Using left over roast juices to make my own brown gravy

We buy large amounts of brown gravy mix but there are times when I'm out and times when I have tons of liquid left from roasts and things.

So I usually just ladle it in a pan and then use a basic cornstarch slurry for it. I usually make 3 tbs cornstarge to 3 tbs cold water and mix. Then I add as much as I think the sauce needs. Remember once it reaches a boiling point, its thick.

A TEXAS STAPLE for those non-texans out there :)

This is why the state of Texas is such a big state..tisk tisk!

I am amazed how many of my out of state friends have no clue what chicken fried steak is! Here it is guys and a disclaimer: IF YOU ARE ON A DIET LOOK NO FURTHER..JUST THE SIGHT OF THIS WILL MAKE YOUR BUTT BIGGER..TRUST ME..


Chicken Fried Steak
4 tenderized beef cutlets (known in supermarkets as "cube steak")
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
all-purpose flour
cooking oil or melted Crisco®
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


Even tho these cutlets are already tenderized I always put them in a ziplock bag and give em a hard bang with my metal meat tenderizer. Great way to relieve stress! I have also soaked mine in buttermilk ahead of time but it makes the steak fall apart if left too long. Plus this is faster.

Beat together the egg and milk with seasonings and set aside.

Dredge the cutlets in the flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip each cutlet in the egg/milk mixture, then back in the flour. Set cutlets aside on a piece of waxed paper.

Heat the cooking oil in skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. I learned years ago from a great chef, Sara Molten, that you take the end of a wooden spoon and put in the center of the oil and when bubbles come up from all sides your oil is ready.

Place each cutlet into the hot oil. Fry cutlets on both sides, turning once, until golden brown. When blood comes to the surface its time to turn. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 4 or 5 minutes until cutlets are done through. Drain cutlets on paper towels.


And it is against the law, section 1.1 made up, that if you do not serve this with white gravy you will be punished greatly..


Texas Cream Gravy
After the cutlets are removed from the pan, pour off all but about 2tablespoons of oil, keeping as many as possible of the browned bits in the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour in the hot oil. Stir with a wisk, quickly, to brown the flour. Cook for about 2 minutes to cook out the starch.

Gradually stir in 2 cups whole milk (yes whole milk so it will be rich and creamy, stirring constantly with the wisk mashing out any lumps. Lower heat, and gravy will begin to thicken. Sprinkle fresh ground black pepper (my husband likes lots) and seasoned salt to taste into gravy. Continue cooking and stirring a few minutes until gravy reaches desired thickness.

Salisbury Steak in brown gravy

I usually make mine with cutlets, but we were out so I used ground sirloin instead and loved it! I knew I would have to flavor it up and using left over dried onion soup mix (the box comes with 2 pkgs and I had one left over from the to die for crock pot roast) really helped!



Salisbury Steak in brown gravy

1 lb ground sirloin
1/4 cup bread crumbs, I had whole wheat bread left over so I just processed them and used what I had
1/4 cup 2% milk
1 or 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 envelope of dry onion soup mix

Mix in a bowl, make 6 oval shaped patties and brown on both sides in a teeny bit of canola oil.

For the gravy
2 packages brown gravy mix
2 cups water

Removed patties and stir in your brown gravy mix and water. When it starts to gently bubble, add your patties back in and cook until thickened.

Serve with smashed red potatoes like I did!