Browned Mushroom Sauce

As promised – A mushroom sauce. This one actually has a couple of additional recipes that it is a key ingredient for – I’ll be posting those in the next few days, most likely.

Browned Mushroom Sauce

Makes about 8 cups

1/3 cup cooking oil
¼ cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons margarine or butter
6 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
¾ cup onion, chopped fine
¾ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
3 cups beef broth
1/3 cup cornstarch
3 cups milk, half and half, or light cream

in a large (4 ½ quart) Dutch oven, combine oil, flour, and margarine. Cook and stir over medium heat until golden brown.

Stir in mushrooms, onion, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until onion is tender.

Combine beef broth and cornstarch. Add to mushroom mixture along with milk / half and half / light cream. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook 2 minutes more.

Divide into three 2 2/3 cup portions in freezer containers: seal, label, and freeze

Source: What’s for Dinner? From Better Homes and Gardens Books, Inc. © 1995

Notes from the Hare

Sadly, the book says nothing about how long the sauce will keep

The book recommends you thaw your sauce in one of these four ways.

1) Transfer a portion of sauce to a microwave safe bowl. Micro-cook uncovered on 30% power (medium-low) 8 to 12 minutes. Stir once

2) Place one freezer container of sauce in warm water for 1 hour

3) Transfer one portion of frozen sauce to a heavy saucepan. Heat covered over medium-low heat for 15 minutes or until thawed, stirring occasionally

4) Let one portion of sauce thaw overnight in the refrigerator.