A succulent roast served with mashed potatoes and rich, creamy gravy is an old fashioned meal that is associated with Sunday dinners at Grandma's house.
You can buy cans of beef gravy, yet it does not compare to the flavor or texture of homemade beef gravy. Preparing a basic beef gravy using a roux, can be the same process used when making turkey gravy. One difference, some opt to add beef gravy coloring, while coloring isn't added when making turkey gravy.
Identification
Beef gravy is a thick sauce that is made from the drippings of a cooked roast. Drippings are those juices that are deposited on the bottom of the pan while cooking. Gravy is made by thickening the drippings, using a thickening agent such as flour or corn starch. The gravy can be made darker by first browning the bits of meat that are left in the pan with the juices or by adding a gravy coloring. The ideal way to make beef gravy is by thickening with a roux. A roux is a mixture of flour and fat that is used as a thickening agent for sauces, gravies and soups.
Features
The first step in preparing gravy with a roux is to separate the fat from the juice in the drippings. This can be done by pouring the juice into a tall container, and when the fat rises to the top, it can be removed.
Add the fat to a pan with an equal amount (by weight) of flour. Cook on a medium heat, while stirring for about 5 to 8 minutes. Heat up the juice in another pan, and add a little bit of the roux to the boiling juice, thickening to the desired texture. Be careful not to add to much roux at one time. The gravy can be thinned by adding a little water.
Types
Greasy meat, such as prime rib, does not make good beef gravy. Some roasts produce more juice than others, yet one way to get more juice for the gravy is by cooking your roast on a rack, in a pan with some water added.
Milk gravy can be made from chicken fried steak and fried hamburgers. In those cases, oil has normally been added to the pan prior to cooking. To make milk gravy, add several tablespoons of flour to milk, blend, then stir in the milk-flour mixture to your pan of juices and remaining oil.
Benefits
Gravy will help to moisten cooked meats and enhance the flavor. It can also be used to top potatoes and bread. When there aren't enough drippings to make beef gravy, cans of beef broth can be used as a substitute for drippings, and a butter roux can be used as the thickening agent. It is also possible to thicken the juices in the roasting pan, which will help to add the bits of roast that will add both flavor and color to the finished product.
Warning
Delicious gravy is a comfort food. Unfortunately, it can be detrimental to a diet and is high in cholesterol. High dietary cholesterol can increase your risk for developing coronary heart diseases.
Milk gravy is especially high in calories, as it contains the frying oil initially added to cook the chicken fried steak or beef patties. Preparing beef gravy with a roux can result in slightly less calories, as the fat has been removed from the drippings and only a little has been reintroduced with the roux.
Tags: beef gravy, , thickening agent, cans beef, chicken fried, chicken fried steak