Sausage Gravy!

Sausage gravy is an old southern favorite we have been making and eating for years and it's still a family favorite at our house! 

 Sometime when I plan recipes to make and post,  I tend to forget some of the simple and most loved favorites, just because they are not all that impressive or pretty!  I tend to think about the three layer cakes or the pretty salads and such!   Sometime the simple things, like sausage gravy, are the things people will actually be more likely to make!  

I was asked about a recipe for sausage gravy a few weeks ago and it just dawned on me that I hadn't posted one for it!   When I do post this sort of thing, I will always get comments like,  "Who needs a recipe for that?"  "Doesn't everybody know how to make that?" 

Well,  as a matter of fact, they do not know, especially, nowadays.   More and more people just don't learn to cook or they don't have anyone who taught them to cook.   It is always so gratifying to me when someone writes me and says I have helped them learn to cook better meals for their family!   

1 lb. breakfast sausage, browned

2 Tbs. reserved bacon drippings

1/3 cup flour

4 cups milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

In a large skillet, brown 1 lb. of sausage.  Break it up in fairly small pieces.  Add the bacon drippings.  Don't skip this step, because your gravy won't be as good and sausage now, doesn't have enough grease in it to make gravy. 

  Add 1/3 cup flour to the browned meat and cook for about 1 - 2 minutes.   Be sure to break up any clumps.  

Pour in the milk in and whisk until smooth.  I prefer to use whole milk in this.   Bring up to a low boil, where bubbles just  start to form.    You need to stir this frequently, because it can stick to the pan.   Add the salt and pepper and stir.   It will continue to thicken as it cooks.

Pour up in a bowl when you are ready to serve!

Serve over homemade biscuits!    It's so yummy!

Pan Fried Pork Chops with White Milk Gravy!

To be honest I normally cook my pork chops in the oven or grill them, but every once in a while I do indulge in a good old pan fried pork chop with some white gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits.  There just isn't a meal much more southern than that...except maybe fried chicken, white gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits.   Of course there is chicken fried steak, white gravy, mashed potatoes and biscuits...see the pattern here...lol.  We southerners do love our gravy and biscuits.

First, we need to fry our pork chops.  I actually prefer the bone in chops for this because they just have more flavor, but I had boneless so that is what we are using and they work fine.  After rinsing the chops off, place them in a bowl with enough buttermilk to cover them all.  Place back in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour.

If you can get this House Autry pork breader where you live, I highly suggest trying it.  It is seasoned just perfectly and it puts a great coating on your chops that stays on them and crisps up really nice.  If you can't find it in your area, you might email the company and let them know. I couldn't find it here for some odd reason for a while and I emailed the company and within 1 month Walmart was carrying it. If you don't have access to it, you can mix about 2 cups of flour with 1/2 cup of cornmeal seasoned with 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder.   I do add about a 1/2 tsp of black pepper to the House Autry seasoning also, but it has enough salt and garlic seasoning.  Dredge your pork chops in which ever seasoning you are using and shake off the excess.  I fried about 7 boneless pork loin chops with a box of House Autry pork breader.  For pan fried chops I wouldn't recommend them to be over a 1/2 inch thick, less than that is better.  They will be too hard to get done if too thick.

Heat oil in a skillet just to cover the bottom on medium.  The pork chops should sizzle when you put them in.  Place them in the skillet leaving plenty of room.  Don't over crowd your pan.  Cook about 8 -9 minutes on each side.  Some recipes will tell you to cook them less time and I know they say pork can be eaten still 'pink' now days, but I like my pork done. 

Once you flip them, they should be nice and brown on one side.  Don't flip them more than twice, it makes your breading fall off.  If you are frying very many, you will probably have to do more than one pan full.  Remove the first batch and place on a paper towel lined platter. You might need to add a little oil to your pan after the first batch.  Be sure it's hot before adding the next  chops. 

Now, to make the white gravy, see those browned bits in the pan?  Leave them right there, they will make your gravy taste wonderful.  You probably won't have a lot of grease left in the skillet after frying the chops, if you have only been add just enough to cover the bottom of the skillet.  Add to whats left, 2 Tbs. bacon drippings. If you don't have bacon drippings, you can just add a little more oil, but  bacon drippings are what make the gravy so delicious.  If you don't understand where we get the bacon drippings when we haven't cooked any bacon in this entire recipe thus far, you are probably not from the south and don't know that most southern cooks collect and keep their bacon drippings for seasoning.  I know this is disturbing to some so I won't go further into the collection of bacon grease, but there is nothing you can buy on the shelf that seasons better than a spoonful of bacon grease. I don't recommend cooking with it daily or in huge quantities, but small amounts are a must in some things. 

Add 1/4 cup flour to the pan and whisk into the grease, cook for about a couple of minutes.  Slowly add 2 cups milk, continuing to whisk.  Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper.

Bring this up to a boil continuing to whisk.  This will scorch if you don't move it around continuously.  Boil for about a minute just until it starts to thicken. Turn your heat to low and just let it simmer for a few minutes as it will continue to thicken even after it has been turned down.  Taste for seasoning, it might need a dash more salt and pepper.  There is nothing worse than white gravy not seasoned well enough. 

Whisk one last time and pour it up in a bowl. This is called sawmill gravy by some folks and it's the gravy we serve for breakfast with biscuits also, unless we make red eye gravy with country ham...that's a post for another day though.

Pan fried pork chops served with mashed potatoes, white milk gravy and biscuits...comfort food at it's best!