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The Little Pepper-Gravy Contest

*** UPDATE: POLL CLOSED, RESULT AT THE END WAS A 3-WAY TIE. STAY TUNED FOR A BIGGER/BETTER PRIZE BOX! ***
 
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Danielle tells me all the time that biscuits gravy, or pepper gravy, or peppercorn béchamel "is mostly just flour and water" ... but she never makes it, and I don't know the 1st thing about making it!
 
I like Biscuits and Gravy, but rarely eat it because it's a relatively unhealthy breakfast. That said, on occasion, I want to be able to whip up some killer pepper-gravy ...
 
I could find a recipe on the Internet and begin to iterate on it, but then I'd have to consume a half-dozen sub-par instances before I'd get a rockin' plate ...
 
 
That's where ya'll come in!
 
 
Who's got the most bangin' pepper gravy? ...
 
 
 
Up for grabs is a prize box including a pack of Benton's bacon and enough dry-goods from our pantry to fill the space of a box around the bacon ...
 
BigB turned me on to Benton's a while ago and it's been delightful. I've used the rendered fat time time again to impart a somewhat indescribable smoked flavor to vegetable, wok dinners, burgers - you name it!
 
The pack up for grabs is perfect for the person who wants to retain the fat, as it's the 3rd fattiest pack of the 4x that I received. The fattiest pack will be used to make bacon fat to give to a friend of mine, the least fatty pack is what I'm keeping to eat, and the 2nd leanest pack already headed off to Waffle Bum.
 
 
I'll update the thread as we go, there aren't any rules as per my usual, it will be a popularity contest as voted by multiple choice poll, and there will be at least 72 additional hours from the announcement of the conclusion of the contest window, before it's over.
 
PoL (Proof of Life) is $0.39 ... anyone who posted current cuisine before this was applied to the contest (~4PM on 6/20) is grandfathered in.
 
 
What I want to know is - who's got the ill nasty biscuit gravy?
 
 
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* Sorry expat's, this one's for US locations only, but feel free to enter for the title, and we can get the prize off to AnySoldier ...
 
** HI and AK winner's will assume responsibility for whether or not the bacon is fit for consumption after transit from sunny Sarasota, FL ...
 
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PexPeppers said:
as we called it in prison, SOS. I only woke up on mornings that had SOS and cream of wheat. i may join this one. not sure.
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What I really like is chicken-fried steak, or whatever you call it ... with pepper-gravy w/ sausage ...
 
About 1/20 biscuits are awesome, and the other 19 are terrible, LOL ...
 
Seriously, anyone who can make killer Tennessee mountain biscuits that rock - which I think are often made w/ straight up lard in CI - has skills ...
 
grantmichaels said:
 
And here I thought you were going to cook something again ... since the burger, some years ago.
 
Anyways, WTF is a recipe contest? ... BOOORRRIIIIINNNNNGGGG ...
 
I mean, I don't even read =)
 
LOL.

 
Awesome!
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I knew it was a cooking content...
 
#trollclassic
 
I don't know if I have the ingredients or not ...
 
A little piece of me is hoping I'll find out later that I already have everything I need ...
 
Until then ...
 
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I got this- ;)
 
Sausage Gravy (original recipe card from restaurant days)
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cook the sausage well, drain grease into a measuring cup, return meat to pan and continue browning until well cooked.
 
Add enough butter to grease to make 4 cups or 8 cups total.
 
Remove cooked sausage from pan and set aside if desired.  You can also just add the grease/butter to the sausage, but it's a bit harder to mix well.
 
Add flour to the grease, cook well but don't brown the roux.
 
Add milk all at once, mix well.  Cook until thickened.
 
Add black and white pepper.
 
You know what to do from here~~~~
 
 
A pot of gravy for the 2011 chilefest.
NW Chilefest2011 045.JPG

 
Someone's plate at 2012 chilefest...with a healthy dose of some kind of hot sauce...
NW Chilefest 063 - Copy.jpg

 
 
One time at the restaurant, on a busy Sunday morning, we got a call from another restaurant in town wanting to buy a couple packages of Farmer Brothers Sausage Gravy powdered mix.  They didn't believe me at first when I told them we made our gravy from scratch. 
 
Last time I made it was when Hogleg, Scovie and CJ came over for a visit around New Years.  I think Scovie snapped a picture of the half eaten plate.  :lol:
 
PS- There is a white gravy that's often used on chicken fried steaks.  Different than sausage gravy. 
 
FreeportBum said:
My mother makes the absolute best chicken fried steak and eggs with white gravy on a homemade biscuit. When I see her Sunday I'll ask for the recipe.
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It is, in fact, my favorite thing on earth ... I rarely get to have it, but man ... I crush hard on it ...
salsalady said:
I got this- ;)
 
Sausage Gravy (original recipe card from restaurant days)
attachicon.gif
DSC_0166.JPG
 
cook the sausage well, drain grease into a measuring cup, return meat to pan and continue browning until well cooked.
 
Add enough butter to grease to make 4 cups or 8 cups total.
 
Remove cooked sausage from pan and set aside if desired.  You can also just add the grease/butter to the sausage, but it's a bit harder to mix well.
 
Add flour to the grease, cook well but don't brown the roux.
 
Add milk all at once, mix well.  Cook until thickened.
 
Add black and white pepper.
 
You know what to do from here~~~~
 
 
A pot of gravy for the 2011 chilefest.
attachicon.gif
NW Chilefest2011 045.JPG
 
Someone's plate at 2012 chilefest...with a healthy dose of some kind of hot sauce...
attachicon.gif
NW Chilefest 063 - Copy.jpg
 
 
One time at the restaurant, on a busy Sunday morning, we got a call from another restaurant in town wanting to buy a couple packages of Farmer Brothers Sausage Gravy powdered mix.  They didn't believe me at first when I told them we made our gravy from scratch. 
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Nice, SL ... that looks nice and thick, too  ... I want some on top of the biscuit still, by the time I carry my plate to sit ... but like Boss said, not starchy! ...
 
You can control the viscosity easily by adding about 80% of the milk, let it get fully thick, then add milk to your preference. 
 
 
Side note- use a thick bottomed pan and Keep the Bottom Stirred/scraped!   Especially when the milk is added and it's getting up to the boil to thicken.
 
FreeportBum said:
The white gravy im talking about on the chicken fried steak is a sausage gravy. Heart attack city baby. Hmmm I wonder why I was such a fat ass growing up...lol
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Yes, that. That's why I only get to have it like twice/year ... but I want to be able to make it myself now, instead of going to the little diner ...
 
Cool!
 
It exists. Usually one biscuit cut in half, so half that portion, and two sunny side up on top.
 
That looks great. Post the recipe up in heaaa.
 
Oh FFS, hell fuckin' Yessir!

I want to faceplant in it ... actually, and this maybe a first, but *I* want to Sicman it! ...

Recipe much appreciated, yes ... I'm going to common to people instances and then take some stabs at it, certainly ...
 
ok. so, I make the biscuits first. This recipes says it makes 12 but it only made 8. That could have been because I did two half recipes to make rosemary and jalapeño separately. 
Biscuit: Preheat oven to 450. Mix 2cups flour, 3 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp of baking soda. Next add two tbs each of shortening and cold butter. use your fingers and smash it in with the flour mixture till it's all distributed and looks kinda grainy but no big chunks left. If you want to add in jalapeño or rosemary, now's the time. Mix 1/2 cup any milk (i used almond) and 1/2cup of greek/plain yogurt together. You could use sour cream too. Make a well and pour the liquid mixture in. Use two fingers to and gently get everything mixed. The trick to fluffy biscuits is to not overwork it. Once you have your ball, transfer it to a floured surface and fold it in itself 4-5 times. Roll it out to about 1" or so thick and use something to cut it to the size you want. I use my metal 1cup measurer that doesn't have a handle. There will probably be leftover dough, but we only folded before 4-5 times *key* so you have room to fold this again and make another biscuit. If you like your ends fluffy, put all the biscuits side by side. If you like crispy ends, put them 1/2-1 inch apart. If you'd also like, you can brush the tops with butter. Cook for 9-20 minutes. Mine too 15. I should have rotated @ 7 but was busy cooking so rotated @ 10.
 
Sausage gravy: Here's the real recipe, but I'll let you know what I substitute. This recipe is by cooks country, and my only comment would be that it has way too much black pepper. I used this as a guide, but didn't follow it at all.
 
  • 1/4cup all-purpose flour
  • 1teaspoon ground fennel seed
  • 1teaspoon ground sage
  • 1 1/2teaspoons pepper
  • 1 1/2pounds bulk pork sausage
  • 3cups whole milk
  • Salt
 
For my sausage gravy: I actually prefer to use morningstar vegetarian sausage patties. It has a great sausage taste, and since I add benton's bacon fat, i'm not getting fat on fat had i cooked up sausage. Plus, it saves time, and my girlfriend is a vegetarian. Thus, i made two separate batches *one without benton's bacon fat*. Take 4 packets *each as 2 small patties per packet* and microwave. I like my sausage to be not so chunky, and these cut up real well, so slice them then dice them. Add it to the pan, add as much bacon fat as you'd like. I probably used 2tbs for my half recipe, so maybe 3-4 for a full recipe. Obviously, if you're using real sausage you will already have fat, but benton's adds so much flavor so add maybe 1-2tbs. Add the ground sage and ground fennel, and while there is still fat in the pan make sure to add the flour. Mix it around, if you like a whit gravy, once it is all incorporated add the milk. if you like a brown gravy, brown it for a bit on the pan then add the milk. I used a couple grinds of pepper and a little bit of white pepper too. Now, the trick to gravy is taking it off the heat at the right point. I tried to get a picture, but it will be a little bit watery, but about to turn into gravy. Once you let it cool down for a few minutes, it will be thicker and a nice consistency. If it's already thick in the pan, it will be WAY too thick and starchy when it cools. Finally, cut biscuits in half, add pepper powder onto of gravy then eat. 
 
 
 
 
To sum up lessons and tricks to making good biscuits & gravy: Make sure not to overwork your biscuits, make sure to add bacon fat to your gravy and make sure to keep that gravy a little bit liquidy and not too thick before you take it off the heat. 
 
Very helpful instructions, certainly ... might have to try my first biscuits soon ... woot, woot.

Love sage, too - we were all just talking about it a few weeks ago, too ...

Really nice looking gravy ... I think I've noticed along the way that I tend to like the instances that tend towards gray, as opposed to white - and yours plays into that bias of mine!

Awesome, thanks for sharing.

And also for sharing Benton's first, way back ... that, too ;)
 
grantmichaels said:
Awesome, thanks for sharing.

And also for sharing Benton's first, way back ... that, too ;)
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you know it, benton's changed my life. My whole perspective on cooking has been skewed/elevated since joining this community. Between benton's bacon and realizing how much a change in pepper as an ingredient can alter the flavor of my red sauce recipe....wow. 
 
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