Fall Cooking: Beef Tips and Gravy
Everyone has been upset that the weather in Ohio has been getting colder. We have been extremely lucky to have had 70 degree weather in November, but this past week has been chilly.
Yes, I love the warmer weather. I love BBQ’s outside with my family. And I especially love not getting into a cold car at 7 am to go to work.
However, do you know what else I love?
FALL FOOD.
When I’m layering my clothes, cleaning leaves out of my front yard, yelling at my teenager to grab a coat; I remind myself that with all those hassles, I also get to enjoy comfort food. The food that a friend of mine always says “good on the lips, bad on the hips.”
This is the time of year that you can get your pumpkin spiced latte. You can splurge one night with your family and have a caramel apple.
But more importantly, you can eat hearty meals that warm your soul. Meals that remind you that food can give you the same feeling that you get when you put on your cozy warm socks or wrap yourself in a blanket.
Meals like beef tips and gravy.
Lets get started cooking…
Edit: To make gluten free, substitute soy sauce for gluten free soy sauce or Brags Liquid Amino and substitute All purpose flour for gluten free all purpose flour
Ingredients:
2lbs beef stew meat or sirloin tips
1 medium onion
8 oz cremini mushrooms
4 cloves of garlic minced
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup dry red wine
4 cups of beef stock or homemade beef bone broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp Worcestershire
3 sprigs of thyme
bay leaf
1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
Optional: Demi Glace
Directions:
1) Start by chopping your onion, slicing your mushrooms, and mincing your garlic.
2) Heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a stainless steel sauté pan. Get it ripping hot. Add your beef tips, in batches, to the hot oil and season liberally with salt. Let them sit untouched for 2 minutes and then flip to get a nice sear on all sides. Add more olive oil if needed in between batches.
3) Once all of your beef is browned, add the remaining 2 tbsp. of olive oil to the pan then add your chopped onion. Cook this for 2 minutes and then add your sliced mushrooms. Cook them together for an additional 2-3 minutes . Add your minced garlic and let it cook until it’s fragrant, about 30 seconds
4) Deglaze the pan with the wine. Scrape up any of the bits, or fond, on the bottom of the pan. Let the wine cook out for about 2-3 minutes.
5) Add the beef stock, soy sauce, Worcestershire, bay leaf and thyme to the pan. Season with black pepper.
6) Cover and bring to a simmer. Simmer on low for 90 minutes.
*** It’s fall guys, go grab a blanket and turn on a movie! This is a great meal to make on a weekend.
7) After the 90 minutes is up, remove the lid and continue to simmer uncovered for 60 minutes. After the 60 minutes your liquid should reduce by half.
8) After the beef has simmered for the additional 60 minutes, it’s time to strain the meat and veggies out of the broth. Place the meat and veggies in a bowl and place the liquid in a measuring cup. You are going to need 2 cups of liquid. If you are a little short, add beef stock to the braising liquid.
9) Now we are going to make the gravy! Place your sauté pan back on the stove and on medium low heat, melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle in the flour. Continue to stir this for 4 minutes, being careful to make sure you don’t burn your flour.
10) Slowly stream in the 2 cups of braising liquid into your flour mixture, or roux. Simmer this for 6-10 minutes, or until it is nice and thick. Add in optional demi glace.
11) Add your meat and veggies back to the gravy and season to taste with salt and pepper.
12) You have just made a delicious slow cooked fall meal for your family. Whip up some creamy mashed potatoes, cauliflower puree, or even egg noodles to serve this over. If you want to feel a little healthy, … make a vegetable.
I hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine.
Note: Do not be intimidated by the amount of time this takes to make. I enjoy making this on a Sunday. I can do laundry, make bread, watch tv with my family, prep food for the rest of the week, or even get some cleaning done while this cooks. It’s well worth the time and the wait.
