Soul Food · Authentic-ish Soul Food
Giblet Gravy
158 kcal a serving, against 270 for the traditional version. That is 112 kcal off, or 41%, with 14.2g of protein. Serves 6. 1 hour.
What the traditional version is
Traditional southern giblet gravy starts by simmering the poultry neck, heart, liver and gizzard in water with aromatics. The cooked giblets are finely chopped, and the fat skimmed from the stock is used to make a roux with plain flour. You thicken the stock with this, then stir in the chopped meat. The sauce is pale brown, speckled with bits of giblet, and coats everything with serious intent.
What changed, and what each change costs
Butter and poultry fat for a drizzle of olive oil
The classic gravy leans heavily on rendered fat - half from the bird, half from a thick knob of butter. Almost all the calories come from this. I bin most of the skin and just fry the giblets in a tablespoon of olive oil. It's less lush, but your arteries might thank you.
What it costs you. You lose that deep richness and the mouthfeel that only real fat gives. The texture will be lighter, and the top will be clear, not glossy with little pools of gold.
Roux of plain flour and fat for arrowroot slurry
Plain flour needs lots of fat to avoid clumping and give a creamy finish. Arrowroot thickens in a flash and stays clear, so you don't need any fat at all.
What it costs you. The first time you see it, you'll miss the tan, opaque gravy granny made. This is more like a hearty jus - still tasty, just missing the velvet.
Chicken thigh skin and giblets for more heart and gizzard, less liver and no extra skin
Liver is high in flavour and also in fat, so I stick mostly to heart and gizzard. You won't get that iron tang, but there's still plenty of savoury oomph.
What it costs you. It's not as punchy, and you'll miss some of the deep meaty thump. If you grew up picking out liver bits, you might actually prefer it.
Boosting with extra lean chicken for texture
When you pull out all the fat, the gravy can feel thin. Chopping a little poached chicken breast into the mix gives extra body and more bites of protein.
What it costs you. The sauce feels a bit more like a chicken stew than gravy. No one will complain, but it's not the same as the old-school stuff.
More parsley and black pepper for brightness
If I can't bring depth with fat, I'll bring it with freshness. Chuck in extra parsley and a good whack of black pepper to keep it lively.
What it costs you. The flavour leans herbal instead of savoury - nobody will mistake this for the drippings-rich original.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 270 | 158 |
| Protein | 15.2g | 14.2g |
| Fat | 17.4g | 6.4g |
| Saturated fat | 7.1g | 1.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 12.6g | 10.4g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 5.6g | 9g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Soul Food prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. celery, gluten.
The method is in the book
The body is lighter and the look is clear, not creamy, but the flavour is properly chickeny with plenty of bite from those little bits of giblet. The biggest win is the protein - you're getting more chunky bits per ladle than ever, but you do lose the classic richness. The first spoonful is the reminder: it isn't a velvet blanket, it's honest comfort in a smarter jacket. If you want a true southern gravy, don't swap the fat. If you want a sauce you can pour with a clear conscience, this does the job.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Soul Food, along with 52 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.