Roasted Garlic Will Give Store-Bought Gravy A Homemade Flavor

While few store-bought foods can rival homemade, there are plenty of days when time is short. That's why using easy tricks to elevate store-bought items like gravy can drastically improve the flavor of what might otherwise be humdrum. Better yet, the secret often lies in simple, flavorful ingredients. In the case of a bought carton or jar of gravy, it's roasted garlic. This simple bulb morphs into a golden paste of aromatic flavor and can transform the dish with a cooked-for-hours taste. 

Unlike its pungent, raw counterpart, roasted garlic has a nutty, sweet, and mellow flavor. The high heat of roasting caramelizes the natural sugars in garlic, yielding a velvety texture and deep, complex taste. Gravy, being a rich and savory sauce, perfectly pairs with the creamy, sweet notes of garlic.

To make roasted garlic for gravy, simply slice off the top of a whole garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast until the cloves are soft and golden. It takes about 45 minutes in the oven, but you're free to do something else during that time. Once cooled, squeeze out the garlic paste. 

Once you have this delicious garlic paste in hand, it's time to mix it into the gravy. Two tablespoons per cup of gravy is a good amount to start with, but adjust to your own taste. To achieve a uniform flavor and smooth texture, it is best to blend the roasted garlic into the gravy well. Using a blender or an immersion blender is key. Just pour the store-bought gravy into a pot with your roasted garlic and warm it up slightly. If you're using an immersion blender, you can blend directly in the pot. Otherwise, pour the heated mixture into a blender and pulse it until the garlic is fully incorporated.

Of course, you can also experiment with other ingredients to enhance your gravy. While roasted garlic elevates the gravy, adding a sprig of rosemary or thyme while simmering adds another layer of sophistication to the flavor. Just be sure to remove the aromatic herbs before blending the gravy.

Ultimately, transforming store-bought gravy into a gourmet delight doesn't require hours in the kitchen. This culinary hack not only saves time but also brings an artisan touch to your meals.