Vargr
Vargr
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After the war, a couple items became very popular in the kitchen; potatoes as side dishes, and canned anything as ingredients. Canned soups, veggies, event meats (Spam, Tuna, etc.) were suddenly available in abundance as canned "rations" and the companies that made them converted to civilian offerings.
This originally combined those two ingredients: Canned soup & Mashed Potatoes, with a bit of browned burger, some onion, and a few simple spices to create an iconic "meat and potatoes" dish.
Mom used to make this for Author (and the rest of the family) as a very young kid. Dad continued the tradition when kids quantities grew to 5, as it was (at the time) a very very cheap dish, easy, and everyone liked it. Author made it as a young airman because, once again, it was very cheap, very filling, easy, and tasty.
The rising price of ground beef has made this somewhat less of a bargain meal than it used to be. And wuffy has kicked up the recipe to bring extra flavors on board these days, so it's not quite the super-simple "fry, boil, dump in a can and go" recipe it used to be.
But the flavors are fantastic! And it's still not that tough to make, nor very expensive. And for wuffy, the nostalgia levels are off the charts. *grins*
Wuff will provide the "original, as mom & dad made it" version of the ingredients, along with Vrghr's "kicked up" version of today. Feel free to make either one as your budget and tastes dictate. The original is still pretty darn good eating, and pretty economical. And Vrghr's rolls on even more flavor, with a bit higher cost in ingredients and prep effort.
50's Hamburger Gravy & Potatoes
Ingredients:
For the Potatoes:
5-6 medium Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
~3 qts Boiling Water + 2 tsp Salt
1 stick (1/2 C) Butter
~ 1 C whole milk
Salt & Pepper to taste
For the Gravy:
~1 lb Ground Beef
1 medium Onion, diced small
1 can Cream Of Mushroom (condensed) Soup
2 Beef Bullion Cubes
~ 2 C Hot Water
~2-3 Tbs Flour & 1/2 C Cold water
~ 2 tsp Garlic Powder
~ 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground Black Pepper
Directions:
Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes into large chunks.
Bring a large pot of water (~3 quarts) to a boil. Season it with a couple teaspoons of salt. Add the potatoes.
Cover and boil until fork-tender (about 12-15 minutes)
Drain off liquid.
Turn off stove (if electric) or turn down burner to lowest possible setting (gas). Return pan with drained potatoes to burn and let residual heat boil away some of the remaining liquid in the bottom (makes the potatoes fluffier and less "gluey").
Chop the stick of butter into segments and add to hot potato chunks. Mash into the potatoes.
Gradually add the milk, mashing it into the potatoes, until potatoes reach desired consistency.
Taste, and adjust for salt and pepper
Note: Don't season with salt until the end, as the bullion cubes have a lot of salt in them.
While potatoes are boiling, add the ground beef and diced onions to a large skillet. Season with pepper, and garlic powder and fry over medium high heat until beef is crumbly and gray-brown and onions are translucent and fragrant. Drain off extra fat if necessary.
Add the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the two beef bullion cubes. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes, stirring things about to melt the soup and cubes into the beef to help season the meat.
Gradually stir in the hot water, stirring it into the beef until the it completely combines with the canned soup and the bullion cubes. Cook until the gravy comes to a good simmer.
Whisk the flour into the cold water, and gradually add it into the gravy, allowing the gravy to come back to a simmer to judge thickness. Continue adding slurry until it reaches desired thickness (will thicken a bit more as it cools).
Cook another 5 minutes after last of the slurry, to cook away any raw flour taste.
Plate a mound of potatoes with a deep "well" in the middle to receive the gravy. Spoon a generous portion of the gravy into and over the potatoes. Serve hot.
*******Vrghr's "Enhanced" Version ********
Ingredients:
For the Potatoes:
5-6 medium Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
~3 qts Boiling Water + 2 tsp Salt, 1 TBS dried Parsley, & 2 tsp Granulated Garlic
1/2 stick (1/4 C) Butter
~ 1/2 C Half n Half (or heavy cream)
~ 3/4 C milk
~1 tsp Dried Parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
For the Gravy:
2 Tbs Butter
1 medium Onion, diced small
1 small (orange or red) Bell Pepper, diced small
1 Tbs Minced Garlic
2/3 C dry Red Wine
~1 lb Ground Beef
1 can (14 oz) "stems and pieces" mushrooms, with juice
1 can Cream Of Mushroom (condensed) Soup
2 Tbs "Better Than Bullion" Au Juice Base
1/3 C Cream Cheese
~ 1 C Milk
~ 1 C Hot Water
~ 2 tsp Garlic Garni seasoning
~ 2 tsp Fish Sauce (for extra Umami)
~ 1/2 tsp each ground Savory & Thyme
~ 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp ground Black Pepper
Directions:
Wash, peel, and slice the potatoes into large chunks.
Bring a large pot of water (~3 quarts) to a boil. Season it with the salt, garlic & dried parsley. Add the potatoes.
Cover and boil until fork-tender (about 12-15 minutes)
Drain off liquid.
Turn off stove (if electric) or turn down burner to lowest possible setting (gas). Return pan with drained potatoes to burn and let residual heat boil away some of the remaining liquid in the bottom (makes the potatoes fluffier and less "gluey").
Chop the butter into segments and add to hot potato chunks along with the dried parsley. Mash into the potatoes.
Add all the half n half and mash it in. Gradually add the milk, mashing it into the potatoes, until potatoes reach desired consistency.
Taste, and adjust for salt and pepper
Note: Don't season with salt until the end, as the Au Juice base and the fish sauce have a lot of salt in them.
While potatoes are boiling...
Add the butter, diced onions and diced bell pepper to a large skillet. Cook until onions are translucent and peppers are tender and fragrant (about 5 minutes).
Add the red wine and deglaze the pan. Cook until nearly all the wine is evaporated.
Add the fish sauce and the ground beef. Season with pepper, Garlic Garni, Savory and Thyme, and fry over medium high heat until beef is crumbly and gray-brown. The fish sauce will "mellow" as it cooks, losing the fishy aroma and becoming richer and more savory.
Drain off extra fat if necessary.
Add the canned mushrooms and juice, the condensed cream of mushroom soup and the Au Juice bullion base. Cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes, stirring things about to melt the soup and bullion into the beef to help season the meat and to combine the mushroom juice into the condensed soup.
Add the cream cheese and the milk and stir in. Stir in the hot water, stirring it into the beef until everything completely combines. Cook until the gravy comes to a good simmer.
The milk and cream cheese may be enough for the thickness you wish. If not, you can make the slurry below and add a little to the sauce until it thickens to your desired state.
Whisk ~ 2 Tbs flour into 1/3 C cold water, and gradually add it into the gravy, allowing the gravy to come back to a simmer to judge thickness. Continue adding slurry until it reaches desired thickness (will thicken a bit more as it cools).
Cook another 5 minutes after last of the slurry, to cook away any raw flour taste.
Plate a mound of potatoes with a deep "well" in the middle to receive the gravy. Spoon a generous portion of the gravy into and over the potatoes. Serve hot.
!!DEVOUR!!Last edited on Mon Feb 27th, 2017 09:27 pm by Vargr
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We grow not old, so long as we continue to chase our dreams.
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