Biscuits and Gravy Recipe

Posted November 3, 2023 by: Admin #Kitchen

Our easy homemade Biscuits and Gravy Recipe is a faithful rendition of the classic Southern breakfast featuring creamy sausage gravy atop flaky, buttery biscuits. It’s a straightforward and gratifying dish.

This hearty dish is a Southern staple, much like Banana Pudding, Shrimp Boil, and Mississippi Pot Roast. While everyone claims their Grandma’s version is the best, we can all agree that it’s a delightful way to start your day.

Close up of homemade biscuits and gravy on a plate with a fork

Homemade Biscuits and Gravy Recipe

We don’t often dine out for breakfast, but when we do, I relish ordering biscuits and gravy – the ultimate breakfast comfort food. Now, I’ve perfected it at home!

This Biscuits and Gravy recipe, also known as Sawmill Gravy, relies on affordable, readily available ingredients like flour, butter, milk, and sausage from your local grocery store. Here’s why we adore it:

Simple to prepare, suitable for beginners and seasoned chefs alike
A crowd-pleaser loved by both adults and children
A concise list of ingredients
Can be made in advance for a quick meal
Suitable for breakfast or dinner
Easy to customize to your preferences

Southern white sauce with pork crumbles in a pan with a wooden spoon

Classic Country Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

Making homemade biscuits is a breeze, and they are exquisite when freshly baked – warm and flaky straight from the oven. With our Homemade Biscuits recipe, you can prepare the dough the night before and bake the biscuits while crafting the sausage gravy for a speedy 15-minute meal.

To create the dough, you’ll need a pastry blender to combine the butter with the flour, or you can pulse them together in a food processor. Once the ingredients are mixed, take care not to overmix.

Pro Tip

For the finest biscuits, ensure your butter and half-and-half are well chilled. You can create half-and-half by blending equal parts of milk and heavy cream. It may sound peculiar, but it works perfectly when the ingredients are measured correctly.

Ingredients

Our classic Biscuits and Gravy recipe remains faithful to traditional, budget-friendly ingredients:

Homemade Biscuit Recipe – they are simpler to make than you think and undoubtedly the best option, but canned biscuits or Bisquick mixes can suffice in a pinch
Butter – using unsalted allows you to control the saltiness; it prevents the sausage from sticking and adds richness to the gravy
Sausage – Sausage brands vary greatly from sweet to spicy, so start with your preferred breakfast sausage, and feel free to explore different varieties
Flour – all-purpose flour for thickening the sauce
Milk – either low-fat or whole milk for the ideal texture
Sea salt and pepper – these two seasonings provide the perfect flavor for the gravy; adjust to your taste
Red Pepper Flakes – optional for those who enjoy a touch of heat

Did you know…

The distinction between Country gravy and Sausage gravy lies in the fat source used for making the gravy. Country gravy utilizes butter to form the roux, similar to how we prepare Chicken Pot Pie, while sausage gravy employs the fat rendered from cooking the meat to create the gravy.

Ingredients for a Southern breakfast staple, including ground pork, salt, pepper, butter, flour, crushed red pepper, and milk

Substitutions

Throughout the centuries, cooks have added their own twists to the classic recipe dating back to the late 1800s. Here are some variations to ignite your adventurous side:

Sausage – Hot, mild, or maple sausages are popular choices. Some have even used ground beef, bacon, and chorizo!
Spices – Sage is a favored addition, along with Thyme, rosemary, cayenne, or creole seasoning. Add them to the cooked sausage before incorporating the flour and milk.
Vegetables – jalapeños for heat; mushrooms and caramelized onions can provide earthy depth to the gravy just before serving.

How to Make Biscuits and Gravy

Discover how simple it is to serve this homemade biscuits and sausage gravy recipe at your next breakfast gathering.

Prepare the biscuits. Make the biscuit dough and bake following our easy homemade Biscuits Recipe. While the biscuits bake, begin making the gravy.
Melt butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the sausage. Once it’s cooked through, reduce the heat to medium, sprinkle flour over the meat, and stir constantly for 3 minutes or until the flour’s raw smell dissipates.
Gradually add milk while stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if desired).
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce thickens into a rich and creamy consistency. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Serve the gravy over a split biscuit – delicious!

Step-by-step directions on how to make Southern Sawmill white sauce with homemade bread

Pro Tip:

To ensure the best gravy, make sure the flour’s raw smell has dissipated before adding the milk to avoid a pasty taste. The flour should be lightly browned. Additionally, do not drain the sausage fat after cooking, as it aids in creating the gravy roux.

How to Serve Biscuits and Gravy

To serve our homemade biscuits and gravy, split the cooled biscuit in half and ladle the sausage gravy on top. Traditionally, it’s a breakfast dish, but it’s equally delectable for dinner. Here are some favorite side dishes:

Make-Ahead

You can prepare the gravy and biscuit dough the night before, making it effortless to reheat the gravy while the biscuits bake in the morning.

To Refrigerate: Wrap the biscuit dough in plastic wrap for an overnight stay. Let the gravy cool completely, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
Freezing: After cooling thoroughly, you can freeze the gravy for 3-5 months.
To Reheat: Allow the gravy to thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then gently reheat it on low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of milk to thin if needed.

Pro Tip

Keep the gravy warm, as it thickens as it cools. For serving a crowd, leave it covered on the stove on the warm or low setting. If it becomes too thick, simply add a bit of milk to thin it.

Sausage gravy and biscuits breakfast served on blue plates

This Southern Biscuits and Gravy recipe is a quick and easy way to savor a hearty, comforting meal. You’ll relish the flaky homemade biscuits smothered in rich gravy, so don’t hesitate to try this breakfast delight!

Prepare your biscuit dough and bake as per our Biscuits Recipe. While the biscuits are baking, create the sausage gravy so they are ready simultaneously.
Melt 2 Tbsp of butter in a large, heavy skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat and add the sausage. Sauté and break it up with a spatula until just cooked through (about 5 minutes). Reduce heat to medium, sprinkle flour over the top, and stir constantly for 3 minutes.
Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, if desired.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened into a rich and creamy consistency (about 5 minutes). To thin the sauce, add a little more milk. Season to taste at the end if necessary.
Break or cut the biscuits in half and spoon the sausage gravy over them, then serve.

When making homemade biscuits, ensure that your butter and half-and-half are cold. If you don’t have half-and-half on hand, you can create it by mixing equal parts of heavy cream and milk. Despite the unusual measurement, trust me, it works.

Breakfast sausage brands can vary from sweet to spicy and by seasoning, so start with your favorite pork sausage and experiment with other types to find your preferred choice.