Brown Gravy

I have never in my life made gravy from scratch. Actually, I tried my mother in laws technique of making white gravy for bisquits a few times but it never turns out right, so I've stopped trying. Anyway, back to my story. Last night I decided to make a version of Beef Manhattan with the chuck roast I had made the evening before. I had the potatoes, bread and salad but no gravy. You can't make Beef Manhattan without gravy, just can't be done. What's a girl to do? Use google of course and find a recipe that I could work with, something simple and hopefully something that required ingredients in my cabinets because it I had to go to the store I was just going to buy a thing of gravy and call it done.

As it turns out the dinner fairies were on my side and I happened to come across a recipe that turned out pretty darn good. The hubby actually spoke these words, "You finally make a good gravy. The last 6 years you have made crap gravy but I never wanted to say anything because I know you don't do gravy. This is really really good though". He told me about 8 more times how good it was....so I guess I will make this gravy from now on. He is right though, the packets are pretty crappy but if you don't make gravy, you don't make gravy.

So here is my simple recipe for brown gravy.
Ingredients

2 cups water
2 beef bouillon cubes (or more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder

Thickener
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

 

Directions:

1. Boil all ingredients in a pot together, except for the thickener ones. 
 

2. While those are boiling mix together the thickener ingredients in a small bowl. It will end up looking like a watery glue when completely mixed.

3. Slowly pour in thickener, while stirring. Boil for 2-3 more minutes and keep stirring.

 

4. Remove from heat to let thicken as it cools.

Easy right? I bet you have all of those ingredients in your cabinets as well. Oh and if you wanted this to be a chicken gravy just use chicken bouillon cubes instead! Awesome right?

Here is a picture of dinner.