Bacon Gravy

Content… Why It’s a Southern Staple Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Make-Ahead Instructions Serving and Storage Instructions What to Serve More Bacony-licious Recipes to Try

Why Bacon Gravy Is a Southern Staple

If you know anything about Southern cooking, you know throwing out bacon grease is a sin! (Bless your heart! 🙏) Not only does gravy use up those pan drippings for zero-waste cooking, but bacon grease makes this white gravy taste uh-mazing. 

Recipe Ingredients

1. Bacon and drippings add salty, smokey goodness and a delightful finishing crunch. 😋
2. Butter – No Southern recipe is complete without butter, but feel free to replace it with the extra bacon fat. 
3. Flour thickens this gravy to the perfect texture we all know and love. 
4. Milk makes this gravy so creamy and white!
5. Chicken Broth adds more meaty flavor and keeps the gravy from being overly thick.
6. Seasonings – Garlic, onion, and cayenne pepper, plus some S&P, are all you need! We want the bacon flavor to shine. 🥓

How to Make Bacon Gravy

• Bacon – Add bacon to a hot skillet or saucepan and cook until slightly crispy. (Photos 1-2)
• Melt Butter – Remove the bacon and leave two tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. Add the butter.
• Make Roux – Once the butter melts, add the flour and whisk it continuously until it has a toasty aroma and turns lightly golden, 2-3 minutes. (Photo 3)
• Make Gravy – Slowly add ½ cup of milk at a time, whisking after each addition until no lumps are left. The mixture may seize up at first, but that’s okay. Keep adding the milk and whisking until it becomes smooth and creamy. Then add chicken broth while whisking. (Photos 4-5)
• Season – Add garlic and onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine. (Photo 6)
• Cook – Bring to a boil while whisking, then lower the heat and simmer while stirring until thickened to the desired consistency (3-5 minutes). Do a taste test and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper. (Photo 7)
• Serve – Stir in the diced bacon to combine. Serve hot over biscuits, chicken-fried steak, or fried chicken! (Photo 8)

Recipe Variations

1. Turn up the heat! Add more cayenne if you love spicy foods. Add red pepper flakes or even saute a little chopped-up jalapeno in the bacon grease before making the roux for heat + texture. ❤️‍🔥
2. Add some sweet notes. Add a tablespoon of maple syrup for sweet notes that complement the salty, savory flavors.
3. Gluten-free? Swap out the flour for half as much cornstarch because it packs a stronger thickening punch. 💥
4. How to make gravy with bacon grease? Bacon grease gravy is easy and economical if you’ve run out of bacon. All you need is about 4 tablespoons. Skip frying more bacon, leave out the butter, and make the recipe per instructions.

Tips and Tricks

1. Gravy too thick? Add extra milk or broth a little at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
2. Save that extra bacon grease to cook your eggs or fry potatoes.
3. Add extra seasonings at the very end. It’s best to adjust seasonings after the gravy has time to simmer. The flavors concentrate, and if you add extra seasonings early on, you might overdo it. 😬

Make-Ahead Instructions

Make this gravy a day or two ahead without adding the bacon, let it cool, then store it and the bacon separately in the fridge.

When ready to serve, heat it over low-medium heat, stirring frequently, until warmed through. Adjust thickness with chicken stock or milk as you stir it. 

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Pour this decadent gravy over warm, fluffy biscuits while it’s still hot, and enjoy! If you have leftovers, refrigerate them in an airtight container for 3-5 days. 

What Goes With Bacon Gravy

If you’re serving bacon gravy with breakfast, pour it over homemade Southern buttermilk biscuits or classic butter biscuits. But if you want to use it for a hearty mid-day meal, douse Southern fried chicken, fried pork chops, or chicken fried steak with it! 

More Bacony-Licious Recipes to Try

1. Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
2. Green Beans and Bacon
3. Bacon Broccoli Salad
4. Southern Baked Beans with Bacon
5. Bacon Mac and Cheese

By Imma