Vegetable water.

When I use gravy granules I use the already boiling veg water to make it, I don't add much salt to the veg when cooking them so it is not too salty.

I use the water for gravy if we’re having it, I don’t add salt to veg being cooked.
I should say if not, I save the water to make soup, but that would be a fib, it goes down the plug hole!

I used veg water for gravy, but now veg are steamed or roast there’s not much value in it. . I do use the water from the steamer, because it’s already boiling, but that’s a fuel saver.
Does any goodness percolate down into the steamer water?

Probably, in small quantities.

We had a lodger who always drank the water which vegetables had been cooked in. I tried it once... yuk.

Mollygo

I used veg water for gravy, but now veg are steamed or roast there’s not much value in it. . I do use the water from the steamer, because it’s already boiling, but that’s a fuel saver.
Does any goodness percolate down into the steamer water?

The water from the steamer is worth using, I always add cauliflower/broccoli stalks etc to the water for extra goodness.
I use the old fashioned descaling method and add gravy browning and a little cornflour.

I just looked up the ingredients of gravy granules;

Ingredients
Potato Starch, Maltodextrin, Palm Oil, Salt, WHEAT Flour
(with added Calcium, Iron, Niacin, Thiamin), Colour (E150c),
Sugar, Flavourings (contain BARLEY), Flavour Enhancer.

I've always used the veg water for gravy, very often in the meat juices.. my mum used to as well.. and we both left the skin on veg if possible..

I always make my gravy with veg water and meat juices. I used to do it the old fashioned way by deglazing the pan and adding cornflour but now I cheat and use gravy granules to thicken it.

I don’t salt my vegetables, so the veg water is not at all salty.

I don’t eat mashed potatoes. I put the veg in with the stew, mince or spaghetti Bol or roast veg in oven. I used to use a pressure cooker with a little water under and not touching the veg. Nowadays I steam all veg in the microwave, again with very little water.

I have always used it to make gravy with meat juices , none of that packet or tin gravy stuff.

Grannynannywanny

My Mum used to fill a mug after draining the veg and drink the cabbage water while she was mashing the potatoes etc. Her ungrateful offspring were happy to decline a share. She often reminded us if you were huddled round the farmhouse kitchen with 8 siblings, parents and 2 resident grandparents you were happy to eat/drink whatever came your way as there might be nothing else on offer for the remainder of the day.

My mum always used to drink the cabbage water as she said they used to during the war.

use it for gravy made with granules, saves water and electric from not boiling water especially to make the gravy

The only vegetable that I ever boil is potatoes. We have steamer pans that fit the 'potato saucepan' and all the other veg go in them to be steamed. Or they're roast or done in the microwave.

I've haven't salted veg water since I had my children. Veg are fine without salt.

I don't like using the potato water because I think it's a bit starchy and strong tasting. I make gravy with the meat juices,, pan scrapings and water (sometimes a drop or two of wine). A little cornflour to thicken.

I'd like to see the evidence that veg water is nutritious. Vitamin C is destroyed by heat anyway. Which is the one I'd be concerned about conserving.

I steam veg mainly and use the cooled water for house plants, they seem to like it or add it to a veg smoothie

I always save it and was very upset the other day when my husband threw some out by accident!

I also use veg water for gravy, but not that from brassicas as the taste makes my poor husband sick.

MaizieD

The only vegetable that I ever boil is potatoes. We have steamer pans that fit the 'potato saucepan' and all the other veg go in them to be steamed. Or they're roast or done in the microwave.

I've haven't salted veg water since I had my children. Veg are fine without salt.

I don't like using the potato water because I think it's a bit starchy and strong tasting. I make gravy with the meat juices,, pan scrapings and water (sometimes a drop or two of wine). A little cornflour to thicken.

The fact that potato water is starchy is why I like it for gravy! I often pressure cook potatoes and use the water from that too, particularly that from new potatoes.

I think the idea of believing that veg water is nutritious started in the war with other little homilies for people to subscribe to not wasting ANYTHING - carrots will enable you to see in the dark (in the absence of street lights,) eat your crusts to make your hair curly - what a load of rubbish. Most vitamins are affected by heat, along with some minerals

carrots will enable you to see in the dark
No, they won't but carrots do contain high levels of Vitamin A which help with eye health.
Carrots would have been unrationed and available during WW2.
Vitamin A in carrots in the form of beta-carotene, is better released if the cells wall are made softer by cooking.

Other Vitamins eg C, B, can be destroyed by cooking for too long.

cc

The fact that potato water is starchy is why I like it for gravy! I often pressure cook potatoes and use the water from that too, particularly that from new potatoes.
That’s why I like to add potatoes to stew. They help thicken the gravy whilst they’re cooking.

My Mum used veg water for stock. Having lived through the war she never wasted a thing. Butter wrappers for greasing tins, stale bread for breadcrumbs or bread and butter pudding, vinegar to make salad cream go a bit further etc.

Oh, goodness. The butter wrappers. Mum used to save them up for lining cake tins. She baked quite a lot, but when she went back to work full time she gave up baking. Still saved the butter wrappers, though. We had to periodically chuck out the accumulation 😂

I used the butter wrapper for greasing the tin for the Christmas cake not long ago. 🙂

vinegar to make salad cream go a bit further etc
My Dad used to do that and DH does too. I don't much like salad cream and it's even worse with vinegar.
Strange, as I like vinegar on chips, sardines etc.