Savory, creamy Southern Bacon Gravy is the best part of any breakfast – perfect for scooping over biscuits, toast, or hash browns!
Flavorful, fast, and easy, our homemade Bacon Gravy recipe turns an ordinary “bacon and eggs” breakfast into a family feast in only 6 minutes! Featuring four simple ingredients —bacon and bacon grease, flour, and milk —these staples create a quick, creamy, white gravy that’s spectacularly delicious when served over scrambled eggs, buttermilk biscuits, fried potatoes, and more!
Gravy is GOOOOOOD!
Gravy turns ordinary into extraordinary! Whether it’s holiday brown gravy made from pan drippings and turkey stock (You know, the one served from that fancy little gravy boat for your fluffy mashed potatoes), or this beautiful Bacon Gravy over Buttermilk Biscuits for breakfast…gravy makes everything better!
You’re going to love how simple and delicious this white milk gravy is! It’s so quick and easy, you may find yourself making it regularly!
Other Recipes to Serve with Homestyle Bacon Gravy
- Drop Biscuits are quick and easy for breakfast or dinner – especially when smothered in bacon gravy!
- This Cheesy Breakfast Casserole with Bacon & Eggs has all your breakfast favorites! Make ahead of time, then heat and serve!
Ingredients
Bacon: We need regular, uncooked bacon. We’ll cook the bacon in a skillet, then use the grease from the pan to make the roux – nothing goes to waste!
Thickener: We’re using flour to thicken this gravy, but you can substitute cornstarch or a gluten-free flour if needed.
Dairy: Warm milk lends this Southern-style bacon gravy recipe its wonderful, creamy consistency.
How to Make Bacon Gravy
STEP ONE: Start by cooking the bacon in a cast-iron skillet. When crisp, remove it to a paper towel and set aside. Using the bacon grease in the skillet, whisk in the flour. Stir until there are no lumps, then cook over medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes to cook the flour.
STEP TWO: Slowly whisk in the warm milk and bring to a boil. If the gravy becomes too thick, add more milk, a little at a time, until the desired consistency is achieved.
STEP THREE: Crumble the cooked bacon and add it to the gravy, stirring until well combined. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
STEP FOUR: Serve warm over Buttermilk Biscuits, hash browns, egg casserole, or simply toast. It’s delicious!
Tips for Success
- When making a roux for the gravy, cook the flour and bacon fat for at least 1 minute before adding in the milk.
- Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour to make a gluten-free gravy that’s out of this world!
- If frying the bacon didn’t leave a couple of tablespoons of grease behind in the pan, add a little butter to compensate.
- If the gravy is too thin, simmer for a few more minutes.
- If the gravy is too thick, slowly stir in milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
What is Breakfast Gravy Made Of?
Breakfast gravy, also known as white gravy, milk gravy, bacon gravy, or sausage gravy, is prepared from meat drippings, milk, flour, and seasonings. Cooking the bacon or sausage first in the skillets leaves behind grease, and this grease contributes a rich, meaty flavor to the gravy that you don’t get from butter. Breakfast gravy can be eaten scooped onto toast, biscuits, waffles, or pancakes, scrambled eggs, home fries, chicken, etc. It’s a delicious, hearty, Southern “big breakfast” staple!
Why Does My Gravy Taste Like Flour?
If your gravy has a “raw flour” flavor, it’s because you still have raw flour in the gravy!
But no worries – this is an easy fix from here on out! Start your gravy with a roux – add the flour into the hot grease and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes before adding anything else. This not only provides a smooth foundation, but it also cooks the flour, which removes its raw taste. Once this is done, you can add the milk and seasonings to create the perfect white gravy.
Other Recipes Featuring Glorious Gravy!
- Sausage Gravy
- Turkey Gravy
- Tater Tot Poutine
- Biscuits and Gravy Breakfast Casserole
- Slow Cooker Mushroom Round Steaks & Gravy
- Chicken Fried Steaks with Gravy
*This post originally posted on 11/04/2013.
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup bacon grease (see note)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups warm milk plus more as needed
- 4 slices bacon crumbled
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Buttermilk biscuits for serving
Instructions
- Heat the bacon grease in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Whisk in the flour until there are no lumps. Cook for 1-2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the warm milk. Once all the milk is incorporated, bring to a boil and cook until thickened, whisking frequently. If the gravy is too thick, add more milk until your desired consistency is reached.
- Stir in the crumbled bacon. Taste the gravy and add salt and pepper as needed. You may not need much, if any salt, depending on the saltiness of bacon grease.
- Serve warm over biscuits with eggs, fruit, or your favorite breakfast items.
Sheila Stockdale says
Love the bacon grease gravy. I learned to make it from my mom, using equal parts bacon grease and flour. Cook and stir the mixture until the flour has browned. The add water instead of milk. Delicious! I believe this was the poor man’s version, using the water instead of milk. Still my favorite way to have it!
Yasha says
These look great. Close to what I’ve been doing for around 26 years.
I was offered 85$ to make mine for a friends family after she tasted mine,lol
Anyways I cook around a pound of gound hot Italian sausage “you can use regular,I just like the extra flavor “.when it’s cooked through I mix around 1/3 cup flour in with acup milk until smooth add that to the sausage.stur it in a bit and then add 2-3 cups milk,”I never measure so this is an estamate”.keep stirring and cooking until as thick as you like. You can add more milk and flour mix or more milk. It thickens more as it cools:-) trust me this us SUPER GOID!!! People beg me for it. Also good on and with chicken fried steak!
Aubrey says
That sounds delish!