My Cantonese Grandmother's 1-Ingredient Upgrade for Better Gravy

It's already in your pantry.

When I still lived in New York City and Ah Po (my maternal grandmother) could still cook, I would go to Thanksgiving dinner at my aunt’s apartment, joining over 20 family members to celebrate the holiday and, of course, enjoy Ah Po’s famous turkey.

She’d serve the turkey with white rice instead of bread or mashed potatoes and with steamed bok choy instead of green beans. And what made her turkey amazing was how umami-rich it tasted, thanks to Ah Po’s soy sauce marinade. 

While the turkey roasted in the oven, its juices and the marinade would melt and drip onto the roasting pan, and of course, Ah Po would use these soy sauce-enriched drippings to make a sauce, a very thin one, similar to au jus, which later on, I would transform into a thick and delicious gravy in my own kitchen. 

How To Add Soy Sauce to Your Gravy

Soy sauce takes gravy to another level by adding depth and umami, which in turn leaves a pleasant, mouthwatering sensation that lingers after you take bites of sauced-up turkey. Just a dash of soy sauce is enough to intensify meaty flavors and create a more full-bodied, flavorful, and satisfying gravy. 

I recommend using a light soy sauce (not low-sodium) that’s also high quality. Ah Po always used Lee Kum Kee brand soy sauce. I am partial to Asamurasaki’s oyster soy sauce, the one with the blue label, called “super umami” in Japanese. 

Since the soy sauce is salty, use low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth to make the gravy. You should also skip adding extra salt until the very end. Add the soy sauce last, as the gravy thickens. Start with anywhere from 1/2 to one teaspoon, give the gravy a taste, and go from there. If you’re using a high-quality soy sauce with more umami than saltiness, you can add more. However, avoid adding too much, as the soy sauce can overpower the other flavors of the gravy. 

If the gravy tastes a little salty, a pinch to a teaspoon of sugar can help balance it. Adding sugar to savory sauces is a trick I’ve learned from both my grandmothers (one is Cantonese and the other is Vietnamese) and the South Brooklyn nonnas who add sugar to their pizza and pasta sauces to calm the acidity.

This holiday season, use soy sauce to upgrade your gravy. A little splash adds big flavor, and your loved ones will come back for seconds to ladle the gravy over the turkey, rice, mashed potatoes, or veggies.