You dont need a pre-made gravy mix and you definitely dont need a restaurant to enjoy a stellar serving of Sawmill Gravy and Biscuits! This recipe delivers a delicious, smooth and creamy gravy loaded with savory pork sausage. Its the perfect topping for the Souths favorite carb — biscuits!
Making this protein-packed gravy at home is so much easier than you think, and with this foolproof recipe, you can expect a hearty breakfast on the table in less than 20 minutes!
Serve this Sawmill Gravy over homemade Southern biscuits with a side of fried eggs for a quick-fix breakfast the entire family will love! Or, if you want a sweeter twist to pair with your biscuits, try Chocolate Gravy!
The term “sawmill gravy” comes from early logging camp food and old-time sawmills. It was originally made with cornmeal, bacon drippings, milk, and seasonings. This resulted in a somewhat gritty gravy; in fact, rumor has it that the loggers would accuse the cooks of putting sawdust in the recipe!
WHAT IS SAWMILL GRAVY?
Sawmill Gravy is white country gravy that begins with either bacon or sausage fat, and contains one or both of those proteins. It is a popular and beloved Southern breakfast staple served over open-faced biscuits.
TROUBLESHOOTING: MY GRAVY IS TOO THIN!
If your Sawmill Gravy is too thin for your liking, heres what to do: place one tablespoon of butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap to avoid any messes! Then, microwave it just until melted, about 15-20 seconds.
Once your butter is melted, stir in 1 tablespoon of flour until the two are well-combined. Then, add the flour mix to the gravy, stir, and allow to simmer for about 3-5 minutes.
- Pork Breakfast Sausage | As mentioned above, Sawmill Gravy can consist of sausage, bacon, or both. This recipe is for a pork sausage gravy, but if youd like to sub in bacon, see the instructions below!
- Flour | Flour is an important ingredient when it comes to making gravy and you should take care to measure it properly. Too much and it will be too thick. Too little and it will be too thin. Another thing youll want to note about the flour is to use all-purpose flour.
- Milk | This recipe was developed using whole milk, but feel free to use 2% milk if its all you have on hand. Be sure not to add cold milk to your roux, or the mix will tighten up, making it difficult for you to achieve a smooth gravy.
- Salt and Pepper
How to make Sawmill Gravy! ‘A Southern Favorite!
FAQ
Why is called sawmill gravy?
What’s the difference between country gravy and sawmill gravy?
Why do Southerners like biscuits and gravy?
What’s the difference between country gravy and sausage gravy?
What is sawmill gravy?
Sawmill gravy is a southern delight using meat drippings pork when I make it), milk and flour. Wiktionary defines it the same way. ARE THERE OTHER NAMES FOR SAWMILL GRAVY? Sawmill gravy is also referred to as Old sawmill gravy, Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy and white sawmill gravy. WHERE DID THE NAME SAWMILL GRAVY COME FROM?
Why is sausage gravy called a sawmill gravy?
Lumber was one of the main industries of the region, which supports the origin story that sausage gravy was also called sawmill gravy. It was the ideal cheap and calorie-dense fuel for sawmill workers lifting heavy logs all day long, and the perfect tool for making the era’s biscuits more palatable.
How do you eat sawmill gravy?
Sawmill gravy is the perfect addition to a Southern-style breakfast. Serve with split and buttered biscuits or creamy grits . Gather the ingredients. In a heavy skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage, breaking up and stirring until no longer pink. Remove the sausage to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside.
How do you make sawmill gravy?
After adding a splash of milk wisk briskly to combine, once there are no lumps add more milk and continue wisking. Repeat until all the milk has been added. If you add all the milk at once the roux may be lumpy and never fully blend with the milk. The other key component to sawmill gravy is the required breakfast sausage.