New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-25
OF THE SAVING
GRACE OF
GRAVY
By JENNIE CAMPBELL DOUGLAS

TIME war has made II possible for the
gravy lover TO eat his bread and gravy
unbushingly in the open, instead Of do
ing it, as formerly, in the privacy Of his home.
This economy has no sting if-and on this III"
hangs a tale of joy or disappointment-the
cook knows how to make gravy; for there is
art in the process.
Away with thin, lumpy, tasteess stuff, with
grease floating atop! Gravy should be the
consistency of thick cream smooth and we'll
favored, the fat so absorbed by flour as TO be
invisible.
With such a delicacy who wants butter? Not
only vii, it save this high priced commodity,
but it will save meat as well, and at the same
time supply its flavor TO foods that are real
meat substitutes. And there is the added
charm that it owes its origin to materials usu-
ally wasted.
For example, instead Of throwing away
grease from The half pound of sausage frying,
remove the sausage, allow the grease to lose
its intense heat and. pour upon it two table
spoonsful of -four mixed perfectly smooth with
cold water. This mixture must be poured into
the grease slowly, stirring all the time to keep
it perfectly smooth. 1t will be too thick, so
slowly pour into it boiling water, continuing
the vigorous stirring.
The result should be brown gravy, free
from floating grease. If the fat has been so
hot that the -four has Jumped, pour the fin
ished mixture through a strainer stirring the
-four In the strainer until it minges with the
rest of the gravy. Salt and pepper may be
added to taste.
This is an example of the way in which
gravy may be made from any grease. Care
should be taken that the fat is not scorched.
All kinds of pork fat make peculiarly de-
lcious gray, pork being next to chicken for
choice flavor Beef comes next, but other meat
fats may be used if properly treated.
Try adding to hot beef or mutton grease a
little onion juice, extracted by cutting an onion
in two and rubbing the cut surface against 4
CRATER pouring little boiling water over the
crater to get the full amount Of juice from its
rough surface.
Or, after removing the seeds, add chopped
green pepper TO the grease and let it cook
few minutes straining the pepper out If II is
not desired in the gravy. Parsley, celery or
dried mint leaves will keep in sealed fruit
jar, and little Of one Of these, powdered, will
improve the flavor. SO will bay leaf, Glove
or other bits Of spice, or little curry powder,
which quite hides the flavor Of mutton.
When bones, TO matter how few, remain
from cooked meat, cover them with cold water
and extract from them all the marrow and
flavor by slow boiling during several hours.
When one owns a freless cooker or coal
range this process is inexpensive.
After cooling the stock take the grease from
the top, heat and thicken it as described in
the case of sausage gravy, adding the stock
instead Of water. Thus the gravy will have
increased meat flavor and food value. In TIE
same way, when making vegetable soup al
ways save the fat from the top, cooling the
soup to remove it, for the favor of the vege-
tables will remain in the fat.
Never serve stew without utilizing all the
liquor in gravy. A stewed shin of beef is
profitable investment. Have the butcher CUT
the bone in several pieces, cover it with cold
water and stew it slowly several hours, either
in a ireless cooker or on a coal range. Re-
move all meat and marrow from the bones,
make a gravy of the grease from the top and
the stock and add this meat and marrow. This
may be seasoned in any Of the ways suggested
for favoring gravies, or onions and carrots
may be cooked with the bone. With imagina-
ton and experience cook learns to vary
simple dish Of this nature by means Of vari-
ETY. of favors.
Since skim milk contains much nutrition
AS much protein as unskimmed--it is often
economical to use it instead Of water. With
bacon grease and milk the gravy will make a
strong meal if served over boiled or baked po-
tatoes, rice, macaroni or hominy.
Or, since bacon is expensive, fry few slices
of salt pork a delicate brown, make gravy
with the grease, adding sufficient skim milk TO
prevent its being too salt to serve upon pota-
toes, bread or any other food. When in stew
ing or roasting poultry fat is left, save it for
gravy, making it with skim milk when there
is no meat.
1t is surprising how much butter may be
saved by these simple devices. without in the
least reducing the nutrition of the hill If fare