Biscuits and Gravy

We’ve been hearing that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for most of our lives. While the validity of that statement can be debated, the impact of a well planned and executed breakfast cannot. Breakfast has been my favorite meal as far back as I can remember. Whether it was simple eggs with bacon and toast or Pigs in a Blanket, I always cherished big hearty breakfasts. As I grow older, breakfast becomes more advanced and more creative.

One of my first jobs in a restaurant kitchen was at a place in Door County, Wisconsin and the breakfast rush was our busiest time. I thrived on cranking out giant “plate cakes” (pancakes the size of the massive plates) and enormous breakfast skillets piled high with eggs, potatoes, cheese and every fixing imaginable. Those were some of my favorite times cooking in a restaurant. I loved getting peoples’ day started off right with a hearty meal that stuck to their ribs for hours to come. But breakfast service could also be frustrating. People can be very picky early in the morning, and they aren’t always sure of how they want their eggs cooked.

Now that I have moved on from my restaurant days, I still find myself craving that huge breakfast from time to time, the type that leaves you full until night. My go to dish now is biscuits and gravy. I make a variety of different types of biscuits, depending on what ingredients I have on hand at home.

For the gravy, there are two options. The first is the traditional sausage gravy with good quality breakfast sausage and a healthy dose of milk/cream, pepper and nutmeg. The second, less traditional gravy, is mustard-based with caramelized onions. To make this gravy, first caramelize the onions in a cast iron skillet. Next add flour to create a roux (the amount of flour should be the equal to the amount of fat you started with). Next step is to add your favorite mustard. I recommend Brownwood Farm’s Kream mustard. Both the roux and the mustard will help thicken the gravy. The final step is to add whole milk, bring to a simmer, reduce until desired thickness and season with salt and pepper. This onion mustard gravy adds a new layer of complexity to the traditional biscuits and gravy with a depth of flavor often missed by the sausage gravy.

What’s your favorite kind of biscuits and gravy?

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