Here's How To Use Garlic To Give Store-Bought Gravy A Major Flavor Boost

There's nothing quite like a thick, creamy gravy made from the pan drippings of a juicy roast. An intense amalgamation of flavors, a flavor-filled gravy can only enhance a slice of roast turkey breast or its mashed potato side. But making good gravy takes time, a rare commodity when preparing a celebratory or holiday meal. Grabbing a jar of premade gravy, or even one of those small, seasoning packets in the grocery store is an understandable alternative, but one small addition can change a ho-hum sauce into a gravy that disappears almost as soon as it hits the table: roasted garlic.

Part of the allium family, which also includes onion, leek, and shallot, garlic is a flavor acrobat, capable of changing from sharp and pungent when minced or crushed, to nutty and sweet when cooked. So while tossing a few tablespoons of minced garlic into a jarred gravy is definitely not the right move, a soft paste of roasted garlic is not only easy, but it will transform any store-bought gravy into a creamy elixir worth fighting for.

If you're preparing a meal that requires gravy — and honestly, what meal doesn't? — it's likely you've already got the oven preheated and ready to go. Simply take a head of garlic and slice off the top to reveal the individual cloves. From there, your guide to cooking with garlic by roasting it is pretty straightforward. Drizzle the exposed garlic head with a little olive oil, wrap it in foil, and roast it in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40-50 minutes until it's soft and browned or caramelized. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squish the softened garlic out of its natural paper casing and whisk it into your heated gravy.

Though some people (the author of this article included) derive satisfaction from squeezing out globs of garlic, you may want something a little less hands-on. If that's the case, you can purchase an adorable cast iron or terra cotta garlic roaster online, and some even include their own squeezers to keep your hands garlic-free. Either way, you'll be on the path to gravy so good, no one will know you got it from a jar.