Brandied Tomato Gravy
Submitted by cookie402
Rich tomato gravy spiked with brandy, beef broth, and meat extract paste, thickened with a butter roux. A savory pour-over sauce that elevates roasts, meatloaf, and mashed potatoes.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
30 minREADY
45 minEvery cook needs a good gravy in their back pocket, and this one punches well above its weight.
A simple butter-and-flour roux gets built up with beef broth, canned tomatoes, and a splash of brandy that rounds out the acidity with a warm, boozy smoothness.
The secret ingredient? Meat extract paste. Just half a teaspoon adds a concentrated, beefy depth that would otherwise take hours of stock-making to achieve.
Pour it over roast beef, slather it on meatloaf, or drown your mashed potatoes in it. This gravy doesn’t judge.
Kitchen Tips
- Cook the roux for a full minute before adding liquids. This eliminates the raw flour taste that plagues too many homemade gravies.
- Add the liquids gradually and stir constantly. Dumping everything in at once leads to lumpy gravy, and nobody wants that.
- Finely chop the drained tomatoes so they melt into the sauce. You want a smooth, pourable consistency, not chunky.
- Meat extract paste (like Bovril) is the shortcut to deep, meaty flavor. Look for it near the bouillon cubes at the grocery store.
- This gravy thickens as it cools. If reheating, thin it out with a splash of broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.
Ingredients
Directions
Drain tomatoes; reserve liquid. Finely chop tomatoes; set aside.
In 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter or margarine. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute.
Gradually stir in beef broth, tomato liquid and tomatoes, brandy, meat-extract paste and salt; cook, stirring until gravy thickens and boils.
NOTE: Meat-extract paste is an extract of meat, concentrated to a paste, with seasoning added and packed in a jar. It is available in most supermarkets.
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