To come back to the important issue of gravy,
The third way is to start with a roux, and then add stock plus anything ...
Yes, all those important bits people overlook at the secrets to any great sauce (I feel). When I say 50/50 fat to flour I am speaking in the general. Usually my "fat" is all the rendered stuff. But certainly you speak the troof. It is kind oa akin to soup stock. You CAN (and I certainly HAVE) used bouillon or store bought broth. But it has the same consistency cold as heated. No natural gelatin or collagen melted in there. I feel proper broth has got to have those cooked down boney bits that make it look like meat jell-o when chilled.
And I generally do not skim the fat off until cooking. Because you can cook down that broth until all that is left if semi-solid glop and the fat, then add flour, liquid (milk, cooled broth, tomato juice, CIDER etc..) and you are back to making a great gravy/sauce.
Any crock pot fans on here?
Last weekend I got up, browned a chuck roast after dredging it in seasoned flour. Threw it in the crock on low with 1/3 cup of red wine. I took it out in the evening. Rinse the crock out and threw in a whole chicken with 1/3 c wine (again). I have food for the week.
My wife hipped me to this. I'd always put stuff int he crock pot submerged in liquid. It actually works better putting just a wee bit of liquid. Otherwise the stuff just boils, is tough, and you have a good flavored broth by the protein is not so tasty. 1/4 cup of beer is a pretty good universal solution.
BTW, I had deglazed and reserved the iron skillet I browned that chuck in above. When the meat was done I drained the liquid into that skillet, added mushrooms and the whole onion that cooked with the beef and reduced it. Then I added the fall-apart tender beef back in and stirred a few times. Instant gravy-beef-mushroom goodness.