A well flavoured stock is important; make it using the giblets from poultry or game, or use vegetable cooking water along with a stock cube.
Put a sliced onion or carrot under the roast the natural sugars caramelize in the roasting tin and add to the colour. An old-fashioned trick is to put a teaspoon of sugar in the corner of the tin this caramelizes during cooking and adds colour to the gravy.
Try putting 1 tablespoon flour directly under the roast before cooking. During roasting it absorbs drippings and browns. When it’s time to make the gravy and the fat is poured off, you have a thickener already there.
For steaks, chicken joints, hamburgers or most pan-fried foods make a thin gravy for serving by deglazing the pan with stock, wine or water. Use butter for initial frying and when meat is removed from the pan, add a few tablespoons liquid to the hot pan. Using the back of a fork or a whisk stir or whisk over high heat to pick up coagulated pan juices. Boil liquid to a syrupy consistency and pour the liquid over the meat.
To make a thin gravy: Strain off all the fat from the roasting tin leaving behind the dark drippings and coagulated pan juices. Add 1/2-3/4 pint (300400m1) hot stock and bring to the boil, stirring and scraping to pick up all the dark flavouring bits. Simmer to reduce and concentrate the gravy. Strain into a hot gravy boat.
To make a thick gravy: Strain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and leave behind all the dark drippings and coagulated pan juices. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour into the tin and cook over the heat for a few moments to brown the mixture. Stir in 1/2-3/4 pint (300-400m1) hot stock and bring to the boil, whisking all the time. Simmer for 2-3 minutes then strain into a hot gravy boat. If you’ve added 1 tablespoon flour to the tin before roasting the joint, it won’t he necessary to add any extra flour to the pan.