Biscuits and gravy

Learning to make any kind of gravy is trial & error learning experience.  It makes for a easier learning experience when a young loving husband  will always practically eat any thing a young wife cooks or bakes.  During the early days of our marriage when I was learning to cook my sweetie ate lumpy gravy, floury gravy,scorched gravy, too thick or too thin gravy. 
 
Here is my basic sausage gravy recipe:
 
1 lb sausage( I prefer either Jimmy Dean or Bob Evans)
flour
milk
salt, pepper
 
1 lb of sausage will make enough gravy for 2 large eaters or 3-4 folks with more delicate appetites.
 
Slowly brown the sausage in a metal skillet.  You get more brown bits when you use a metal skillet & it is the brown bits that add the most flavor to your gravy. 
Increase the heat to medium high.  Sprinkle flour over the sausage until most of the sausage grease is absorbed by the flour.  After adding the flour the sausage should look slightly damp but not greasy,  the bottom of the skillet should look dark brown but not black.  If it goes to black then only person who will  eat the resulting gravy is a hungry young husband!!
 
Crank up the heat to high & add 2 cups of milk & stir like crazy.  When the gravy has thickened, continue to add milk in 1/2 C increments continuing to stir until the gravy is the proper consistancy.  I never stop stirring from the time I  add the flour until the gravy is done.
Add salt & plenty of fresh ground pepper.
 
To make any other kind of gravy, just follow the same basic steps.

claracamille


Learning to make any kind of gravy is trial & error learning experience.  It makes for a easier learning experience when a young loving husband  will always practically eat any thing a young wife cooks or bakes.  During the early days of our marriage when I was learning to cook my sweetie ate lumpy gravy, floury gravy,scorched gravy, too thick or too thin gravy. 
 
Here is my basic sausage gravy recipe:
 
1 lb sausage( I prefer either Jimmy Dean or Bob Evans)
flour
milk
salt, pepper
 
1 lb of sausage will make enough gravy for 2 large eaters or 3-4 folks with more delicate appetites.
 
Slowly brown the sausage in a metal skillet.  You get more brown bits when you use a metal skillet & it is the brown bits that add the most flavor to your gravy. 
Increase the heat to medium high.  Sprinkle flour over the sausage until most of the sausage grease is absorbed by the flour.  After adding the flour the sausage should look slightly damp but not greasy,  the bottom of the skillet should look dark brown but not black.  If it goes to black then only person who will  eat the resulting gravy is a hungry young husband!!
 
Crank up the heat to high & add 2 cups of milk & stir like crazy.  When the gravy has thickened, continue to add milk in 1/2 C increments continuing to stir until the gravy is the proper consistency.  I never stop stirring from the time I  add the flour until the gravy is done.
Add salt & plenty of fresh ground pepper.
 
To make any other kind of gravy, just follow the same basic steps.

Sounds great, but a point of Clarification.  ALL Skillets are Metal. Some are aluminium, some are stainless steel, Some are Teflon coated, etc. Do you mean a CAST IRON SKILLET????----Or What???

Foodbme



Sounds great, but a point of Clarification.  ALL Skillets are Metal. Some are aluminium, some are stainless steel, Some are Teflon coated, etc. Do you mean a CAST IRON SKILLET????----Or What???

Foodbme,
 
I mean a skillet than does not have any non-stick coating.  The non-stick coating lessens the amount of brown bits that collect on the bottom of the skillet and less brown bits equals less flavor in your gravy.

claracamille

Foodbme



Sounds great, but a point of Clarification.  ALL Skillets are Metal. Some are aluminium, some are stainless steel, Some are Teflon coated, etc. Do you mean a CAST IRON SKILLET????----Or What???

Foodbme,
 
I mean a skillet than does not have any non-stick coating.  The non-stick coating lessens the amount of brown bits that collect on the bottom of the skillet and less brown bits equals less flavor in your gravy.

OH! OK. I wholeheartedly agree----You gotta have them bits!

For my money, the best gravy comes from a place called Arthur's Coffee Shop, in La Habra, CA. . . bacon gravy from an Oklahoma corn recipie. . . the best dang b&g I've ever had. . . and fresh squeezed (and I do mean fresh squeezed. . . the juice I had one Saturday tasted like the oranges were still on the tree on Friday).

Like claracamille said back in '09, learning to cook good gravy is trial and error. I have been "trial & erroring" now for 30 years on my biscuits and gravy recipe and have finally come up with a gravy smooth and more flavorful than than standard Truck Stop variety. My method is similar to claracamille but I start the sausage in some bacon grease for a little of that cured flavor and ensure I get enough fat for the roux. After adding the flour , I stir in about 1/2 cup of Chicken Stock and then the milk. When it starts to boil I add the salt and course pepper to taste along with a 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of sage. If I want a little snap I add some cayenne right at the end.
I got to tell you I really like this gravy over hot buttered biscuits.
 

MoBob


  I start the sausage in some bacon grease for a little of that cured flavor and ensure I get enough fat for the roux. 
 

That's brilliant.  I mentioned in my post on the previous page that Jimmy Dean sausage doesn't have the amount of fat it used to for a roux.  I'm going to try this next time.

I do use half bacon grease and half butter for making the cream sauce when I make creamed chipped beef. Oh so good.

Drummagick,
It does seem in the last few years that the popular manufactures have reduced the fat content in their sausage. And we all know less fat means less taste. I am convinced the bacon fat adds taste to my gravy.

MoBob


. I am convinced the bacon fat adds taste to my gravy.

Of course it does!!

I have 4 or 5 jars of bacon fat in our spare fridge.  I just can't seem to be able to throw the stuff away or use it fast enough.

If we ever have an extreme emergency, I am prepared to make some kind of bread in my camp oven, and smear bacon grease on that bread and eat it and be happy.  lol

drummagick

MoBob


. I am convinced the bacon fat adds taste to my gravy.

Of course it does!!

I have 4 or 5 jars of bacon fat in our spare fridge.  I just can't seem to be able to throw the stuff away or use it fast enough.

If we ever have an extreme emergency, I am prepared to make some kind of bread in my camp oven, and smear bacon grease on that bread and eat it and be happy.  lol

Some people collect Stamps, Some people collect Coins and-------------------Some people collect Bacon Grease!!

  I only have two coffee cups full of the stuff in my fridge. I use it for a lot of applications. I use it as the lard in biscuits, I use it to add fat to lean beef that I buy on sale, I us it to cook eggs and potatoes with, I make salad dressing with it for spinach salad and German potato salad. So many uses and so little time. LOL

  David O.

  I only have two coffee cups full of the stuff in my fridge. I use it for a lot of applications. I use it as the lard in biscuits, I use it to add fat to lean beef that I buy on sale, I use it to cook eggs and potatoes with, I make salad dressing with it for spinach salad and German potato salad. So many uses and so little time.       
 
  LOL

  David O.

  Sorry that I posted that twice!


  David O.

And so little bacon grease! Full speed ahead; and damn the chloesterol! You only live once, and with enough pork products once just may be enough! Is there any other meat worth eating south of the Mason Dixon Line and east of the Mississippi River? Nope!