This beef gravy, or as us Russian’s call it “подлив”, Is very simple to prepare and is absolutely delicious! However the cooking time takes 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours, So it is a good idea to plan ahead of time when making this recipe. It is my favorite beef gravy recipe and I usually make mashed potatoes to pair it with, although pasta will work just fine too.
Beef Gravy (подлив) {Serves 8}
Ingredients:
- 4 Tablespoons Ketchup (Organic ketchup tastes best)
- 1 Large onion, chopped finely
- 4 1/2 Cups boiling water with 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of Organic “Better then Bouillon” Chicken base OR just use 4 and 1/2 Cups of Chicken broth. *Either will work but I prefer the Better then bouillon because it gives a richer taste
- 3 Carrots, peeled and shredded
- 2 LB Beef Chuck (Only Chuck!)
- 2 Tablespoons of Vegetable oil
- 2 Tablespoons of All purpose Flour
- 2 Bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning (Original)
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 3 cloves of garlic
- Green Onion (For garnish. Optional but highly recommended)
- Fresh, frozen, or dried Dill (I used Trader Joe’s dried Dill)
Directions:
1) Do the prep work first. Wash, peel, and shred the carrots. Peel and finely dice the onion. Set both aside. Wash the beef thoroughly.
2) Cut the beef chuck into about 1/2 inch pieces.
3) Heat the oil in a pan on Medium – High Heat. Then throw in all the beef. Add some salt and pepper and stir.
4) When the meat browns a bit lower the heat to Medium (I did 5.0), Add the onion and carrots. Mix until evenly distributed.
5) When the onion and carrots become soft, add the ketchup and garlic, and mix well.
6) Then add the flour. Mix it really well so that it does not clump up. Then add the boiling water with the Better then bouillon mix OR the chicken broth, Whatever you are using.
7) Give it another good mix. When it starts to boil, Lower the heat to Low-Medium ( I had it on 2.0) Cover the pan with the lid and let it cook for about 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours. Until the beef is tender. Don’t forget to mix it every once in a while. In the very end I added about 1 teaspoon of Trader Joe’s dried dill and sprinkled fresh green onion onto everyone’s plate (except my 2 yr old) and it adds a lot of great flavor and color to this dish!