A quintessential Southern staple, biscuits and gravy are a hearty comfort food with deep roots in the American South. One of the hallmarks of Southern cooking is its appreciation for soulful, made-with-love dishes that bring families and communities together. Biscuits and gravy are no exception. The beloved dish marries two simple yet sublime components: tender, flaky biscuits and a creamy, savory sausage gravy. It all started when resourceful cooks in rural kitchens cleverly combined humble ingredients to create a satisfying meal, proving that you can turn the ordinary into something extraordinary.
Biscuits and gravy arent just a testament to Southern folks knack for making magic in the kitchen with whatevers on hand; they also represent the Souths long-standing tradition of heartwarming comfort food. Enjoyed at breakfast, brunch, or even dinner, biscuits and gravy is a versatile dish that can be served on almost any occasion. Here, well dive into the rich history and some interesting facts about the timeless dish.
The meal emerged as a distinct regional dish after the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), when stocks of foodstuffs were in short supply. Breakfast was necessarily the most substantial meal of the day for a person facing a day of work on the plantations in the American South.
Sawmill gravy was designed for mill workers
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Southern Appalachia was a hub for the timber industry. Lumber yards and sawmills were prominent employers in this region, drawing a substantial labor force. Workers in these industries often faced physically demanding and grueling jobs, particularly in the harsh conditions of the mountainous terrain. Given the demanding nature of their work, they required meals that were not only hearty and filling but also affordable.
This is where sawmill gravy came into play. Its also why many believe the recipe stemmed from this region; in particular, these workers. As the meal was made for sawmill workers, it makes sense that they couldve been the first to come up with the dish. If not the biscuits, then certainly the infamous gravy. Today, sawmill gravy isnt made primarily for mill workers, and it was never made literally at the mills, either. But the name stuck, and its still used today as a regional gravy style, even at a favorite breakfast spot like Cracker Barrel. It all comes down to how its made. Back in the day, sawmill gravy was made with either cornmeal or flour, the fatty drippings of sausage, or sometimes other cuts of pork like bacon, and a touch of water or milk, depending on what they had on hand.
The type of gravy served on your biscuits in the South depends on the region. Chipped beef gravy, red-eye gravy and tomato gravy are still popular in Appalachia, oyster gravy is found in the coastal areas of Virginia and North Carolina, and corn gravy, okra gravy and chocolate gravy are deep south traditions. Its wide spread appeal have made the dish a staple not only on southern breakfast tables, but diner and fine dining restaurant menus alike.
Like many other Southern favorites, biscuits and gravy were born out of necessity. The dish has been found on tables for decades, and quickly became a staple of Southern diets. The hearty, high calorie dish made a delicious, filling and inexpensive breakfast dish for laborers.
Water and flour only cost pennies, and when combined the could be a sustainable way to feed a family. Originally, biscuits were far from buttery and flaky. They were crispy and brittle, like the texture and consistency of a cracker. Biscuit dough was also shelf stable for several days, making it an easy recipe to prepare. Called “beaten biscuits,” the early dough creation was a job for slaves, as beating and folding the dough could take upwards of an hour per batch.
Flour for biscuit making has always been available, but advancements in flour processing in the 1870s led to higher quality and more abundant flour. This enhancement to production, coupled with the discovery of baking soda and baking powder, resulted in a lighter, fluffy biscuit whose fan base grew beyond the southern states.
The need for hearty, high calorie foods were essential in the early south, thus giving rise to gravy. Throughout the late 1700s and early 1800s pork was viewed as a cheaper, poor man’s meat that was widely available in the American south. Ground pork was pan fried in a skillet, leaving behind the perfect fat content for a roux or thickener. The renderings were a natural meaty, salty flavor for the gravy. When combined with flour and milk, or in lean times- water, it made a gravy to soften the hard biscuits that was cheap, easy and quick to make. When times were especially hard and there were no pork or dairy to be found, “thick gravy” became a table staple. This form of gravy was made by using water to thicken a brown roux of oil and flour.
Sausage Gravy & Biscuits, The Best of the South you will have ever tasted
FAQ
Why is biscuits and gravy popular in the South?
Why do people love biscuits and gravy?
Is gravy a Southern thing?
Are biscuits a Southern thing?
How to make Southern-style biscuits & gravy?
Proper Southern-style biscuits and gravy begin with homemade buttermilk biscuits. If you are planning to make this dish with grocery store biscuit dough in a pressurized cardboard tube, you will be sacrificing flavor and texture (not to mention authenticity) for convenience. As for the gravy, it will only be as good as the sausage you use.
What is my grandma’s southern biscuits & sausage gravy?
My Grandma’s Southern Biscuits and Sausage Gravy has been a family favorite for decades! This quick and easy gravy is perfect for breakfast or brunch and pairs perfectly with homemade biscuits. Ready in un 20 minutes and only a few ingredients needed! These Southern Biscuits and Sausage Gravy is one of my favorite savory breakfasts.
Where can I buy biscuits & gravy?
Restaurant chains specializing in biscuits and gravy include Biscuitville, in Virginia and North Carolina, Tudor’s Biscuit World, in West Virginia, and Biscuit Belly in Kentucky and Indiana. Tomato gravy is white gravy mixed with crushed or diced tomatoes.
How long does it take to make biscuits and gravy?
Together the biscuits and gravy (or B&G as my family calls it) make a perfect combination. The entire southern gravy recipe comes together in under 20 minutes and only requires a few basic ingredients. This is a breakfast, brunch or brinner must make!