How To Make Homemade Gravy For Biscuits And Gravy

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Is there anything better than Biscuits and Gravy on a cold and gloomy day? I submit that there is not. This classic recipe is creamy, savory and oh so comforting! Along with Deviled Eggs and Shrimp and Grits, make room at your southern table for some Biscuits and Gravy! This recipe creates light and buttery homemade biscuits and a creamy sausage gravy. The steps are not hard, but do take some time. So, if you're in a rush, save this recipe for another day. This is such a classic comfort favorite that I knew I had to perfect it, especially with Fall (and winter….grumble grumble) knocking at our door.

A Few Tips for Success

For the Biscuits

For the biscuits, I made the dough in a food processor, but can totally be made by hand in a bowl. You'll just be using a pastry blender to break apart the butter. Also, the biggest tip for making tender and flaky biscuits is to not work the dough too much once you add the milk. Once the liquid goes in and you start mixing, gluten starts to form. Too much gluten and you'll have a chewy mess. For pizza dough, you want to knead it for that chew….not so much for biscuits.

For the Gravy

For the gravy, I flavor my ground pork with a homemade spice blend (based on my homemade breakfast sausage recipe here). Of course you can use breakfast sausage that is already flavored but I didn't have any on hand, hence the homemade seasoning. One other tip that you'll need to remember: once you add in the milk to create that thick gravy, you'll want to increase the heat to get it bubbling but then reduce it right away to keep it at a light simmer. This is to prevent the milk from curdling. Chunky gravy is not delicious, incase you were wondering.

Other biscuit recipes you might like: Southern-Style Biscuits with Sweet Maple Sausage Gravy, Gluten-Free Cheddar Bay Biscuits, Light & Fluffy Angel Biscuits, Butter Drop Biscuits.

How to Make Biscuits and Gravy

Because this is a homemade, from scratch version of Biscuits and Gravy, the whole process start to finish can be a little time consuming (1 hour+). However, the effort is so so worth it! Don't forget the ingredient measurements plus more detailed directions are listed below in the recipe card. Here's how to do it:

Make the Biscuits

Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside. Measure out all dry ingredients into a large bowl or food processor. Cut cold butter into the dry ingredients until it's the size of small peas. Pour in the milk all at once and stir only until just incorporated.

Roll, Cut + Bake

Roll out dough and cut into biscuits. Place biscuits on baking sheet and bake until lightly browned. Set aside.

Make the Gravy

Start by mixing ground pork together with spices and set aside. Saute onions in olive oil until tender. Add pork into hot pan and break apart while it browns. Sprinkle in the flour and cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk and bring to a simmer to thicken the gravy. Stir in maple syrup and taste. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary.

Do I Have to Make My Own Breakfast Sausage?

Absolutely not! I love making my own because it incorporates all the flavors I love. However, feel free to get a store bought pre-seasoned breakfast sausage. Most brands offer some kind of 'original' breakfast sausage, a maple sausage and/or sage breakfast sausage. Any kind you like would work well in this recipe.

Serve

Cut warm biscuits in half and spoon gravy overtop. Serve.

What to Serve with Biscuits and Gravy?

Lemony Vanilla Fruit Salad
Oven Baked Bacon
Easy Breakfast Casserole
Perfect French Toast Casserole
Pan Fried Potatoes

Storing Leftovers + Making Ahead

Store biscuits and gravy separately in airtight containers, in the fridge for up 3-4 days until you're ready to heat them up again. You may need to add a splash of milk to the gravy when reheating, to thin it out again.

Can I Make This Recipe in Advance?

You can definitely make parts of this dish ahead, just at different times for the best finished product.

I would suggest making the gravy up to two days in advance, and storing in an airtight container in the fridge. To serve, simply reheat over the stove or in the microwave.

The biscuits, however, taste their best when baked fresh. You can make the biscuit dough up to 24 hours in advance, storing in the refrigerator covered, but be sure to bake them off right before serving for the best finished product.

Other Hearty Breakfast Ideas to Try!

Breakfast Burritos
Southern Biscuits and Gravy
Oatmeal Pancakes
Hash Brown Egg Cups
Classic Breakfast Casserole

There you have it! A good, hot breakfast recipe that is good for the soul. Be sure to save, print or bookmark this recipe to come back to again and again. The printable recipe card is below. Have a great day, friends! 🙂

biscuits and gravy

Biscuits and Gravy

A reliable, classic recipe for Biscuits and Gravy. Creamy, savory and oh so comforting this is a staple breakfast recipe!

Ingredients

For the gravy:

▢ 1 pound ground pork
▢ 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon McCormick's Grill Mates Smokehouse Maple seasoning optional
▢ 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
▢ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or more to taste
▢ 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
▢ 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
▢ 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
▢ 1/8 teaspoon dried marjoram
▢ 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ Pinch ground cayenne pepper
▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
▢ 1 cup yellow onion finely diced
▢ 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more as needed
▢ 3 cups whole milk
▢ 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or more to taste

Instructions

To make the biscuits, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda, pulsing a few times to mix.Add the butter and pulse until it's the size of small peas. Pour in the milk, pulsing, until incorporated. Pulse 5 more times, then transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Form dough into a ball, ensuring it is well mixed, sprinkling with flour as needed. Roll the dough out to 1 1/4-inch thick, then use a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter to make 8 biscuits, re-kneading and re-rolling the scraps as necessary.
Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the gravy: In a large bowl, combine the pork, brown sugar, maple seasoning (if using), salt, black pepper, sage, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, nutmeg and cayenne, stirring to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the pork mixture and cook, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula, until no longer pink, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in the milk, increase the heat to medium high, to bubble and thicken gravy. Reduce heat immediately to bring to a gentle simmer, whisking to smooth any lumps, until completely thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add more flour as needed to achieve desired consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in the maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more maple syrup, salt and black pepper to taste.
Split the biscuits and arrange on plates. Spoon the gravy on top and serve.

Nutrition

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: Southern

Keyword: biscuits and gravy