After starch and seasonings are dissolved in warm water using a high shear mixer, the slurry is transferred to batching tanks where additional water and other powdered and liquid ingredients are added. The product is pre-heated in a WCB plate heat exchanger regenerator section, recovering energy from the hot product. The product then flows to a steam injector where it is heated to the final cooking temperature. After the product is heated, it is held in the holding/hydration tube for a timed period, allowing the starch to gelatinize. After holding, the gravy is cooled to the desired filling temperature using WCB plate heat exchanger sections for regeneration and final cooling.