Any advice on fixing gravy that turned out too sweet?

[Rhiannon12866]

I made pot roast, which I have made many times, cooked it with small potatoes and baby carrots, as usual, then added flour to make the gravy. The gravy is usually the best part, but for some reason it's awfully sweet. The only thing I can think of is that I used too many carrots, since they're always a hit. Any advice? :-(

[grasswire]

1. carrots and onions can both do that

Maybe next time you could cook some of the carrots separately and add at the end.

To fix this batch, the only thing I can think of is a bit of cider vinegar, but I would try it with a spoonful of gravy rather than doing the whole thing.

It might not be fixable. Sorry.

I looked on the Internet and found a recommendation for too sweet gravy of adding some coffee and some corn starch to thicken if needed after that.

[Rhiannon12866]

2. Thank you. I've done that before when I didn't add enough carrots, so cooked some separately, later.

I'm baffled why it came out like this, since I used the same recipe. A actually added a can of beef gravy that I had on hand, to try and cut the sweetness, but it didn't help much. Thanks for your advice and I'll try it. MY SO still liked it, but I didn't...:-(

[hippywife]

3. How odd.

No clue what did that? I think I would have tried the same thing grasswire suggested with the vinegar, also maybe a little hoisin, oyster or soy sauce, or maybe even a little worcestershire sauce. :shrug:

[Rhiannon12866]

4. Well, I have soy sauce left over from ordering Chinese food, LOL, and I do have Worcestershire sauce...

I use it for making Caesar dressing. I just don't want to make it worse. I tried adding a can of beef gravy that I had in the cupboard, but maybe I should add more, to dilute it. I thought of making more gravy, using broth, but I'm used to using drippings. And I've finally gotten so my gravy turns out like I'd wish... :dunce:

I also scalded the pan, since the pans I'm using here, at my SO's house, don't have very thick bottoms, so that may be part of it, but I've used them before and it came out just fine...:shrug:

[hippywife]

5. Maybe try taking

a little out, a small serving perhaps, and try it on that to see if it works rather than risk the whole batch.

[Rhiannon12866]

6. Thanks, good idea. Turns out I made quite a lot, this time. Figures, LOL.

I thought of maybe doing something with garlic, but I wasn't sure. I can try a little of the two things you suggested that I do have and I still have a jar of turkey gravy in the cupboard, which I keep on hand for "emergencies..." Thanks. :hi:

Actually, I feel like rinsing the whole thing off and starting over, like that would taste good... x(

[Tab]

7. Sometimes you just have to

I know lots of times my mind would be elsewhere and I'd overdo something (or perhaps a huge amount of some ingredient dumped in) and occasionally you can fix it, but more often than not - at least for me - I'd keep adding this or that trying to make corrections until the pot was full of "corrections" and it still tasted like shit (different shit, but shit nonetheless). Ultimately I learned to recognize when I had gone to far and to just dump it and start over and not feel guilty about anything except maybe the lost food and time.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. I know, but I haven't started over yet, just added the additional can of gravy.

And I hate to think of all the time and effort and expense that went into making what usually turns out just fine. I hate going grocery shopping around here because this is a small town, with only one real grocery store anywhere within reason and it's a pain to get to...:-(

I just got back from the store, took advantage of stopping at one in the next town, by my vet's, and decided against the hoison sauce, since it sounded kind of sweet. I picked up a jar of "au jus" gravy, so may try starting with that, just a bit at a time. :shrug:

Thanks!:hi:

[sandnsea]

9. The "au jus" is a good idea

I think the garlic is too, and I'd probably go ahead and saute some onions and celery along with it.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. What would you think of using garlic powder or garlic salt?

I have fresh garlic, but it would have to cook, and this stuff is already quite well done. Even the carrots are falling apart, as are some of potatoes. There are already onions in it and I threw my celery away because it got icky... But I could get some and cut it small and cook it with the gravy, since it might absorb some of the flavor. :shrug:

I'll try the "au jus" and see if that helps. I hate this. It's been awhile since I've messed up like this, but I haven't had the best week.:-(

Thank you so much for all your suggestions! You have no idea how much I appreciate you and this group!

During Christmas of 2005, which was when I started cooking here for my SO (came down because he wasn't able to walk and needed help, anticipating surgery), I made my first Christmas ham, thanks to Rabrrrr in this group. I had never made a ham before and only had a pyrex lasagna pan, but he was kind enough to talk me through every step, LOL, and answered my questions, and it came out very well...:D

So I try to pay it forward whenever I can, in the unlikely event I know the answer...:hi:

Rhiannon:hug:

[sandnsea]

11. Start with a separate pan

Saute up separate onion, garlic, celery, whatever you have. Add some au jus and simmer it. Maybe some extra black pepper. If you only have powder or celery seed, just use that. Just something to kind of offset the sweetness.

Although, we kind of like a nice sweet red wine gravy too. Have you thought of just adding some red wine?

Or maybe even just throw in a raw potato to absorb some of the flavor, and then go from there?

Sorry you had a bad week!

[JeffR]

12. I feel as unqualified as Sarah Palin posting in Cooking & Baking

but I bring advice from NanceGreggs, who - no lie - makes the best gravy I've ever tasted. She advises cutting the gravy with a very dry red wine, spoonful by spoonful to taste, until the sweetness backs down. She'd have posted this herself, but she'd rather dictate her instructions to me, her secretary.

[Tab]

13. Good idea, and don't worry about qualifications

I'm sure the number of us who can skin a moose can probably be counted on one hand, if that.

Not that I'd particularly want to anyway.

Particularly not one shot by a high-powered rifle from a helicopter.

But let's not go there.

[sandnsea]

14. Red wine

gosh. what a great idea.