What would a Christmas lunch be without a generous serving of gravy? Danish gravy or “Brun Sovs” is very similar to the gravy you might find elsewhere in the world, and throughout Scandinavia. This sauce is often served as part of Christmas lunches, but it can also appear alongside meatballs and other meat-based meals.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flower
- 3 tablespoons of sherry
- 3 tablespoons of white vinegar
- 3 cups of beef stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Get a pan and a serving jug ready for your gravy. Make sure the serving jug isn’t too cold, so you can dish out the gravy immediately.
- Melt your butter in your pan, using a low heat, and stir in flour to make a roux. Add around half of your meat stock, constantly stirring to reduce the risk of lumps.
- Mix the vinegar into your remaining stock and add this slowly, constantly stirring again to evenly distribute the flavour.
- Leave the gravy to simmer for around five minutes, then add your salt and pepper, and leave it to simmer for another ten minutes, or until it seems hot enough to serve.
- Add your sherry at the very end, as this will stop the alcohol from burning off completely and should leave plenty of taste.
- Remove the gravy from the heat and allow it to cool for 4-5 minutes.
Tip: Keep your remaining gravy on the stove so you can heat it up regularly for people who want second servings. It’s often best to have plenty of gravy for Christmas lunch.
Danish gravy origins
Brun Sovs in Danish simply means “Brown sauce”, and it’s the way Danish people have been making their gravy for years. The use of flour allows for a slightly thicker gravy than you’d get using meat stock alone.
There’s also a Norwegian version of this sauce called Brun saus, which is made in the same way.
Scandification: Discovering Scandinavia.
