How To Make Biscuits and Egg Gravy
Biscuits and egg gravy might seem unusual to some, but those with Southern roots understand how fantastic this combination can be. This is one of our favorite breakfast or lunch or dinner. We love it and this is the most asked meal from my daughter. She even refuses to eat any other biscuits but these ones. It is one of the most delicious breakfast dishes you’ll ever have. Growing up, we eagerly anticipated my grandpa’s biscuits and egg gravy, and now I have the pleasure of sharing that joy with you.
History of Biscuits & Gravy
The history of this dish, known today as biscuits and gravy, dates back to the 1800s, emerging from a practical need for an affordable and simple breakfast option. While some people in the culinary world attribute its inception to the circumstances of the Revolutionary War—when soldiers required hearty meals—a significant number of culinary historians believe that the true roots of this dish can be found in the Southern Appalachian lumber mills. Workers in these mills needed filling meals to sustain their demanding labor, and thus, Sawmill Gravy was born.
In those early days, the preparation of biscuits and gravy was quite different from what we enjoy today. The biscuits themselves were denser and not as light and flaky as the fluffy versions we commonly associate with the dish in modern times. As for the gravy, it was initially a thick sauce without the rich, savory flavors we now take for granted; it often relied on essential ingredients, resulting in a rather bland profile. Over the years, however, the dish has evolved into a beloved comfort food with flavorful variations and delightful textures that have made it a staple in Southern cuisine and beyond.
Family History
Somewhere along the way, my great-grandma or another ancestor decided to add to the dish by including hard-boiled eggs, which I understand why. Eggs were a more budget-friendly option than pork, and I know they had plenty of chickens laying eggs around their house. Thus, our family egg gravy tradition was born.
My grandpa’s biscuits and egg gravy recipe has been in our family for at least four generations. I say “at least” because I can’t speak to my great-grandma to find out if her mother taught her the recipe. We assume that she did. I know that our family roots are from the South, and my grandfather grew up with very little, making biscuits and gravy the perfect affordable dish for a large family.
My great-grandma prepared this dish a little differently than my grandpa. She used thick slices of toasted bread. She included only the egg whites from hard-boiled eggs in the gravy, crushing the cooked yolks finely and sprinkling them on top. In contrast, my grandpa simply cut up the entire boiled egg and mixed it into the gravy. Yum!
Homesteading Connection
I love the adventure of learning more about how and why things are done. We often take for granted that we can get whatever we need from the grocery store or online, without considering where our food, like pork sausage or eggs, comes from or how much it truly costs—especially as prices have skyrocketed recently. This is one of the main reasons I enjoy homesteading! It helps us connect with our family roots and realize how challenging things used to be, as well as how to make the most of what we have.
Don’t hesitate to try Grandpa’s biscuits and egg gravy—experiment a little!
Biscuits
1st Step
- In a mixing bowl or mixer, combine all ingredients. I prefer using a pastry cutter to blend everything together.
2nd Step
- After thoroughly mixing the dry ingredients, add melted butter, an egg, and milk. If you use honey melt it with the butter so it’s easier to mix it all together. Mix until the dough forms a solid ball.
3rd Step
- Use a spoon or 1/4 cup to scoop the biscuit dough from the bowl, and drop it on the cookie sheet. These biscuits are not cut, but are drop biscuits, so they do not need to look pretty.
4th Step
- Bake biscuits at 400 degree fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown
Egg Gravy
1st Step
- Boil six eggs in a separate pot on the stove for 10 minutes. Once the eggs are finished cooking, you can either let them cool on their own or run cold water over them.
- Next, peel the eggs and rinse off any residue. Place the peeled eggs in a bowl and use a pastry cutter, fork, or knife to cut them into pieces. Set aside.
2nd Step
- Place a pot on the stove and melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and stir until the mixture thickens.
3rd Step
- Remove the pan from the stove. Gradually add the milk while stirring continuously.
4th Step
- Add the spices and feel free to include others. Sometimes, I like to add chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Add the cut-up hard-boiled eggs.
5th Step
- Allow the gravy to come to a boil, stirring to prevent burning. Once boiling, set heat to low and continue stirring until it thickens.
6th Step
- Serve gravy warm on top of biscuits.
Biscuits & Egg Gravy
Grandpa's recipe makes a delicious soft and fluffy biscuits with egg country gravy. His twist on this delicious breakfast will cause you to ask for more.
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar or Honey
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 4 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 Cup Melted Shortening or Butter
- 1 Egg
- 2/3 Cup Milk
Country Gravy
- 2 Tablespoon Butter
- 3 Tablespoon Flour
- 2 Cups Milk
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
For Egg, Bacon, Sausage or All Gravy
- 6 Hard Boiled Eggs
- 1 Package of Bacon
- 1 Tube of Sausage
Optional Spices
- Chili Powder
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
Instructions
Biscuits
Makes 9 biscuits
1. Preheat Oven 400
2. To make the biscuits mix all the dry ingredients into a bowl.
3. Now combine the melted butter, milk and egg into the dry ingredients until it comes together. It should be a solid ball of dough. If you use honey melt it with the butter to make it easier to mix together.
4. Use a spoon or a 1/4 cup and scoop the dough out of the bowl and drop it on to a cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown
Country Gravy
(Optional begin to cook hard boiled eggs, bacon and sausage)
1. Place a pot on the stove and melt butter
2. Add flour and combine butter and flour until it becomes thick.
3. Remove from stove and slowly add milk while you stir.
4. Add the salt and pepper. Optional: Add any additional spices for your desired taste.
5. Place the gravy back on the stove and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally
6. Once the gravy is brought to boil stir until thick and turn off heat.
7. Optional: Add the cut up hard boiled eggs, cooked bacon, cooked sausage or all three of them into the gravy.
Notes
We love adding eggs, bacon, sausage to our gravy and some extra spices. Have fun experimenting.
Delicious Breakfast
We hope you enjoy Grandpa’s Biscuits and Egg Gravy! We like to add chopped bacon and sausage to our gravy. Feel free to make it your own by experimenting with different seasonings. We would love to hear how it turns out!
Was the recipe easy to follow? Did it taste good? What can we improve?
5 responses to “How To Make Biscuits and Egg Gravy”
Can’t wait to make it may be tomorrow I use have it when I was kid that been long time ago thank you so much for recipe graight ly
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