Our Homemade Southern White Country Gravy recipe is so easy and you only need 5 simple ingredients, including salt and pepper! In this post I will give you tips so you don’t have to struggle to make gravy like I did. Watch the video below to see exactly how to make it.
Gravy is one of those dishes that I struggled for many years to make. Lee’s buddy gave me a helpful tip and the next time I made it after that it wasn’t awful. It took another try and that time it actually tasted good!
So what he told me was that you have to let the flour cook for a good minute or two in whatever fat you are using. This allows the flour to develop nice flavor so it doesn’t have that raw flour taste. That is the single most helpful thing he told me. Once I got this down it was easy peasy.
Southern White Country Gravy is one of those southern dishes that has several variations known by other names such as sawmill gravy (made from meat drippings), white pepper gravy, milk gravy, southern gravy, or country-style gravy. All of these versions are made from a simple roux (a mixture of flour and fat cooked together) and are pure comfort food.
Butter – I like unsalted butter for this, if using salted butter then you will not need as much salt as the recipe calls for.
Milk – I have used whole milk, 2% milk and even skim milk for this and still end up with delicious gravy.
Salt & Black Pepper – we keep it simple, you can add a little cayenne pepper for extra flavor.
Southern country gravy is a white gravy with bacon grease, flour, whole milk, salt, and black pepper, perfect for biscuits and fried chicken. Southern country gravy goes by many names, including white gravy, country-style gravy, peppered white gravy, and Cracker Barrel sawmill gravy.
How thick should homemade white country gravy be?
This is personal preference, really. We like our gravy to be stick to your ribs thick. For this easy white gravy recipe we use 2 cups of milk. You can use a bit more milk for thinner gravy if you want, maybe an additional half cup.
The longer the flour and butter cook the less it will thicken the gravy.
I almost always make this in a nonstick skillet and use a silicone covered whisk.
For best results whisk constantly over high enough heat that the flour and butter mixture will still get nice and bubbly. Then again after you add the milk.
Gravy will thicken more as it cool downs.
If gravy becomes too thick add a splash of milk to thin it down a bit.
This recipe can easily be cut in half or doubled. If doubling it is helpful to know that 4 tablespoons is equal to 1/4 cup.
Watch the video to see how I make bacon gravy
Store leftover gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. According the USDA you can freeze it for 4-6 months.
How to Make Southern Style Gravy – Old Time Recipe
FAQ
What is Southern gravy made of?
What is the difference between country style gravy and brown gravy?
What is Southern fried gravy?
How do you make southern gravy?
(Whole wheat flour is a bad idea, though.) Whisk the flour into the grease, then add some salt and pepper (Black pepper. Southern Gravy has black specks in it. It’s supposed to!). Keep whisking the flour until it’s a deep tan color and smells nutty. Now it’s time to add in the milk, stirring constantly.
What is southern white gravy?
Southern white gravy. The perfect topping for chicken fried steak, biscuits, or the grill of your car. Seriously Everything tastes better with this stuff
What is southern cream gravy?
Southern cream gravy, also called country gravy or white gravy, is a light-colored pan sauce made from meat drippings, milk, and cream. Often, as in this recipe, bacon fat is used as the pan drippings. It’s a quick gravy to make that just requires some careful attention.
What are the different types of Southern gravy?
There’s more out there than just your classic white breakfast gravy, and different Southern gravies complement certain classic settings like biscuits, chicken-fried steak, or grits. From an old-fashioned caffeinated gravy to a little-known sweet gravy, discover all the delicious types of gravy that Southerners put on the table.