Gravy

December 10, 2008  •  Condiments,

My apologies for being away from the blog for the past week. This is my busiest time of the year for cooking events and my father was hospitalized for four broken ribs and complications – life has been crazy! This may seem like a strange recipe to post, but clients always ask me how to get enough drippings from their roast to make a great gravy. The reality is that most roasts will never produce enough drippings, so you have to make your own base for gravy, then add whatever drippings you have at the end to enrich it. Here’s my recipe for basic beef gravy – turns out great every time!

Beef Gravy
Yields about 2 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 pound beef scraps and fat
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 cup red wine
4 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon beef demi-glace, optional
salt and pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter, softened

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add oil. Add beef scraps and cook until the fat has rendered and the meat is browned. Drain any excess fat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Deglaze pan with red wine, scraping bottom to pick up any bits. Add stock, cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain out solids and return liquid to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and continue to reduce until you have about 2 cups remaining. Salt and pepper to taste, and add demi-glace if you desire. Combine flour and butter together. Bring liquid to a gentle boil, and whisk butter and flour mixture in vigorously. Continue whisking until the gravy thickens. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm until you serve.

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