Vermouth or Cognac in gravy?

[Hungryin theBurbs]

I've always used cognac, but have been reading on this board and it seems like most folks use vermouth. Now I'm torn. I love it with cognac, but vermouth sounds great too. Anyone whose used both care to comment on the differences?

[bushwickgirl]

Cognac, please, it's just richer than vermouth for gravy or pan sauces, and I second the Madeira option.

[heidipie]

I deglazed my pan with Madeira!

[carbonaraboy]

I deglaze the roasting pan with cognac and white wine. As cognac is derived from white grapes (at least that's the story), it works just fine in gravies for fowl, especially rich ones like turkey, duck, and game birds.

[Caroline1]

I tend to use cognac in beef gravies and sauces, sometimes in addition to red wine. For fowl, well, turkey and chicken anyway and for duck, I use vermouth. And I use vermouth in my chestnut stuffing. It brightens it!

[Harters]

I've never used either brandy or vermouth in gravy and feel that they would detract from the flavour. Most times, we wouldnt add booze to gravy but, from time to time, add red or white wine or, very occasionally, a splash of fino sherry.

[tim irvine]

I usually match it more with what I'd drink with it. Sherry (an Osborn medium Amontillado) always goes well with turkey (to me) because I baste it while it is cooking in Sherry and butter. White wine goes nicely with chicken gravy. A rich red, like a good cab/merlot blend or a zin, not some scrawny PN, with beef gravy. I'd go for Cognac or other brandy in more of a pan sauce than a traditional gravy. BTW, I do my turkey gravy with dried assorted mushrooms, reconstituted in a little boiling water and Sherry. I like it better than giblets. I grab Vermouth only when I do not have at the ready an acceptable bottle of wine open. It's interesting to me how many gravies and sauces, especially those with tomato, call for red wine but to me are much brighter and better with a splash of white. Tomorrow I may save some drippings for a brandied mushroom pan sauce as well as a boat of traditional gravy. There's nothing like a taste test!

On a related thought, I just can't bring myself to spring for Cognac for cooking. A snifter of old Pierre Ferrand or Vesper is fine to savor but too rich for my blood to deglaze a pan. I have found a survey of less expensive brandies that the Presidente from Mexico is pretty good for cooking and E & J tastes and smells like imitation maple syrup.