Best British Mushroom Gravy Recipes

A PROPER BRITISH GRAVY

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. Gather and prep your ingredients.
• 3. Add about a tablespoon of grapeseed oil to a pot over medium heat.
• 4. Add the ground beef, and use a wooden spoon to break it up as you cook.
• 5. Allow it to cook for a few minutes; it should still be slightly pink.
• 6. Remove from the pot, and place into a food processor, fitted with an S-blade, and then lightly season with some salt and pepper.
• 7. Give the partially cooked beef a few 1-second pulses, until it's finely ground, but not mush.
• 8. Return the beef to the pot and finish cooking.
• 9. Chef's Note: If you want to skip these steps, you can always have your butcher finely grind the beef right at the store.
• 10. Add the onion and rosemary leaves to the pot.
• 11. Continue to stir until most of the liquid from the onions has been cooked off, about 15 minutes.
• 12. Deglaze the pot using the light ale, and a wooden spoon.
• 13. Chef's Note: Deglazing a pan utilizes a liquid (wine, beer, broth), to soften up and incorporate those yummy dried bits of flavor stuck to the bottom of the pan (called fonds) back into the recipe.
• 14. Cook until slightly reduced in volume, about 3 to 5 minutes.
• 15. Add the flour, dry mustard, jam, and vinegar to the two cups of water and whisk to combine.
• 16. Add the water and the beef stock to the skillet, and reduce heat to a simmer.
• 17. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until nice and thick.
• 18. Chef's Note: During this time, season with more salt and pepper, to taste.
• 19. Chef's Tip: I like to add a pinch of cayenne (especially in the cold Winter months) for a bit of a kick.
• 20. After 30 minutes add the gravy to a food processor fitted with an S-blade, and pulse until smooth.
• 21. Return to the pot, and keep warm until ready to use.
• 22. PLATE/PRESENT
• 23. Chef's Note: Serve this over just about any beef, to add a bit of dimension to the dish.
• 24. In this example, I use it with some homemade meatballs as an alternative to the traditional Italian tomato sauce that would normally be used. These will be one of my New Year appetizers. Enjoy.
• 25. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

CHEF JOHN'S MUSHROOM GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat butter over medium heat in a saucepan until it foams. Stir in mushrooms. Season with salt. Simmer until liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the flour, cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes. Add about 1 cup of beef stock, stirring briskly until incorporated, then pour in the remaining stock and mix thoroughly. Season with black pepper and thyme. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring often.

ONION GRAVY FOR BRITISH BANGERS AND MASH

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in the melted butter until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and cook until onions are caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Stir flour into the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour red wine, chicken stock (see Editor's Note), Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce into the onion mixture; simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

MUSHROOM GRAVY

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallot. Saute, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons flour; cook until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add beef broth; cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in half-and-half, black pepper, and salt. Cook for 30 seconds more.