Before serving the fillet, or any roast meat, let the gravy in the pan dry down until the grease can be poured off clear, while the glaze remains. adhering to the pan; pour in water to dissolve it, and when it has boiled add a trifle of brown flour thickening if it seems to need it; strain through a fine strainer; serve some in the dish with the fillet, the rest in a sauceboat.
Whitehead’s Family Cook Book, 1891