1. In Texas, what is the correct topping for mashed potatoes?
2. In Texas, what is the correct topping for biscuits, besides butter, honey or jam?
3. In Texas, what is the correct topping for chicken fried steak?
4. In Texas, what is the correct topping for any other piece of meat, fish or sausage and/or any other vegetable?
5. What did my great-grandmother Blanche feed her dog, Rover?
Did you answer “cream gravy” for all five questions? Fantastic, here’s a gold star! Otherwise, let me explain.
While chili gravy is the essence of Tex-Mex, one of the hallmarks of Tex-Tex is cream gravy. This thick, peppery and creamy sauce is poured over everything, as you can see by the above questions. It’s a simple concoction, made with pan drippings, flour, milk and cracked black pepper. But while it may appear plain, it’s infinitely delicious. Sometimes it goes by the name country gravy or white gravy, but in Texas we always call it cream gravy. Or better yet—just gravy because in Texas there really is no other kind.
The history of cream gravy goes back hundreds of years with its origins springing from limited means. People didn’t have the ingredients to make complex meat-stock gravies, but there was always flour, milk and pepper on hand to add to the pan drippings. Not only did my great-grandmothers make the stuff but they probably learned how to make it from their mothers. My grandma tells me they ate it all the time, pouring it over everything as it was a great way to stretch a meal during the Depression. And apparently my great-grandma Blanche even whipped up batches from her bottomless can of bacon grease to feed her dog.
As you can see, my family has a long history with cream gravy. And while I have always loved it, I never thought it was unique because it was always both expected and available. I remember the first time, however, I ordered mashed potatoes outside the state. I asked for extra gravy, which they generously provided, but what they served me wasn’t white, it was brown. I was horrified. “What’s this?” I asked. “It’s gravy,” my server replied. Well, it may have been gravy, but it wasn’t the right kind of gravy.
(Note: Not all cream gravy is pure white. Mine always turns out slightly off white, as you can see in the photos. That’s because of the dark color of my pan drippings and I use King Arthur’s White Whole-Wheat Flour, which isn’t very white, it’s more beige. But I digress.)
It’s still impossible to find cream gravy at restaurants in the Northeast. And I even had a hard time convincing a restaurant in Alabama (of all places!) last year to serve me cream gravy instead of brown gravy. Since cream gravy is rooted in a time when people didn’t have a lot, I bet brown gravy is perceived as a fancy rich-man’s food. But if it comes from a jar or a can as it so often does, brown gravy is not any improvement on the sublime simplicity of cream gravy.
To craft cream gravy is a cinch. I watched my mother prepare it all my life, so it’s just one of those things you know how to do without thinking about precise measurements and such. But if you’ve never made it I will provide you with guidance and a recipe. It’s best cooked with pan drippings, but you can do it from scratch with either vegetable oil or bacon grease. And while cracked black pepper is the traditional seasoning, you can tart it up with chipotles, jalapenos, cayenne or chile powder.
Now, if you’re looking for a vehicle for your gravy, watch this space. To celebrate Texas Independence Day on March 2nd, later this week I’ll talk about our state dish, chicken fried steak—always best served swimming in cream gravy. Until then, you can try it on your potatoes, your biscuits, your rice or anything else you want to drown in peppery, creamy delight. And heck, if for some bizarre reason you decide you don’t like it, you can do as Grandma Blanche and feed it to your dog.
Cream gravy
Servings 4
Author Lisa Fain
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pan drippings, bacon grease, or vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Combine the fat with flour in a hot skillet, continuously stirring, cook on medium for a couple of minutes until a roux is formed.
Add milk slowly to the skillet, and mix with roux using either a whisk or wooden spoon (be sure and press out any lumps). Turn heat to low and continue stirring until mixture is thickened, a couple more minutes. Add the pepper and salt then taste and adjust seasonings.
If the gravy is too thick, you can thin it by adding either more milk or water a tablespoon at a time. Goes great with mashed potatoes, fried chicken, biscuits, chicken fried steak, grits, vegetables, rice or anything else you can imagine.
FAQs
Cornstarch Versus Flour for Gravy
Cornstarch does have more thickening power than wheat flour (because it's pure starch, while flour has some protein in it). So usually you need a little less cornstarch than flour for the equivalent thickening power.
What is the formula for gravy? ›
A traditional roux uses roughly an equal amount of flour and fat, but gravies often call for a bit more flour than that, to ensure the gravy is thick enough. (The classic ratio for gravy is three:two:one, so 3 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons fat, and 1 cup of hot stock.)
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream for gravy? ›
Milk and cornstarch
To replace 1 cup (237 mL) of heavy cream in your recipe, add 2 tablespoons (19 grams) of cornstarch to 1 cup (237 mL) of milk and stir, allowing the mixture to thicken. You can use whole milk or opt for skim milk to help slash the calories and fat content of your recipe.
What's the difference between cream gravy and brown gravy? ›
It turns out, the biggest difference between the two is brown gravy is broth-based, while white gravy typically has a milk or cream base. Garcia said both types usually have flour or cornstarch for thickening and they both contain some sort of “fat or meat drippings.”
What do chefs use to thicken gravy? ›
A roux is a mixture of fat and flour, and it's an easy way to thicken a sauce. If you make a roux, it should also be added incrementally. A final option is making a beurre manié, which is made by rubbing flour into butter to create a dough or paste.
What is the best ingredient to thicken gravy? ›
If your gravy is on the skimpy side, you can thicken it quickly with flour or cornstarch. But don't add your thickener directly to the gravy, which will create lumps. Instead, try stirring in three or four tablespoons of flour or cornstarch into a small amount of cold water until you have a smooth paste.
What is KFC gravy made of? ›
What is the gravy at KFC made of? The restaurant uses a simple combination of gravy powder, water, and – their secret ingredient – chicken crackling. This is a collection of the browned bits and pieces leftover from frying their world famous chicken.
How much cornstarch do you put in gravy? ›
How much cornstarch is needed to thicken gravy? The ratio is an easy one to remember: Use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per 1 cup of liquid for a perfect gluten-free gravy thickener every time.
What is cream gravy made of? ›
It's a simple concoction, made with pan drippings, flour, milk and cracked black pepper. But while it may appear plain, it's infinitely delicious. Sometimes it goes by the name country gravy or white gravy, but in Texas we always call it cream gravy.
How do you thicken cream gravy? ›
Add Cornstarch or Arrowroot
You can just as easily thicken the gravy further with another starch, like cornstarch or arrowroot. If you do, you'll once again want to avoid adding the dry starch directly to the gravy, as it can form lumps just like flour.
Sour cream is an easy replacement for heavy cream. It can be easily stirred into a dish and offers another flavor profile to soups, stews and sauces. Plus, using it as a heavy cream substitute is a great way to use up that lingering tub in the fridge.
What is a Southern gravy called? ›
Red-eye gravy is a Southern favorite. It requires just two ingredients: the drippings of pan-fried country ham and black coffee.
What is a substitute for heavy cream in gravy? ›
Milk and Butter
Similarly to half-and-half, milk makes a good heavy cream substitute when it's combined with melted butter. Combine 3/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup melted butter for every cup of heavy cream.
Why is white gravy called sawmill gravy? ›
The term "sawmill gravy" comes from early logging camp food and old-time sawmills. It was originally made with cornmeal, bacon drippings, milk, and seasonings. This resulted in a somewhat gritty gravy; in fact, rumor has it that the loggers would accuse the cooks of putting sawdust in the recipe!
Why use cornstarch instead of flour? ›
This is because cornstarch is composed only of starch, while all-purpose flour contains starch, fiber, and protein. One of these proteins is gluten, which helps give bread its elasticity and chew. Because cornstarch doesn't contain gluten, it is gluten free and safe for people with celiac disease.
What is the healthiest way to thicken gravy? ›
Arrowroot. This powder comes from rhizomes of the Marantaceae family of tubers. It's a great natural substitute for those needing a gluten-free gravy thickener. As with using cornstarch or flour to thicken gravy, make a slurry with your arrowroot powder by mixing 2 to 3 tablespoons with an equal amount of water.
Can corn starch replace flour in gravy? ›
Cornstarch works remarkably well as a thickener in sauces, gravy, and pie fillings, and some prefer it to flour. 2 You won't be able to taste the cornstarch the way you sometimes can taste the flour. Be aware that these foods will be more translucent.
What is the healthiest thickening agent? ›
Tapioca starch or cassava flour.
Cassava flour is more nutritious and has more fiber than tapioca starch. This gluten-free option is mostly used for thickening foods. Similar to arrowroot, you'll use twice the amount of tapioca starch (or cassava flour) as cornstarch in a recipe.
