Brown Gravy

"I use this gravy often as a base for my quick beef stew. It's also great just as a gravy :) The barley malt balances out the salt and gives a very rich flavor to the gravy. I wondered why all canned gravy added sugar, so I threw in some malt one day and decided it improved my gravy incredibly."
 
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Ready In:
30mins
Ingredients:
6
Serves:
6
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ingredients

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directions

  • Heat oil on low in a deep pan, add flour. Use a fork or whisk to saturate the flour with the oil. It needs to end up being a fairly dry paste, slightly drier than pie crust. Add more oil or flour as needed to get the right consistency.
  • Turn the heat to medium high. Brown the flour until it is very dark. Be careful, once it starts browning, it burns easily. Stir it constantly so it browns evenly.
  • When the flour is very dark, add in one cup of the hot water. When the billowing steam clears, mix the flour and water into a thick paste. Repeat with a second cup of water. Mix thoroughly, so you have a very smooth texture.
  • Add the beef stock and barley malt to the last two cups of water. Add to the gravy and stir.
  • Turn the heat down to medium. Let simmer until it thickens to the desired consistency. Add pepper to taste. If needed, add more beef stock.
  • I don't spice the gravy much at all. I rely on the flavor from whatever I am cooking. If you like, add juice from any meat you are cooking instead of the last two cups of hot water.
  • I have no idea how many servings this actually makes. It is plenty enough for a meal for four people, or enough to be the base for my beef stew.

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Reviews

  1. This turned out quite well but I wasn't sure how long to brown the flour or to what color. Like pastry when it's ready to pull out of the oven? Like strong tea? I omitted the barley malt without problem and used beef broth for half the water.
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>I love studying history! Most of the cookbooks I am collecting are half history book, half cookbook. <br /> <br />One of the best cookbooks I have ever read is Jewish Holiday Baking by Marcy Goldman. I like anything by Mollie Katzen, too. <br /> <br />I am trying to get better at making soups. I am also making forays into Russian cooking. <br /> <br />I am on a low carbohydrate diet for various and sundry health reasons. It's a lot of fun tweaking recipes to be low carb enough for me to enjoy. I've become a much better cook because of it. <br /> <br />I love sewing, embroidery, cooking, baking, and dancing. I just got a full time job again so I am relearning how to fit my cooking in around a strict schedule. The crock pot is once again my best friend.</p> <p><a href=http://www.food.com/bb/viewtopic.zsp?t=360098 target=_blank><br /></a></p>
 
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