Cooking For Engineers

[Cheff Wannabee]

When I was a small boy my dad, "Chef Ross", as I now think of him, was a master cook in the Army. Consequently he did most of the cooking when he was home and when we had a beef meal, he would make a most wonderful brown gravy by somehow browning plain flower in a frying pan. Unfortunately it has been too long and I have forgotten the process he used. Any one know how he might have done it? It brings many good memories and I would like to recreate some of his dishes. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank in advance.

[Dilbert]

>>browning plain flower in a frying pan.

the basics are ultra-duck simple. classically you're talking "a roux" - (sort'a) equal parts fat and flour, "cooked" - the degree of "cooked" is usually described as a color - anything from 'blonde' roux to 'brix' roux

that makes is a sticky mass which will absorb water / aqueous compounds very readily - the water absorbed into starch is what makes "thicker"

regrets - the unduck simple part is the seasoning and flavors your dad may have used.

[Cheff Wannabee]

The only thing that is bothering me now is that as I watched him make it, I don.t remember him adding any butter. Although I know he added something else, so I suppose it would have to be the butter. But keep in mind that this was almost 60 years ago. And at this age (66) the first thing to go is the... uh... what was that... oh, the memory! Almost forgot. lol Thanks for replying anyway. Have a good day, my friend.

[Dilbert]

>>didn't add butter

quite possible - it's not "butter" by name, but "fat" - the fat portion can be from pan drippings, saute left overs, veg oils, Crisco, lard, bacon grease, .....whole long list of "fats"

the liquidity combination of fat and flour allow the flour to cook / brown (to various degrees) which develops a basic "toasted flour" flavor.

the fat keeps the flour particles "separated" - so when one then later adds water type solutions one gets a "gravy without lumps" - ok ok a bit a mechanical whisking required... but the 'fat coated flour' makes it easier to create a bigger volume of gravy with 'water stuff' without making lumps&clumps