One way to get good, but LF, gravy is to buy one of those gravy separators. This plastic piece of equipment takes the fat out of the liquid. Then I would thicken the liquid with corn starch dissolved in water. Good luck and hope this helps.
I remember a very good gravy recipe floating around here round the holidays.
I would suggest soup bones for a beef stock, aromatic vegetables, deglazing the pan with
red wine and a corn starch as a start for a flavorful and non-salty gravy.
I have also seen high heat roasting working with chicken backs/turkey wings/herbs/ to draw out the juices and then make gravy from that.
I try to make my own stocks when we are done with roasted chickens and have lots of limp veggies.
My step-mother is an excellent cook and gave me this gravy recipe when I had her gravy. But, I still have a heck of a time making it, because like Kelly I cannot make gravy!! Anyhow, maybe your mother will have better luck with this
Pour a little water in the pan meat was cooked in to loosen meat particles. Pour into bowl and let grease rise to top (or pour into fat separator like someone above mentioned). Take equal amounts of grease and flour (approx. 4T. for 3 c. gravy) and make into paste in pan; heat till bubbly. Over strainer, pour in drippings and approx. 2 or 3 cups of water with a couple bouillon cubes melted in. Stir till thickened. If too thick add more water. Not thick enough mix a small amount of flour in a little bit of water and pour into gravy. Season with salt, pepper and Kitchen Bouquet.
Good luck!
Pat
I purchased Grandy's Gravy Mix at Sam's Wholesale Club last week and it is only 1 point for 1 cup of white country gravy and it is delicious!
I also have used the following recipe that is quick to make.
Fool Proof Gravy
(Shape Magazine)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup water
2 cups fat-free chicken broth (I use canned)
Place flour and water in a small container with a tight fitting lid. Shake vigorously until blended and lump free. Set aside.
Pour pan juices into a large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil over medium high heat. Shake the flour water mixture again and whisk half into pan juices. Allow liquid to boil a minute or two before deciding if it's thick enough. Add more thickener if desired and boil for another minute or two. Season with salt.
(*Note: I also add a little poultry seasoning and salt and pepper)
There is a simple recipe on the side of the canister of Pillsbury Shake-n-Pour flour. Since I never bake from scratch (DH says he's looked for scratch in the grocery store and can't find it), this is the only flour I have on hand. It is so simple, even I was able to follow it. I believe it calls for 2 T cooled pan drippings, which you can refrigerate and skim off ALL the fat, so the gravy is fat-free. When you cook your roast or chicken, pour the pan drippings into a container and then keep them in the fridge for this purpose.
I think it was a cup of hot liquid (water or broth). Heat in a pan, add the 2 T cooled drippings (I used a little more, and when I made it they were not just cooled but jelled solid and I heated until they melted), sprinkle the 2 T flour while stirring. That's it.
I'm from Canada so the gravy I use may not be available to you if you're in the states. It's a powder mix made by Club House and is fat free. A quarter cup is only 21 calories. The best part? It tastes great!
The classic gravy has equal parts of flour and fat. The idea is to separate the flour grains so that they don't clump when you add the liquid. You can actually make gravy with no fat by making a paste of flour and a small amount of cold water and then adding the extra liquid (usually stock) and heating it until it thickens. I think this is how the prepared gravies are made.
For more conventional gravy, I've gotten away with as little as a tsp of fat to a tbsp of flour. This reduces the calories & points quite a bit. Put them in a saucepan; the fat only needs to saturate the flour. If you are using very little fat, heat the mixture over low-medium heat, stirring it constantly until it smells a little toasted, but well short of when it is visibly brown. Then add the hot or cold liquid (de-fatted drippings, stock, milk, or other liquid). You'll need one cup liquid for each tablespoon of flour you used. Heat it, stirring constantly, until it boils or is thick enough. If it's too thick, add more liquid; too thin, make more flour paste, add it and heat again.