Actually a stock reduction
I forgot to get a photo of the gravy, sorry...
At least 2 liters good clear beef stock
1/2 bottle of red wine
salt
Put the stock in a clean heavy based pot, at least 4 liters in capacity. Add the wine and boil hard to reduce, skimming off any rising deposits occasionally. As it becomes darker and more concentrated, taste regularly. It will cry out for salt, but do not salt it yet, as the saltiness will concentrate as you continue to reduce. Stop reducing when you have a rich, concentrated beefy sauce that is lightly syrupy, but not too sticky. Only at this point, should you season to taste with salt. Finish the gravy at the last minute by adding the deglazed pan juices from your roasting tin or frying pan , but exclude as much of the fat as you can. Strain through a sieve and briskly whisk the two together. You can keep this chilled in the fridge for up to a week. Before serving, gently warm it until not quite boiling, and “refresh” with a small splash of wine.
This is so cool. You have to make this to go with a roast beef for three reasons, one is because it is the perfect accompaniment, and it tastes just so amazingly good. Two is because it will make you sound really professional when you say “actually, it’s not really a gravy, it’s a stock reduction sauce”. Three is because it is even easier to make then gravy is, and you don’t even have to wait for the roast to be done to get it ready.
How cool is that?
I only made a half size portion of this recipe, because I wasn’t feeding an entire army of starving soldiers. It was plenty and we still had leftovers. Also, I didn’t need any salt, it was perfect without it.
I cannot stress enough how easy this is. You just put it in a pot and then check on it until it is done. I skipped the straining step too, and it didn’t hurt it any at all. My one suggestion would be that you make sure you are starting with a good stock (I used stock cubes, but really good ones), because the flavor relies on it.
I will always make this to go with a roast beef, there is no question.
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4 comments:
I love reductions: they are simple and delicious. Thanks for an interesting recipe. I have a question though: did you make your own stock or did you buy it? I'd like to know because I'm looking for a good brand or for a good recipe. Thanks
I didn't make my own. I always mean to, but I never get around to it. For this I used a stock called "Just Bouillon" by Kallo. It's a healthy no artificial additives type, and I thought it worked really nicely. It's not low sodium though, which I know some people prefer for a reduction. Still, I would recommend that you give it a try.
This will not work as a matter of fact, that is what I believe.
Thanks so much for this post, pretty worthwhile material.
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