This southern white gravy recipe is a classic that I think most people in the south should know how to make. Creamy, simple and delicious with so many different foods.
As you can see from the image above it's a classic on some homemade biscuits, sometimes you can add sausage meat to the gravy - but this would then be known as sausage gravy.
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❤️ Why you'll love it
- This southern white gravy recipe can be whipped up in literally minutes. It's an easy recipe.
- It's quite versatile in that you can season it how you like.
- It's the best kind and favorite comfort food you can get.
- Making a simple roux like this is the basis for any creamy sauce - e.g. add cheese and you can make mac and cheese!
- Simple ingredients - you should have all of this in your kitchen already.
🧅 Ingredients
- Bacon grease (or butter)
- All purpose flour
- Garlic
- Whole Milk
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
See recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities.
🥣 Instructions
- Step 1: Add the bacon grease to a heavy bottom medium saucepan. Apply medium heat and add the flour.
- Step 2: Stir continuously for a few minutes with a small whisk, until the flour cooks a little and becomes pasty. This is so you don't get that flour taste.
- Step 3: Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
- Step 4: Slowly start to add the heated milk, little at a time, continuously whisking.
- Step 5: Once you have used all the milk you should have a nice creamy white gravy.
- Step 6: Season this homemade gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Hint: Don't try to rush adding the milk. You will end up with lumps in your gravy. Slowly, slowly, add the milk in batches of about ¼ cup at a time, then stir stir stir.
🔄 Substitutions and Variations
- Butter - instead of bacon drippings
- Cooked Sausage - although this will make it a sausage gravy, not a white country gravy.
- Cayenne Pepper - for a little heat.
- Garlic Powder - you can swap out the real garlic for this.
- Heavy Cream - just a dash, could add a little more depth.
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🔌 Equipment
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I have some links to the equipment I used to make this recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
🍽 What To Serve With Southern White Gravy
- Fried Pork Chops
- Chicken-fried Steak
- Chicken Tenders
- Hot Biscuits
- Fried Chicken
- Hash Browns
- A Pie Crust
- French Fries
- Mashed Potatoes
📘 Related Recipes
🧊 Storage
Once cooled you can store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. When you heat it back up again you may need to add more milk.
💡 Tips
Expert Tip: For best results use heated milk - it will help avoid lumps in your white gravy. If you use cold milk it will cool the roux back down and can cause lumps.
👩🍳 FAQs
Definitely is. It's a southern classic and in every restaurant here - I travel up north and struggle to find it.
That would be a country sausage gravy, or Sawmill gravy. This is a different one, albeit similar.
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Southern White Gravy Recipe
A deliciously creamy, homestyle southern white gravy recipe that is old-fashioned but has stood the test of time.
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons Bacon Fat (or butter)
- ⅓ Cup All Purpose Flour
- ¼ Teaspoon Garlic, minced
- 3 Cups Whole Milk (warmed)
- 1 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Add the bacon fat to a small heavy-bottomed pot.
- Add medium-high heat then add the flour. Stir for a few minutes, while the flour cooks a little and smooths out, then add the garlic and cook a further 2 minutes.
- Slowly start to add the heated milk, stirring constantly. A little at a time, stir stir stir, a little more, stir. This takes time, if you rush it you will end up with lumps in your gravy.
- Once you have added all the milk you should have a nice smooth gravy. Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
Depending on if you used bacon or butter to make your roux, will determine how much salt you need to add. I would definitely taste the white gravy before adding the salt so you know how much to add.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 139Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 16mgSodium 412mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 0gSugar 6gProtein 5g
Elsie S. Stewart says
I tried this recipe and it's really good. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to try the recipe.