**DISCOVERED** Bisto Gravy Granules

 People, you have got to try Bisto Gravy Granules.

Years and years and years ago, while briefly living in England, I could not get used to some things: cold toast; warm cola; tiny fridges, kitchens, and bathrooms; very polite but slightly stand-offish people; dry humor; and underseasoned food.

(Granted, I'm Texas-bred and Southern-fed so we tend to like our salt and butter.)

When I had dinner with someone in England who made a roast chicken so tasty that I wanted thirds, I asked what they had seasoned it with. That was the first time I heard of "gravy granules". 

Gravy... granules. Huh?

My mama always made gravy from pan drippings and flour. And nobody makes a gravy like anybody's country-born mama! But the gravy I had at that dinner was lip-smacking delicious.

Fast forward about a million years. In a forum online, I run across something called "Bisto". I learn that it is made in the UK and immediately, my tastebuds flashed back to that amazing roast chicken dinner.

Honey. Child.

Now when you live in a place like where I live - with no diversity in shops, people, or culture - and you want to find international foods, seasonings, or beverages, where do you look? You know where: Ama-gonna-have-it-zon©.

I easily found the Bisto for chicken. There is a Bisto for various dishes and in several 'flavours' (see what I did there?) but the chicken is all I think I will ever need. So that's what I got.

The first thing I used it on was fish. Yummy. 

Next, I used it on the first turkey I have ever made all by myself. Actually, it's the first one I ever got near enough to do more than call dibs on a leg or wing. (Oh, how I wish I had paid more attention when my mother and sister were making all those holiday dinners!)

Let me tell you what: my turkey didn't look beautiful like Mama's or Mike's but it was so well-seasoned that I would have served it to them or any chef you can name. I  thawed the bird overnight in a salt and cold-water brine that I rinsed off.

 For cooking it, all I used was butter, Bisto, a little black pepper, a tablespoon of salt, and a tiny touch of Liquid Smoke. I injected that mix into the turkey and basted it around the outside before wrapping it in foil to do a low-and-slow roast on 280F for about 7 hours*, then broiling for about 10 minutes. I could have broiled it to a browner shade but got nervous about going too brown. My mama and sister would be proud.

Not the prettiest
but so tasty!

It had that savory hit of a yummy-licious rotisserie-style bird. I didn't eat sides or bread - just turkey.

Another thing I like about Bisto is that it is lower in salt than most (if not all) of the other seasonings I use. Keep in mind that I used very little table salt.

You know how when you cook something for the first time and want someone's opinion but worry what they will say? That was me. Even though I loved the turkey, I wanted someone else to taste it. 

I took a little bit over to my neighbor. I made sure to include both white and dark meat. It is said that the test of a good turkey is how juicy and seasoned the white meat is.

My neighbor loved it. And, trust me, this woman doesn't do polite white lies. She once let me know that I need to stop wearing so much gray and go with colors like blue, red, and pink. According to her, I tend to wear dull colors. Uh, okay...

Before I let her taste the turkey, I did that whole nervous dance about how I've never made it before and can she tell me if it's missing something. 

She took a teeny-tiny bit of white meat and tasted it like she was a judge on one of those reality shows where amateur cooks compete for prizes. Then she took a bit of dark meat.

How happy was I when she declared that I didn't need to add a thing. ("Not one thing.") My turkey was perfect. I was even happier when she wanted to come down and see the Bisto - and get more of the turkey! (The only down turn was that she couldn't believe that all I had made was the turkey!) By the way, she was happy to get a baggy of Bisto to take home with her.

The thing about Bisto is that, if you just put a granule on your tongue to taste it, you will be underwhelmed. But when the granule melts - oh! That is when the bells ring.

What I like most about Bisto is that it's so flavorful without being over-salty. It reminds me a little of the mushroom seasoning I use - and even looks like it - but it's better for fowl than mushroom seasoning, in my opinion.

As far as price: I paid $15 for 3 of the 170g packs ($0.83/oz). That's not bad, considering it's the real deal from the UK. It doesn't take a lot of the granules to season anything. For using it on vegetables, you can grind or mortar it into a powder and sprinkle it on in very small amounts. (By the way, if you "powder" it, the powder tends to clump and won't sprinkle easily.) For meat and fish. I just sprinkle the granules whole.  For 3 frozen tilapia filets, I used just slightly more than a teaspoon. I also added a little bit of Old Bay.

So, people, at least give Bisto a try.  In my opinion, it will change the game for seasonings.

Peace

--Free

* The timing of the turkey depends on the size of the bird. I didn't track strict time but made sure to achieve the suggested finished temps here at Butterball. And, yeah, I could have done more browning but... 

Another tip: You don't have to cook them low and slow but that's what my mother always did. Since I didn't have a roasting bag, I wrapped my turkey tightly in foil and it was very moist and fall-apart tender.

Finally, I want to mention that I made that turkey the day after what would have been my late sister's 70th birthday. Happy birthday, Mike❤