Reviewed: Feb. 2, 2007

This is the very first thing I learned to cook as a young girl in the south. Here's a couple of tips that seem to help me when I make it. This gravy most certainly taste better when you are using grease from bacon or sausage you have just fried. Also, I watch the browning process carefully, and don't usually brown it for very long before slowly adding the milk. I bring it to a boil to thicken it, but not too much because it tends to thicken on it's on once removed from the heat. if making for breakfast, toss in crumbled sausage or bacon! Also, my family and I really seem to like it with a pinch of garlic powder.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1769 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Janine

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Lake Lure, North Carolina, USA

Reviewed: Mar. 5, 2007

I was looking for a simple white gravy and this is it. I followed one reviewers advice to use butter instead of oil. It turned out really yummy. Kids and hubby ate it up! I can't imagine it with plain oil. I didn't brown the butter as I wanted a white gravy. It is important to cook the fat/flour (roux) mixture for a couple minutes before adding the milk. I noted other reviewers complained of it tasting floury and that would be from not cooking the roux long enough. This would also be good to add crumbled bacon and drippings or sausage and serving wih biscuits. Thanks for the recipe!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
868 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

kayster

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: May 19, 2007

To have a good flavor this needs to be made with bacon grease (or sausage drippings), then it will taste like Mom's! If you're going to indulge in something this heavy and fattening, you may as well do it all the way! I think it is better not to brown the roux, just let it bubble for a few minutes to get the rawness out of the flour and then add the milk... it's supposed to be white. I love this gravy over biscuits because I'm just not a sausage gravy person. I crave it on Sunday mornings, but I'd eat so much that it's become a Christmas morning treat and that's about the only time I let myself have it. So good!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
489 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

chellebelle

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Olympia, Washington, USA

Reviewed: Apr. 10, 2008

This is a good start thats why I gave it a 3 star rating. You have to use butter, and when you mix the flour with the butter you should let it sit for at least 10 min. or longer to let the butter and flour mix well. Or your gravy will tast like flour.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
281 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

JamieLee

Cooking Level: Expert

Living In: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Reviewed: Mar. 6, 2007

*maniacal laughter* I have created something out of nothing!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
206 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Renee Marie

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Fullerton, California, USA

Living In: Lompoc, California, USA

Reviewed: Feb. 9, 2006

Very simple and easy recipe to make! The only complaint is when tasting it, the gravy tastes really flourly ... so I kept adding other spices like a pinch of garlic salt and more pepper. However, the best way to taste is to add chicken or beef buillion to the gravy! Easy and delicious!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
142 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

lynx1995

Reviewed: Jan. 28, 2008

I made this tonight as a plan b meal when the weather was too awful for me to go out and get the stuff I needed for the dinner I was going to make. It was served along with broiled pork chops, steamed green beans, and mashed potatoes. I think it's pretty good. I did add about a tsp of garlic powder (though I was seasoning to taste and not measuring, so that could be more or less) to give it a bit more flavor. I also used light butter instead of vegetable oil. If you are finding it is too runny as a recent reviewer did, you need to let it simmer longer. After I got the milk in, I let it simmer at least 5 minutes and maybe more, and it was nice and thick. I plan on adding some peas and dried beef to this later this week and serving it over toast. Yum!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
111 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Jayme

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Ogden, Utah, USA

Reviewed: Nov. 13, 2005

I was short on milk, so only had about 1/4 cup of it...but did the rest with water...and it worked great!!!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
103 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

TIPHPHINNE

Reviewed: Aug. 31, 2008

This is the recipe I remember my mom and grandmother making; they call it sawmill gravy. I have made this several times and I always use unsweetened soy milk with great success. For more flavor, I like to add a bit of "Better than Bouillon" to the milk but, as previously mentioned, this recipe is exactly how my family makes breakfast gravy. Lately I have been sauteing mushrooms in the pan to make a yummy shroom gravy. Many thanks!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
90 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Mochi Puffs

Reviewed: Sep. 17, 2011

White Gravy. WOW. Grew up on this. Don't eat it much now since my growing days are supposed to be over. OK, you floury tasters, COOK the flour. Flour tastes just like flour. Does bread taste like flour? No. Because the flour has been cooked. The author noted to cook the rue for 10 minutes. If you taste flour, you didn't cook it for 10 minutes. I don't use as much flour, so I don't cook it for 10 minutes. Adding the milk it is just a look thing. The rue just looks like it is ready for milk. One thing you can do is cut down of the flour, cook the rue, and then cook the gravy on simmer longer. The water in the milk will evaporate, helping the gravy thicken. While you stir (and not burn the gravy), you are supposed to sing Bringing in the Sheaves twice, and then the gravy should be perfect.... According to Granny.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
87 users found this review helpful