Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.

Francatelli Brown Gravy

Brown Gravy is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic brown gravy made from beef suet, vegetables, beef and beef bones boiled down to a brown glaze then re-constituted with fresh water and boiled to a gravy. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Brown Gravy.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

360 minutes

Total Time:

380 minutes

Serves:

10

Rating:

Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesBeef RecipesVegetable RecipesBritish Recipes

This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Brown Gravy that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli' 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.

Original Recipe

No. 3.—BROWN GRAVY.

First, place some flattened pieces of beef-suet at the bottom of a stewpan capable of holding the intended quantity of gravy to be produced (calculating at the rate of one and a half pound of meat to a quart of water), cover the suet with thick slices of onions, and over all put thick slices of beef, or any trimmings of meat or bones you may happen to have by you; moisten with stock or water in sufficient quantity barely to cover the surface of the meat, and next set the stewpan thus prepared on a brisk fire, to boil sharply until the liquor is reduced to a glaze; when, after slackening the heat of the fire, it must be further allowed to consolidate by reduction, in order that it may become of a very brown colour without burning. The stewpan must now be filled up with cold water, allowed to boil, be well skimmed, garnished with three carrots, two heads of celery, a blade of mace, eight cloves stuck in an onion, twelve peppercorns, and two ounces of salt. The quantities of garnish and seasoning here named are intended for a three or four gallon sized stewpan. When the gravy has boiled gently for three or four hours, strain it off carefully for use.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

4 slices of beef suet, flattened
6 onions, thickly sliced
2.7kg stewing meat, thickly sliced (or meat trimmings)
beef bones, cracked
water or stock, to cover
3 carrots, quartered
2 heads of celery, halved
1 blade of mace
1 onion, stuck with 8 cloves
12 black peppercorns
3 tbsp salt

Method:

Lay the beef suet in the base of a 20l stockpot. Cover with the onions then place the meat and beef bones over the top. Add just enough water (or stock) to cover the surface of the pan's contents then bring to a boil and continue cooking rapidly until the liquid is reduced to a glaze (about 2 hours). Reduce to a slow simmer then continue cooking gently until the glaze becomes very brown (but be careful not to burn).

At this point add enough cold water to fill the pan and bring to a boil. Skim the surface well then add the vegetables, spices and salt. Return to a boil and continue boiling gently for about four hours. Carefully strain the liquid then allow to cool before storing in the refrigerator or freezing for later use.

Find more of Charles Elmé Francatelli's Recipes Here and more Traditional Victorian Recipes Here