[Yorkie]

So, we're cooking rolled beef for the big day.

Mum always does a pathetically thin 'jus' type gravy where all you can taste is wine.

Me, I like a decent thick proper gravy.

What is the best way to achieve it? (Other than gravy granules, which I can fall back on if all else fails!)

[plum crumble]

coat the beef in a mix of flour and mustard powder and salt/pepper, and lay the joint of beef on top of pieces of onion. This will all caramelise with the beef juices as it is cooking. The flour/mustard on any fat will go crusty and the rest will mix with the juices. Once you have taken the meat out and let it rest, you will get meat juices to mix with the caramelised onion, flour etc, plus veg water. You can add a touch more flour if you feel you need it - but the flavour should be gorgeous. You can add some red wine too, and adjust the seasoning. Good luck!

[Judd]

Make a roux first with the fat from the meat,I use approx 1 dessert spoon flour to thicken 1/2 pint of liquid. Cook it off for a few mins to cook the flour then add your stock stirring in a little at a time as you go.
(I make superb gravy)

[Swing Swang]

For future get into the habit of making stocks. Save your old roasted bones (yes - even the turkey! - or even get some form the butcher and roast them off). When you've got loads simmer in a maslin pan for about four hours (roots and onions can be added at various stages if required). Strain and reduce down (if I start off with about 3 gallons of water I aim to get to about 2 pints of concentrated stock). Freeze the liquid in icecube trays.

You can tacke this further and add a bottle of wince part way through the process to get a red wine reduction. This makes for better gravy, but makes the stock less versatile elsewhere in the kitchen, but if you only make the stock for gravy it's not a problem.

[Yorkie]

Thanks all 

I do have mustard powder and flour, so that's a definite start!

Home grown onions, mmmmmmmmm.

[Yorkie]

Well the gravy was a triumph, thanks all!

[rainie]

Well the gravy was a triumph, thanks all!

 

[Judd]

You might think I'm a bit strange but just the other day I thought to myself 'I wonder how Yorkies gravy was and did he upset his Mother by muscling in and proclaiming he'd show her how to make proper gravy'
 
Glad to know it was fine :blink:

[Yorkie]

 

Oh I've been suitably rude about my mum's gravy for enough years now!

(And I'm a she!!  )

[richy]

YORKIES NOT FOR GIRLS

[plum crumble]

OOOH, trouble's a'coming.............

[Yorkie]

Hmm.  New member.  Norty step. Watch it.

 

[plum crumble]

well I'm hiding behind the sofa and watching through my fingers............

[DD.]

Crossed the wrong person there, methinks!

[Judd]

Oops!    I apologise most sincerely Yorkie.
That would explain why you got away with the criticism though

I'd better be careful here,you don't live too far from me