Cheap, Clear Gravy-soup
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Cut the beef into even pieces from the thick fleshy part and divide the knuckle.
Place the beef in a pot.
Add 3 quarts of cold water.
Make the broth
Slowly bring the water to a boil.
Skim off any impurities.
Pour in a ladleful or two of pale beef broth.
Boil briskly until reduced.
Insert a knife into the meat to let the juices escape.
Reduce heat as the liquid thickens.
Turn and move the meat frequently until it reaches a dark amber color.
Add more boiling broth.
Let the pot sit off the heat for a few minutes to melt the glaze.
Shake the pot before continuing to boil.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Shin or leg of beef
- Collagen-rich connective tissue and bones release gelatin, giving the broth body and a silky mouthfeel.
- Pale beef broth
- Adds concentrated beef flavor and gelatin to the pot, helping build a richer, deeper broth.
The step that matters
Boil briskly until reduced, then reduce heat as the liquid thickens. Boiling vigorously too early can emulsify fat and cloud the broth, while heat must be lowered as it concentrates so it does not scorch. Skimming and gentle simmering keep the broth clear.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
You might also like
Tomato Soup526 recipes
Brown Bread461 recipes
Mutton Broth292 recipes
Yorkshire Pudding264 recipesThe free Flavor Lab newsletter: one surprising pairing a week and the molecular reason it works, in 60 seconds. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Prefer an account? Create a free account to save pairings and unlock the full chemistry.