Biscuits and Gravy

Biscuits and Gravy

So here is a pretty easy one and a tastes way better than any packaged country gravy you can buy.

1/2 lb thick cut bacon (I like a pepper bacon)
1/2 lb breakfast sausage (I like Jimmy Dean All Natural)
3-4 cups of milk
3-4 tbps flour
Salt and pepper as needed

So for biscuits I cheat here.  I really like the frozen Grands buttermilk biscuits they have a great texture and you can make them light and fluffy or a little more dense just by how to bake them.

First start by rendering (rendering is to cook a high fat item like bacon or duck and use that fat for another cooking method like a roux or sauteing vegetables) down the bacon.  The bacon should be on low-medium heat and in small pieces so that it will render out the fat and get slightly crispy.  When the bacon is almost done add in the sausage and brown.  Once all the meat is done you want to remove it from the pan leaving behind as much of the fat you can.

Now add in flour and put the pan on medium heat.  This is a basic roux (pronounced ru cooked flour and fat, this is the basis of most thickening in french cooking in stews and sauces).  You want there to be enough flour to absorb all the fat and be slightly liquid still (this should be equal to the amount of fat/grease in the pan, if there is 3 tablespoons of fat then add 3 tablespoons of flour, I just eyeball it).  You want this to cook a little to cook out the raw flour taste.  I know when it is ready when the flour turns slightly brown and will have a nutty smell to it.

Now add your milk to deglaze (using liquid to dissolve the caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan to use in a sauce).  Use a whisk in one hand and add milk with the other.  The key here is to put in enough milk to get all the meat bits off the bottom of the pan and add it fast enough that the roux doesn't turn into a lumpy paste.  Now with a roux depending on how long the flour has cooked will determine how well it will thicken the gravy.  The longer it cooks the less the thickening power it has.  So add in milk and let it sit for a minute.  You want the gravy to coat the back of a spoon but still be liquid as it will thicken slightly when it cools to a consumable temperature.  Once you have the gravy to desired thickness add back in the bacon and sausage and let simmer for 5 minutes or so for all the flavors to meld together.  Make sure to taste the gravy here and add in salt and pepper as needed. 

Dish up and enjoy.