Southern Staples: Biscuits and Gravy
Like many other Southern favorites, biscuits and gravy were born out of necessity. The dish has been found on tables for decades, and quickly became a staple of Southern diets. The hearty, high calorie dish made a delicious, filling and inexpensive breakfast dish for laborers.
The history of the dish is debated, with some believing that it originated during the Revolutionary War while others trace the dish to Southern Appalachian lumber mills in the 1800s, hence the name sawmill gravy. Its readily available ingredients and hearty nature made it an affordable staple for the low-income working class.
Water and flour only cost pennies, and when combined the could be a sustainable way to feed a family. Originally, biscuits were far from buttery and flaky. They were crispy and brittle, like the texture and consistency of a cracker. Biscuit dough was also shelf stable for several days, making it an easy recipe to prepare. Called “beaten biscuits,” the early dough creation was a job for slaves, as beating and folding the dough could take upwards of an hour per batch.
Flour for biscuit making has always been available, but advancements in flour processing in the 1870s led to higher quality and more abundant flour. This enhancement to production, coupled with the discovery of baking soda and baking powder, resulted in a lighter, fluffy biscuit whose fan base grew beyond the southern states.
The need for hearty, high calorie foods were essential in the early south, thus giving rise to gravy. Throughout the late 1700s and early 1800s pork was viewed as a cheaper, poor man’s meat that was widely available in the American south. Ground pork was pan fried in a skillet, leaving behind the perfect fat content for a roux or thickener. The renderings were a natural meaty, salty flavor for the gravy. When combined with flour and milk, or in lean times- water, it made a gravy to soften the hard biscuits that was cheap, easy and quick to make. When times were especially hard and there were no pork or dairy to be found, “thick gravy” became a table staple. This form of gravy was made by using water to thicken a brown roux of oil and flour.
The type of gravy served on your biscuits in the South depends on the region. Chipped beef gravy, red-eye gravy and tomato gravy are still popular in Appalachia, oyster gravy is found in the coastal areas of Virginia and North Carolina, and corn gravy, okra gravy and chocolate gravy are deep south traditions. Its wide spread appeal have made the dish a staple not only on southern breakfast tables, but diner and fine dining restaurant menus alike.
At 1885 Grill, we pride ourselves on offering elevated southern staples and our biscuits and gravy are no exception. Our buttermilk biscuits are made by hand each weekend morning and topped with thick scratch made sausage gravy. We invite you to join us for brunch on Saturday or Sunday morning to enjoy a little piece of southern history and a big plate of biscuits and gravy.