Make Biscuits & Gravy…Plus Types Of Gravy
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If you’re from the South, or have friends and family who hale from there, you know the pleasures of biscuits and gravy, a popular breakfast dish. Soft biscuits are smothered in: A recipe is below, along with the different types of gravy. National Biscuits & Gravy Day is December 14th. Early European settlers to America had to rely on basic, simple cooking. During the best times they had meat, and every part of the animal that could be eaten was eaten. Biscuits and Gravy emerged as a Southern regional dish after the Revolutionary War (1775–1783), when foodstuffs and money were in short supply. Breakfast was necessarily the most substantial meal to fuel people for the workday. Biscuits covered in gravy made from meat drippings, and possibly bits of meat, fit the bill. This recipe, adapted from one in Breakfast: Recipes To Wake Up For by George Weld and Evan Hanczor. You can make the biscuits from scratch or buy refrigerated buttermilk biscuits. The biscuits are served warm. While some people make the gravy with cream, whole milk is rich enough. 1. SLICE sausage links in half, remove the meat and discard the casings. 2. HEAT a small or medium stainless steel saucepan (do not use nonstick) over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot (we use the water test*—see footnote below), add the sausage and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break it into chunks; then press down on the meat. As you brown the sausage, some brown bits will stick to the pan. This is the fond. |
[1] Biscuits smothered in gravy from Chef George Weld (photo © Rizzoli).
[2] You can go lighter on the gravy, with this recipe from Pillsbury (photo © Pillsbury).
[3] Make more of a meal by topping the biscuits with sausage patties, ham, bacon or other meat (photo © Pillsbury).
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3. REDUCE the heat to medium and sprinkle the flour into the pan, stirring for 1 minute. Pour in the milk and scrape up the fond from the bottom of the pan. Bring the gravy to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. It should look velvety and have the thickness of heavy cream. Season the gravy with salt, black pepper and cayenne. 4. COOK the optional eggs and bacon or other meat. 5. Split the biscuits and arrange on plates or in shallow bowls. Top with the optional meat and eggs, pour the gravy over the biscuits and serve immediately. While fresh herbs are not a Southern tradition, we always sprinkle them as a garnish for flavor and color. *THE WATER TEST: Drop 1/8 teaspoon water into the hot pan. If it forms into multiple balls that sizzle, the pan is not hot enough. Keep heating, and when the water forms a single ball that rolls around the pan, it’s ready. Gravy is a sauce made in its simplest form from flour (a thickener), fat, and seasonings (salt and pepper). Vegetables can be added, as well as wine and additional thickeners such as cornstarch. The word originally referred to a sauce made from the drippings (fat and uses) from cooked meat and poultry, there are now vegetarian and vegan gravies. Gravy has long used meat drippings (or in current times, a vegetarian substitute), as opposed to: |
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