Proper homemade beef gravy

serves 8

Ingredients

Cooking juices from a joint of beef
5 sprigs thyme
5 garlic cloves, peeled
2 onions, sliced
5 tomatoes, cut into quarters
400ml red wine
800ml beef stock
2 teaspoons cornflour

Method

1. Put the juices from the beef in a gravy separator. Allow to stand so the fat rises to the top.
2. Put one tablespoon of the fat and all the juices back in the roasting tin.
3. Saute the onions, garlic, tomatoes and thyme for 4 minutes.
4. Add the wine. Squash the tomatoes and garlic into the sauce and simmer for a few minutes.
5. Add the stock and simmer for about 15 minutes until reduced by half.
6. Strain the gravy through a sieve into a saucepan.
7. Bring the gravy back to the boil.
8. Dissolve the cornflour into a tablespoon or so of water then add to the gravy, stirring all the time to avoid it going lumpy.
9. Carry on stirring the gravy until it thickens, then lower the heat and cook for 2 more minutes.