Gravies and Thickened Jus

In classic French restaurants, a natural jus or one that has been only lightly thickened with arrowroot is traditionally served in a sauceboat, either offered by the waiter or placed on the table where guests usually help themselves. This is both a simple and elegant method for serving roasts. In less formal cooking or in people’s homes, a gravy is likely to be served instead of a jus. A gravy is simply a jus that has been thickened with flour in the roasting pan.

Although there are more refined and sophisticated methods for dealing with meat drippings, one of the most reassuring is a simple flour-thickened gravy. Most gravy recipes suggest removing most but not all of the fat from the roasting pan, stirring in flour with a wooden spoon, cooking the mixture for 4 to 5 minutes, and then adding water or stock.