How Does Instant Gravy Work?

Seasoning and Color

The seasoning components of instant gravy will vary from one brand to another and from one type of gravy (poultry, beef, vegetarian) to another. But without some sort of seasoning or flavoring ingredients, instant gravy would just be a thick, tasteless goop.

Common seasoning ingredients include powdered meat, boullion, salt, MSG, spices, dried herbs, onion powder or extract, garlic powder, milk powder, egg powder and oil. A coloring component is usually added so the instant gravy looks like what we expect gravy to look like.

Thickeners

The thickening ingredient of instant gravy is usually a starch. Potato starch is popular because it's cheap, readily available and does not have adverse flavors of its own. Many instant gravies also contain proteins, either from animal or vegetable sources, that help to connect the different ingredients of the gravy with the liquid. Instant gravy usually contains some sort of emulsifier, which keeps the fats in the mix from separating out when water is added. Soy lecithin is a commonly used emulsifier.

Liquid

Liquid is what you add in the kitchen when you're whipping up instant gravy. Usually you will add boiling water to the instant gravy, which activates the thickeners so that they bind with the water molecules. As you stir the gravy, the seasoning ingredients spread throughout so the flavor is evenly distributed.

Resources

• Make Instant Gravy Something Special