Looking for perfect Gravy recipe

[Muddy Toes]

Oh what was that?

A chef with 20 years experience just called it a sauce did he?

[thelump]

Mmmmm what could it be? The rules state

1. Good cooking skills is a great start
2. be able to be self sufficient and well organized
3. supply all own food and some stuff to eat off (depending on dish)
4. Liaise with Chong to sort evenings events
5. Have a beer or seven and accept a glass of “joy” when offered
6. K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) is the key for your dish
7. Accept nominated uniform for the evening ( must be worn to tavern)
8. Supply own uniform
9. Supply own donation tin
10. Good listening skills, as we all like a chat

I am guessing with that list it will be a slow cooker cooked meat. Hopefully lamb. Mmmmmmmmmmm lamb. On a bun with said Gravy/sauce.
Is asking for help considered cheating. Is being coached by a Chef with 20yrs experience cheating? It better be Lamb!

[Bull]

Gravox with a liberal nip of Murf or Chongs shine should hit your intended taste testers where they love it best. You couldn't loose.

[clevelandv8]

Here's an idea, it may help with the understanding of time / temperature / breakdown of meat protein = tender meat.

Not so much a "camp oven recipe" as camp oven style uses similar techniques, but more of a braising method = tender meat thats fully cooked.....

One thing I did when I was back a couple of months ago was steak sandwiches for about 15 people.... ok, no biggy I hear you say, however, how many times have you had a steak sandwich that you couldn't pull out of the bread? or chew for instance? This is where my BUDGET ROAST BEEF process comes into play, not only for sandwiches but even better for sunday roasts.... note though, there will not be any pan juices, as barely any juice escapes the meat = success!!!!!! more juicy meat.

I use Rump for all beef roasts.

First things first.

Find the CHEAPEST rump beef you can buy, well, doesn't have to be BUT you will understand when I finish.
I paid $11 a kilo, for a 6kg rump.
Take the cap off, now for you guys who are not chefs, ask the butcher to do this. (Rump has 3 major parts / muscles)
You will end up with 1 larger piece, and the cap which will be a bit thinner.... you'll understand later why.

Get the beef the day before you want to cook it.

Get a big bowl and add,

2 big spoons of mustard, up to you which one.
2 big spoons of chilli mince, from a jar no dramas.
2 big spoons of cracked black pepper.
1 spoon of salt.
As much garlic as you like... i opt for 3 big spoons.
3 spoons of honey
Half a cup of oil

Now mix all that around to form a paste. Herbs are optional, if you have in the garden, then whack some in, I'd go for thyme.
Rub the mix into the beef and leave overnight in fridge... if you can, try and leave it out for a couple of hours prior to putting it away.

Now hears the trick.

Say the lunch is for 1pm. You need to fire up the BBQ at 6am..... yes, 6am.
Then fire up the oven to 80c.... on some ovens it is the warm function, spend $5 and get an oven thermometer as you cannot go over 85c or under 75c which you may think is weird, but you'll understand later.
Get the bbq very very very hot.
Place meat on to seal all surfaces.
Just seal the meat.... don't cook it..... you should get good colour from the honey caramelizing.
Make sure it's ALL sealed.
Once thats done, plonk beef on a tray and put in oven at the 80c mark at 7am.
Done, you can go back to bed.

Meat breaks down slowly at a low temperature.
Meat will not shrink, and lose it's juices doing it this way.

Now the 2 pieces of meat will be ready at around 12 noon..... the thinner one, will be more well done... for the non meat eaters as I say, and the thicker one will be nice and red internally, it all depends on how the meat is formed... if it's a thick rump it will be more towards medium rare.

Do not be tempted to put it in the oven for a last 30 minutes blasting away at 180c.... it will get tough and shrink.

Go on, try it out.

That $66 you spent on the 6 kilo of rump will feed around 20-25 people with veggies and gravy on a Sunday in front of the football.

Just remember to use a nice knife to carve it, don't hack it up.

Just ask Newbe.

Mick.

PS.... you may think thats alot of meat, however look at the left overs... it's medium to medium rare.
Cut a couple of steaks off it, and pour COLD gravy over it and put in glad bags..... simmer water in a large pot, drop the beef in the bag into the water and turn off.... boom, nice steak and gravy ready in 10 minutes on Wednesday

Still got beef left over?
Slice it thinly into little french frie looking bits, add some red onions, basil, tomatoes, over veg and add a dressing... another dinner or lunch right there.

Still got beef left over?
Make a ragout!

I hate wasting food, even if it is a cheap cut I'm using.

Good luck.

[clevelandv8]

Here's a sauce / gravy that i use all the time, make in advance if you like.

It has an "indian" feel to it.

4 to 5 ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 onions, chopped
6 flakes of garlic, chopped
½ piece of ginger, chopped
4 green chillies
½ tsp chilli powder
¼ tsp turmeric
A small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
4 cloves
1 cardomom
½ piece of cinnamon

Method :

Heat oil and add cloves, cardomom and cinnamon.
Add onions and fry till golden brown.
Add tomatoes, green chillies, chilli powder and turmeric.
Simmer until the gravy thickens, becomes a deep red and the oil floats.

[lbger]

Gravy is a type of sauce...... usually made from juices of cooked meat or vegetables. The key word is usually and in different countries it is called different things.

The consistency, texture and fullness of flavour determine the difference between a sauce and a Gravy as much as the ingredients.

Best part of a good Gravy, is that it will " set " in the fridge, whereas a sauce, will not, IMO. A sauce is designed to be used either hot or cold but at all times the consistency lends itself to be non-congealing, hence the requirement " usually " of meat or vegetable juices to attain Gravy status.

LP

Phil, A Gravy or Jus as it is called in french (where it originates from) will set in the fridge as a result of the gelatine extracted in the simmering process from roasted marrow bones (beef stock) A decent gravy.. cant be made without decent stock IMHO.
The other thing you can do though is cheat..
Finely chopt onion with a few sprigs of thyme and garlic gloves and peppercorns..fry them off in some butter.. add some good quality demerara suger and caramelize a little add some good quality redwine vinigar and redue by 2/3rds.. add a few cups of good redwine reduce by 1/2 and add some water.. 1 cup. add some kecap manis (dark sweet soy) for colour and reduce again. Strain through a fine sieve and return to a pan.. reduce this again and add cream..reduce to a sauce consistancy... is a base sauce to add what ever to.. (green peppercorns for pepper sauce, mushrooms for ...you get the picture)

[Dicko]

My quick and simple gravy if not working with pan juices.

Gravox or similar (use no brand myself), 1 heaped teaspoon per person.
Add water- you get the feel for it. 3 teaspoons gravox to about a cup of water I think.
A squirt of bbq sauce
A squirt of tomato sauce
Quick dash of worcestershire sauce.

A few drops of tobasco if you feel like it.

Stir it up and into the microwave or a small saucepan.

Suppose you could add a bit of cream if your criteria dictates.

[Cheech]

Thanks Dicko, will give it a go with the extra sauces.

I make a pretty good sauce for every day without all that much work. My trick is to add the gravox and stock (dried so it does not reduce the water temperature) into a bowl, and add your couple of cups of boiling water from the kettle. Stir it up and then let it sit cooking itself whilst you cook everything else. If there are pan juices or you want to add mushrooms or onions or whatever, then fine, otherwise just finishing off in the pan juice less at the end still gives an ok gravy.