It is well known that after meat has been hung before
the fire for a while, fat begins to drop from it. In course
of time this fat will be mixed with a sort of rich brown
juice, and it is from this latter substance that the gravy
is to be made.
Now a great point in making gravy is to have it free
from fat.
Everyone knows what fatty gravy is like. So long as
the meat and dish are hot, it is not very objectionable ;
but as the joint and plates cool, the fat solidifies, and
floats in cakes on the top of the gravy, and the taste of
one of these is more easily imagined than described.
The reason why it is undesirable to make gravy front
the contents of the dripping-tin is, that it is so difficult
to get rid of the fat in the tin, and to retain the sediment
only.
When, however, gravy has to be thus made, the fat must
, be poured off from one corner of the tin ; this must be
\done carefully and with a steady hand. When the sedi-
t6 The Girl's Own Cookery Book.
I ment only remains, the cook should pour in about a third
■ of a pint of boiling stock, or boiling water, if stock
; is not to be had. She should then scrape the tin well
in order to dissolve any hard dry spots of gravy that
there may be, and when these are melted she should pour
a spoonful or two of the gravy roimd, but not over the
meat in the dish, and the rest into a hot tureen.
If the gravy has become cool whilst in the tin, it should
be made hot in a saucepan before being strained into the
dish, but it should not be allowed to boil.
No greater mistake can be made than to pour a large
quantity of gravy into the dish with the meat. In the
first place it is very awkward for the carver ; for a mere
slip of his knife may cause him to splash the gravy over
the cloth. In the second place, unless a hot-water dish is
used, the gravy will cool much more quickly in a large dish
than it will in a small covered tureen. And more than
all, made gravy will dilute the gravy that runs from the
meat. When a joint is properly roasted, a gush of gravy
follows the first cut of the knife, and then continues to
flow from the meat while it is being carved. The majority
of grown-up people would rather have a teaspoonful of
this real juice of meat, than a quarter of a pint of the
coloured water which is so often served as gravy. When
the family is large, and gravy is much liked, a little made
gravy must be used, because the joint, in all probability,
would not yield as much as is wanted ; but it is a pity
when that which it does yield is not made the most of.
If gravy is provided apart from the joint, the entire
contents of the dripping-tin can be poured into a basin.
In a few hours, when the fat is cold, it will be found that
the gravy has settled to the bottom and lies, a clear
brown cake of jelly, which can be used without any of the
fat the next time gravy is wanted.
When I recommend that gravy should be prepared
apart from the joint, 1 hope no one will think I am going
to advise the purchase of gravy beef. Indeed I am not,
for I should consider such a purchase extravagant and
unnecessary.
In all houses where meat is cooked there are little
bones, trimmings, and scraps, from which excellent gravy
can be prepared, costing nothing but a little care and
Gravy for j'oinls.
tliese, economical cookery is ✪ Gravy for Joints
Page 6 · 1 recipe record on this page
Presented as published in 1882. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
It is well known that after meat has been hung before the fire for a while, fat begins to drop from it. In course of time this fat will be mixed with a sort of rich brown juice, and it is from this latter substance that the gravy is to be made.
Now a great point in making gravy is to have it free from fat.
Everyone knows what fatty gravy is like. So long as the meat and dish are hot, it is not very objectionable ; but as the joint and plates cool, the fat solidifies, and floats in cakes on the top of the gravy, and the taste of one of these is more easily imagined than described.
The reason why it is undesirable to make gravy front the contents of the dripping-tin is, that it is so difficult to get rid of the fat in the tin, and to retain the sediment only.
When, however, gravy has to be thus made, the fat must , be poured off from one corner of the tin ; this must be \done carefully and with a steady hand. When the sedi-
t6 The Girl's Own Cookery Book.
I ment only remains, the cook should pour in about a third ■ of a pint of boiling stock, or boiling water, if stock ; is not to be had. She should then scrape the tin well in order to dissolve any hard dry spots of gravy that there may be, and when these are melted she should pour a spoonful or two of the gravy round, but not over the meat in the dish, and the rest into a hot tureen.
If the gravy has become cool whilst in the tin, it should be made hot in a saucepan before being strained into the dish, but it should not be allowed to boil.
No greater mistake can be made than to pour a large quantity of gravy into the dish with the meat. In the first place it is very awkward for the carver ; for a mere slip of his knife may cause him to splash the gravy over the cloth. In the second place, unless a hot-water dish is used, the gravy will cool much more quickly in a large dish than it will in a small covered tureen. And more than all, made gravy will dilute the gravy that runs from the meat. When a joint is properly roasted, a gush of gravy follows the first cut of the knife, and then continues to flow from the meat while it is being carved. The majority of grown-up people would rather have a teaspoonful of this real juice of meat, than a quarter of a pint of the coloured water which is so often served as gravy. When the family is large, and gravy is much liked, a little made gravy must be used, because the joint, in all probability, would not yield as much as is wanted ; but it is a pity when that which it does yield is not made the most of.
If gravy is provided apart from the joint, the entire contents of the dripping-tin can be poured into a basin. In a few hours, when the fat is cold, it will be found that the gravy has settled to the bottom and lies, a clear brown cake of jelly, which can be used without any of the fat the next time gravy is wanted.
When I recommend that gravy should be prepared apart from the joint, 1 hope no one will think I am going to advise the purchase of gravy beef. Indeed I am not, for I should consider such a purchase extravagant and unnecessary.
In all houses where meat is cooked there are little bones, trimmings, and scraps, from which excellent gravy can be prepared, costing nothing but a little care and
Gravy for j'oinls.
tliese, economical cookery is
Records on this page
Gravy for Joints