warms most of the ground floor. This enables us to have a large stock pot simmering on the hob, constantly and regular topped up (like real restaurants) . Meat bones, chicken carcasses etc all end up in there with herbs from the garden. A ladleful of this to deglaze the roasting tin makes for a rich gravy. Great for soup and stew bases as well.
Obviously, given energy costs it is impractical on a gas, electric or induction hob to do this although manking stock in a pressure cooker can achieve similar results in a shorter time.

The issue I have with bought stock cubes or granules is they often contain a lot of salt, can taste a bit 'artificial' ( contain flavourings??) and although MSG is no longer considered harmful like it once was, I can usually tell if they are present. Cornflour is not available here so I make using roux balls butter and OO flour and whisk them into the stock/juices one at a time over heat which I find easier than making a roux and then adding the liquid when trying to do other things. Also easier to judge the thickness/quantity required.