[USA] Ye Olde English Christmas Yorkshire Pudding With Gravy

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Chuckwagon
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[USA] Ye Olde English Christmas Yorkshire Pudding With Gravy

Post by Chuckwagon » Thu Dec 27, 2012 18:39

Merry Christmas everyone!
Have you ever had Yorkshire Pudding? The real deal, I mean! If not, why not treat yourself to the authentic stuff. Here is the authentic English recipe for Yorkshire Pudding and the traditional gravy for it. Oh, one more thing. Don`t judge this product by its looks. It wasn`t meant to be very "pretty"... just rich and tasty!

"Ye Olde English Christmas Yorkshire Pudding"

1 cup flour
1/2 tspn. salt
1/2 cup milk (room temp.)
2 eggs beaten (room temp.)
1/2 cup water (room temp.)
2 tblspns. beef fat drippings from roasting pan

Mix the salt and flour together in a mixing bowl. Slowly stir in the milk and beat the mixture until it is airy and light. Stir in the eggs and the water to make a batter. Continue stirring the mixture until large bubbles rise to the surface.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet until it`s hotter than a two-dollar pistol. You may use a 10 inch "Silver Stone" heavy fry pan if you don`t have a blazin` hot Lodge black skillet.
Quickly stir the fat drippings into the mixture and immediately pour the batter into the hot frying pan. Place the pan into a pre-heated oven at 400°F and bake the Yorkshire Pudding for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven`s heat to 350°F and continue baking five to ten more minutes, until the pudding is golden-brown and puffy. Place the skillet on a trivet and serve it right from the dining table. Be sure to pour a little gravy over each portion.

Gravy For Ye Olde English Christmas Yorkshire Pudding

3 cups beef stock (make your own, of course! *(See below)
4 tblspns. (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup flour
......... salt and pepper to taste
(note:) *in these modern times, you may wish to add :
1 tblspn. Maggi Liquid Seasoning
2 tspns. Kitchen Bouquet

Simmer the beef stock in a 4-quart saucepan. In a black skillet, melt the butter over low heat and add the flour. Make a roux by stirring and cooking the mixture until it turns brown. Be careful not to burn the flour roux - just brown it. Stir the roux into the hot stock using a whisk and continue stirring until the mixture is smooth. Finally, add the Maggi and the Kitchen Bouquet along with the salt and pepper.

Making Your Own Beef Stock
Where`s the beef? Where`s the beef?

If you make Yorkshire Pudding, PLEASE make it using your own home-made beef stock. Over the past few years, the sale of beef broth has plummeted although it is a traditional staple. The key ingredient in many classic sauces, it remains fundamental for popular beef soups. The foundation for declining sales is obvious, as commercial beef broths simply do not surrender full-bodied, beefy flavor. As a matter of fact, U.S.D.A. regulations require commercial beef broths contain only 1 part protein to 135 parts moisture. Generally, manufactured beef broth obtains what little flavor they contain, from bare beef bones with a boost of various additives. Not surprisingly, monosodium glutamate (MSG) may be found in nearly all supermarket beef broths along with truckloads of salt! Why salt? It's needed to leach out protein from the bones. Yeast-based, hydrolyzed soy proteins (disodium guanylate and disodium isonate) are also typically added to commercial broths. These additives are intended to "enhance" flavor and are actually approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as are other yeast extracts finding their way into most commercially made broths.

The folks at our ranch have colorfully descriptive words for dudes who add disodium guanylates and isonates to beef stock, although they are not fit to be printed here. We strongly recommend making your own fresh beef stock for use in broths and soups. Weigh the benefits of full beef flavor and the health concerns of chemical additives. Freshly made stock is surely worth the modest time and effort spent preparing it. Here`s how to do it:


"Stick Up Stock"
(Ranch Made Beef Stock)

Freeze and save beef bones whenever you cook roasts and other bone-in beef recipes, for later use in making beef stock and broth. You may also have your butcher save "bare rendering bones" for you. Don`t be afraid to ask him to use his band saw to cut them into handy sections a couple inches long. When you get the bones home, toss them into a cast iron skillet inside a 400-degree F. oven for a few hours, until they become deep brown (not blackened) in color.

Remove the bones from the oven and place them into a large Dutch oven or soup pot. For each pound of bones, add one quart of water. Add additional beef if desired, removing the marrow from crosscut shanks. Don`t salt the stock.

Add a few carrots, stalks of celery, and a large yellow onion. Simply wash and slice them into large pieces. There is no need to peel or trim vegetables used to make beef broth as they will be discarded later. Avoid cloudy stock by never boiling the liquid used for making broth. Instead, simmer the liquid only, with the beef and vegetables. Toss in a couple of bay and thyme leaves with several black peppercorns. No salt used here either!

Continue simmering the stock ten to twelve hours, removing any accumulated foam. Discard the bones, vegetables, and seasonings by straining the stock through cheesecloth. They have done their job giving up flavors - toss `em. If your stock remains cloudy, add an egg white and a couple of eggshells to the liquid, simmering it a few minutes more before straining it again. Be sure to refrigerate the beef stock and use it for making broths, soups, and various other favorite recipes, freezing any portion not used within a day or two.

"Speakin` The `Lingo`" - The Cuts Of Beef


If you aren`t quite famailiar with the cuts of beef, this information may help a little. When beef "critters" are butchered, the first basic cuts are referred to as the "primal cuts" and inside a cow or steer, there are eight of them, five of which are cut into roasts. Tender cuts of meat with little connective tissue are best for, and respond well to dry-roast cooking. Tougher cuts, taken from more heavily exercised muscles of the steer are best for braising, being cooked in a small amount of liquid, inside a closed container, for a longer period of time. Braising melts the collagen in connective tissue, tenderizing tougher cuts of meat.

Chuck Roasts

The ribs in an animal are numbered from the head to its tail and the chuck section includes ribs one through five as well as the shoulder blade bone. Roasts from the chuck (shoulder area) contain a lot of connective tissue and generally require moist heat cooking to become tender. A "top blade roast", also known as "chuck roast first cut", "blade roast", or "top chuck roast", is tender, flavorful, and juicy whenever braised. The chuck "7-bone roast" takes its name from the numeral seven, as the shape of the bone resembles the digit. It is also called a "center-cut pot roast", or "chuck roast center cut", and is a deeply-flavored thin cut, usually requiring less liquid than other roasts during the braising process. The "chuck-eye roast" is also called the "boneless chuck roll" or a "boneless chuck fillet", and is not quite as flavorful as the 7-bone or the top blade roasts, has more fat content, but most tender and juicy. The term "eye" refers to any "center-cut" piece of meat and is popular both braised and roasted. The "under blade roast" is also called the "bottom chuck roast" and sometimes the "California roast". Best braised, its flavor is similar to the 7-bone roast but has more connective tissue and fat. This roast is usually tied as it falls apart when cooked and sliced. The "chuck shoulder roast" is also called a "chuck pot roast" or "chuck boneless roast". Best braised, this roast requires a little talent in the kitchen as it has a relatively mild flavor and is sometimes chewy.

Rib Roasts

The "first cut" rib roast is called the "prime rib roast", "loin end roast", or "small end roast". Best dry roasted, this cut contains ribs nine through twelve from the rear of the rib section closer to the loin, giving it the name loin end or small end. When you ask your butcher for this roast, tell him you want a roast with the first four ribs from the loin end and he'll gain new respect for you. The "second cut" rib roasts are called "large end roasts" and contain ribs six through nine. They are a bit fatter and a little less tender than the prime rib roasts, yet are an excellent choice for dry roasting.


Short Loin And Sirloin Roasts

The "tenderloin" is also called the "whole fillet" and is the most tender cut of beef you may purchase. Tenderloins are usually packaged with a large amount of exterior fat and a thin sheath of membrane called "silver skin", requiring trimming. This expensive piece of meat, found just beneath the spine of the steer, receives no exercise from the animal and is the most mild tasting and tender in texture of any cut. We shoot folks attempting to braise this roast.

The "top sirloin" roast is also called the "top butt" or "center cut roast" and has big beefy flavor. This roast is tender and juicy although it is sometimes criticized for its large vein of gristle running through it. The "sirloin tri-tip" roast, also called the "triangle roast". In the east, butchers cut them into "sirloin tips" or "steak tips". In the west, we dry-roast these small, mildly flavored, spongy-textured, cow cuts.

Round Roasts

"Top round roasts" are sometimes called "top round steak roast" or "top round first cuts" and are the choice consumers seem to select first. Most folks say the flavor and texture of this cut is similar to the more expensive top sirloin roast. Others say the meat is sometimes chewy if sliced too thickly. The "bottom round rump roast" is also called the "round roast" or the "bottom round pot roast" or "oven roast". Less expensive, it is also less tender than top round, but surprisingly tasty with good beef flavor. Braise or roast this cut and slice it thinly for best results. "Eye round roasts" are usually braised and have much less flavor than top rounds. Also called "round eyes" they are considerably less juicy and, of course, less expensive. The "bottom round roast" gets a bad wrap here! Don't confuse this roast with the bottom round rump roast, as they are two different cuts of meat. The least expensive of all roasts, this one is almost always braised, is only known by one name, has a reputation for being chewy, and most folks say it has no flavor. Containing very little marbling fat, the "bottom round" is ideal for making "whole strip" jerky.

Is It Ready Yet?

Isostatic rebound is the texture a chef feels when he presses his finger into a cooked piece of meat. Now, I don`t know about you, but I don`t really appreciate some dude I don`t know, pressing his finger into something I`m going to eat! Don`t you think chefs should use a good thermometer? IMT is "internal meat temperature" and it`s measured with any number of meat thermometers available on the market. Use a probe-type, constant-reading thermometer with a timer and you can't go wrong.


Best Wishes and Merry Christmas!
Chuckwagon
Last edited by Chuckwagon on Thu Jan 10, 2013 01:30, edited 2 times in total.
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by NorCal Kid » Thu Dec 27, 2012 19:07

Thanks for posting this, CW!
I've always been a big fan of Yorkshire pudding (served with a juicy prime rib) with plenty of gravy. My wife introduced it to me about 30 years ago, and I've loved it ever since. My sons also enjoy it and claim it 'ain't a roast beef dinner "without the Yorkshire pudding"
My wife used to make the pudding in a cast-iron dutch oven, then started using pie tins (served in pizza-slice style), but now we use popover tins, which are quite nice. We also use a gluten-free variation (rice flour in place of wheat flour)

Image

Key to a successful pudding is plenty of piping-hot beef fat in the tins = fluffy and crusty results. Good stuff! If you've never had it, I'd encourage you to give this recipe a try. :mrgreen:

Kevin
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Post by Chuckwagon » Thu Dec 27, 2012 19:14

What photography Kevin! And the popover tins are just the thing for this recipe. Ya know, I believe you could photograph acne on an ant! :mrgreen: Thanks for your response.

P.S. I'm sure there's more cholesterol in this stuff than there is in a heart surgeon's medical manual! But, once in a while... we have to have it eh? :roll:

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by redzed » Thu Dec 27, 2012 22:02

NorCal Kid wrote: also use a gluten-free variation (rice flour in place of wheat flour)
Kevin that stuff looks divine! I am also a big fan of Yorkshire pudding. If you can post the gluten free recipe I would very much appreciate it and pass it along to my wife who is also on a gluten free diet. Are you achieving this by only using rice flour? Because of my wife I also rarely eat any foods with gluten, but on occassion I buy myself a loaf of good rye bread.
Chuckwagon wrote:
P.S. I'm sure there's more cholesterol in this stuff than there is in a heart surgeon's medical manual! But, once in a while... we have to have it eh? :roll:
CW Please don't bring up these medical things at this time. We are still in holiday mode! We can talk diet after Jan. 2.
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Post by Chuckwagon » Fri Dec 28, 2012 05:29

Okay Chris...
Be sure to pour plenty of gravy over the stuff! :shock:
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by crustyo44 » Fri Dec 28, 2012 06:11

Kevin,
What are popover tins? Unheard of here down under, What diameter and how deep are they?
Thanks,
Jan.
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Post by NorCal Kid » Fri Dec 28, 2012 19:21

crustyo44 wrote:Kevin,
What are popover tins? Unheard of here down under, What diameter and how deep are they?
Thanks,
Jan.
Jan, according to that somewhat reliable cyber-source for info (wikipedia), "The popover is an American version of Yorkshire pudding and similar batter puddings.."
The tins (or 'pans') I used I got online (Amazon)
http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metallic- ... opover+pan

These pans are non-stick, and allow the batter to rise, puff up, and 'pop over' the top-and brown & crisp nicely so the end result is crisp, puffy, lighter and downright tasty!
Dimensions: 57mm (2.25") x 50mm (2.0") cups

Kevin
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Post by NorCal Kid » Fri Dec 28, 2012 19:26

redzed wrote:If you can post the gluten free recipe I would very much appreciate it and pass it along to my wife who is also on a gluten free diet.
Chris, I'll check the exact recipe.
We have about a dozen or so different flours in the pantry (potato, brown rice, white rice, corn, garbanzo, tapioca flour, sorghum and others) that often get used in recipes..
redzed wrote:Are you achieving this by only using rice flour?
We do use rice quite a bit but often in conjunction with those listed above. Each has a different characteristic (both in flavor and in texture) so quite often a combination is included in recipes.

Kevin
Last edited by NorCal Kid on Fri Dec 28, 2012 19:28, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by crustyo44 » Fri Dec 28, 2012 19:27

Thank you Kevin,
My wife read your reply and she just told me that muffin trays are very close and could be used.
Being a Pom, she should know.
The only difference we have with Roast beef, is the colour inside, I like all my meat very rare, she like it more done. The solution will be cooking two smaller roasts to circumvent heated discussions.
Best Regards,
Jan.
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