Brown Thickening

Ingredients

• i lb. of flour
• I lb. of fresh butter
• a slice of onion

Method

1. 1

   Dry the flour before the fire and sift it.

2. 2

   Melt the butter gradually, skim, and pour off the clear oil.

3. 3

   Mix the dried flour with the oiled butter, stirring until it forms a thick mass.

4. 4

   Add an onion for flavor, stir until it no longer bubbles, then cool in a jar.

5. 5

   Mix with gravy when needed.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Harper's cook book encyclopædia (1902), page 222. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

i lb. of flour. Spread it on a newspaper or 193 Thickening with Butter G R A V I E S , ETC. Thickening, Simple large dish, and dry it thoroughly be- fore the fire, and afterwards sift it care- fully. Put I lb. of fresh butter into a stewpan over a gentle fire and melt it very gradually. Skim carefully, and afterwards pour off the portion that looks like clear oil, and leave un- touched the white, thick substance which will have settled at the bottom. Pour the clear oiled butter into a clean stewpan, mix the dried and sifted flour thoroughly and gradually with it, and beat it over a gentle fire with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick mass. Continue to stir it patiently until it is lightly colored. Draw it to the side of the fire, and throw in with it a slice of onion for flavoring, and do not cease to stir the mixture until it no longer bubbles. Take out the onion, pour the roux into an earthen jar, and let it get cold. When wanted for thickening, mix the roux with the gravy, and stir it till it boils. The gravy only attains its proper consist- ency after it has been stirred and boiled. This thickening may be mixed with either hot or cold liquor. If cold, stir it over the fire till it boils. If hot, moisten the roux gradually, and off the fire, with the gravy, then pour it into the remainder, and stir it over the fire till it boils. In order to cleanse gravy that has been thick- ened, that is, to remove the fat which has not become thoroughly incor- porated, draw the saucepan to the side of the fire and throw in a small quan- tity of lukewarm water. The fat, etc., will rise to the surface, and may be removed with a spoon. Time to brown the roux, about an hour. A dessert-spoonful will thicken a pint of gravy. Thickening with Butter or Butter and Cream. — Although it is usual to speak of thickening sauce or soup with butter or butter and cream, these articles do not by themselves serve to thicken the liquor, but only to make it smooth and rich. A little cold butter added at the last moment to sauce greatly improves its flavor; but it should be remembered that it must not be put in until the sauce is poured into the tureen in which it is to be served, and that then it should be stirred until it is dissolved. In the same way, butter or a mixture of butter and cream may be added to soups. Thickening of Egg. — Boil the sauce, and take it off the fire for two minutes that it may partially cool. Beat the yolks of the eggs, and mix them with a spoonful of cold broth or water and a small portion of the hot sauce. Stir them briskly to the re- mainder of the sauce, and continue stirring over the fire until it is very hot. It must not boil or it will curdle. Thickening of Farinaceous Sub- stances. — Occasionally arrow - root, ground rice, or flour without butter is used to thicken soups and sauces. In this case put the thickening sub- stance into a basin, moisten gradu- ally with a little cold stock, water, or milk, and beat it with the back of a spoon until no lumps are to be found in it. With one hand pour this batter into the soup or sauce, which should be boiling quickly at the time, and with the other stir it briskly. Let it boil for a few minutes and it will be ready for serving. Invalids and per- sons of delicate taste often object strongly to butter in their sauces. Thickening, Quickly Made (for im- mediate use). — When it is wished to thicken sauces, and brown thicken- ing. is not at hand, dissolve x/z oz. of butter, and then mix smoothly with it a table - spoonful of flour. Stir it quickly over a gentle fire with a wood- en spoon for three minutes, moisten gradually with a pint of stock or broth, let it boil three or four min- utes, season properly, and it will be ready for use. Sufficient for a pint of sauce. Thickening, Simple (for ordinary brown soup). — Put a breakfast-cup- ful of stock into a saucepan with Y\ oz. of sage, x/\ oz. of chopped 194 Green Pease GRUEL Gumbo Fil6 onion, % oz. of grated lemon-peel, and 2 ozs. of celery. Let these simmer gently for half an hour, strain the liquor, and rub the herbs through a fine sieve. Dissolve 6 ozs. of butter, and incorporate with it, gradually and thoroughly, 6 ozs. of dried flour. Stir it quickly over a gentle fire till it is lightly browned. Moisten the mixt- ure with the liquor from the herbs, and it will be ready for the soup, which ought to boil for an hour after it is added. Suitable seasoning will of course be required in addition. Time, three-quarters of an hour. Sufficient for five quarts of soup. Thickening, White (for sauces). — In making white thickening for sauces follow exactly the directions given for making brown thickening

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.