This set from Monterey was an instant classic that has been imitated often.
Franciscan Atomic Burst
Simple Simple Syrup
You have probably noticed that there are a few ‘foundational’ components to making most cocktails. Usually you need a base spirit, sugar, water and fruit. These all play a role in the drink but today let’s focus on the sugar for now.
Why do I need it?
The sugar makes the drink more drinkable! Since many cocktails use juices like lemon or line which can be pretty overpowering, the sugar takes off the bitter edge and makes a better tasting drink. I’ve already pointed out my personal preference in making an Old Fashioned and using a muddler to crush up the sugar cubes. But because the sugar crystals never dissolve all the way in cold liquids it can leave a gritty residue in the drink. That’s where Simple Syrup comes in. It’s fast, easy and leaves no stuff at the bottom of the glass. You can make it ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator for weeks. This way it is there when you need it. You can even buy it in the store but beware, many contain high fructose corn syrup rather than sugar.
What is it?
Like the name says, this is very basic to make. It is two ingredients, sugar and water combined in equal parts and heated.
Once you get comfortable with this basic simple syrup recipe and it’s uses you can branch out and get more bold in your recipes. The only word of caution is that the syrup is a supporting cast member, not the star attraction. Lastly, a little goes a long way.
Which do you prefer, simple or more complex syrups?
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Simple Simple Syrup
- Prep Time: 1
- Cook Time: 3
- Total Time: 4 minutes
Description
A basic ingredient that takes the guess work out of many cocktails that you should always have on hand.
Scale
Ingredients
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
1/2 cup of water
Instructions
- Combine sugar and water in a small sauce pan over a low heat
- Stir until brought to a low simmer and sugar is dissolved
- Allow to cool and pour into a container of your choice and store in the refrigerator after use for up to one month
Notes
Yes, you can use different types of sugars, like Demerara or even brown sugar
You can substitute honey for a smooth, sweet mixer
Add in a little cinnamon for use in cool weather cocktails
Experiment with flavors such as Orange
Stinger Cocktail
Humble beginnings
This classic cocktail has a long and somewhat controversial history. When it was first popularized in the late 1800’s folks weren’t sure if it was a cocktail, or pre-dinner drink or a digestif, after-dinner drink. Its simplicity and good flavor helped it overcome any objections. It’s said that it really came on strong during prohibition in the 1920’s since the strong mint liqueur helped hide some really bad tasting illicitly or cheaply produced spirits. It continued to be a popular drink into the mid century period where people now accepted it as a cocktail or an after dinner drink with no arguments. Like tail fins on cars, it faded out in the 70’s and hasn’t really made a come back—yet!
My experience with a Stinger
This drink caught my attention through a friend that always ordered it when he was in Chicago for business. We’d meet for dinner after a long day of buying inventory for our retail stores—a story for another post. We’d go to a great Italian restaurant and he’d regale us with business stories from back in the old days . Just like a ritual of sorts, every time we ordered drinks, a Manhattan for me, natch; he’d order a Stinger and have to ask if they knew how to make it. They’d of course say ‘yes’ and proceed to bring out the wrong thing, which drove him nuts. Seeing as how there’s only two ingredients in this drink, it should not have been that hard. By that time hardly anybody was still drinking them.
My friend was a bit older than me and definitely had been drinking this cocktail for years. He was sticking with it even if it had fallen out of favor a couple of decades ago. Once he got the right drink, the fun began and we’d all be in for a good night of food and friendship. When you think about it, that is the main job of a good cocktail—it sets the stage for an evening like the opening scene in a good play or a riff in a song.
As mentioned before, this drink is referred as a duo cocktail. That means it contains only two ingredients, the spirit and a liqueur. In this case it is Cognac but a Brandy will do just fine as it is essentially the same thing. Brandy is not produced in the Cognac region of France. Kind of like champagne versus sparkling wine.
Contrary to my friend Ron’s experience, this is a super easy cocktail to make and will result in a smooth, refreshing drink. Who knows, maybe you’ll make some good memories with one or two.
If you’ve tried this drink, let me know what you think.
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Stinger Cocktail
- Prep Time: 2
- Cook Time: 1
- Total Time: 3 minutes
Description
A cool, refreshing mid century cocktail that is good before or after dinner.
Scale
Ingredients
2 ounces of Cognac or Brandy
1 ounce of Creme de Menthe liqueur
Instructions
- Put two generous scoops of crushed ice into a cocktail shaker
- Pour 2 oz of Cognac or Brandy into the shaker
- Pour 1 oz of Creme de Menthe liqueur into the shaker
- Shake vigorously to chill and then strain into a cocktail glass
Notes
Some folks prefer to pour the ingredients into a cocktail mixing glass, stir and then strain that into the glass
You can also serve this drink in a rocks glass with crushed ice
Grasshopper Cocktail
A happy accident cocktail
OK, a quick confession on this drink. It got on the list as an accident. While shopping for the ingredients to make the Stinger cocktail, Nancy drove all over town looking for the ‘classic’ creme de menthe liqueur. And by classic, I mean green. As it turns out, there are two types of creme de menthe, white and green. The stinger is made using the white one but now we also had the green and needed to figure out how to use that too. So I poured some into a small glass to give it a taste. The smell and color made me unsure if I should drink it or gargle with it—it looked just like mouthwash. I took a sip and it wasn’t bad.
Now we had to figure out what if anything to use it for. Nancy immediately said ‘make me a grasshopper’. I did a little research and sure enough the Grasshopper was a mid century staple cocktail.
A Southern charmer
The Grasshopper gets it name from its green color, which is in keeping with the theme of simplicity. It is said to have started in New Orleans in the early 1900’s and really grew into a regional powerhouse drink in the South during the mid century period. My neighbors to the north in Wisconsin substitute using ice cream to make it a really smooth summertime drink.
Some folks feel it is not a very strong drink so augment it with it some vodka to make a Flying Grasshopper, but as an after dinner drink it seems to work just fine by itself. A trick I learned when making these is to put it in a blender with ice and it whips up a very nice, refreshing minty drink that is perfect for a hot summer night.
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Grasshopper Cocktail
- Prep Time: 2
- Cook Time: 2
- Total Time: 4 minutes
Description
A frozen fun summer cocktail that is link drinking one of those green after dinner mints!
Scale
Ingredients
1 oz of Creme de Menthe liqueur
1 oz of Creme de Cacao liqueur
1 oz of heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Put two generous handfuls of ice cubes into a blender
- Pour Creme de Menthe, Creme de Cacao and heavy cream into the blender
- Pulse to crush ice and mix thoroughly
- Pour into a cocktail glass and add a sprig of fresh mint to garnish
Notes
Go ahead and add some vodka if you want a drink with some kick to it
If you do not have a blender handy, just shake with ice to chill
Keywords: mint, after dinner
Tuna Noodle Casserole With Potato Chip Topping
Creamy, crunchy, hot and delicious — old fashioned flavor with new fangled noodles will make this updated classic a regular in your dinner rotation.
I grew up eating fish on Fridays. I was raised in a Catholic family, and that was part of our weekly ritual. Even after 1985 when abstaining from meat was no longer absolutely required, my parents still ate fish on Fridays.
The McDonalds Filet-o-Fish sandwich resulted from Catholics observing meatless Fridays. It was developed by a franchisee who noticed that hamburger sales dropped dramatically on Fridays. Now, Catholics were not required to eat fish on Fridays, but rather were asked to abstain from meat from warm blooded animals. Meat was considered an indulgence for those with wealth. Abstaining from it once a week was a form of penance intended to remind one of the sacrifices made by Christ and the poverty he lived in during his time on earth. Though the Vatican II modification brought the option choose to perform penance in other ways, many Catholics continue to observe meatless Fridays.
My mom wasn’t fond of fish, so she would disguise it in various casseroles or breading. This tuna noodle casserole is still a favorite, as is its sister recipe, salmon casserole.
This delicious modern twist on the mid century classic tuna noodle casserole is going to make you add it to your regular meal rotation!
Ingredients …
Tuna Noodle Casserole with Potato Chip Topping
Description
This throwback tuna casserole with potato chip topping is updated and fun with tasty large shell pasta. Adults and kids both love this old time favorite!
Scale
Ingredients
12 oz. can albacore white tuna
8 oz medium pasta shells (half box)
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup frozen peas
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, chopped (optional)
1 celery rib, chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried parsley
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
14.5 oz can reduced sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup crushed potato chips OR 1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers in butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Follow package directions to cook noodles to al dente.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a frying pan. Add garlic; cook on low one minute. Add chopped celery, chopped mushrooms, diced onion and frozen peas; saute until softened, roughly 7-8 minutes. Empty mixture into a small bowl and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the frying pan and whisk in flour until fully blended. Add the chicken broth and milk; bring to simmer stirring constantly about 3 minutes until thickened. Reduce heat to low and add salt, pepper, lemon juice, parsley and 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese.
Remove from heat and fold in the pasta, vegetables and tuna. Pour mixture into a greased 9×13″ banking dish. Cover with remaining the cup of parmesan cheese. Crush 1/4 cup potato chips in one bowl and 1/4 cup crackers in another, and mix in 1 tablespoon melted butter with the crackers. Sprinkle half of casserole with crushed potato chips and half with buttered crackers and bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Notes
Some people grew up eating mushrooms in their tuna noodle casserole, so they are included here if you like them. We skip the mushrooms when we make it, but you do you!
To switch things up, you can top the casserole with crackers instead. Crush 1/2 cup of Ritz crackers, mix with a tablespoon of melted butter, and sprinkle on top of the casserole.
Salmon Casserole
This flavorful vintage salmon casserole recipe comes together quickly and puffs up like a soufflé when it bakes!
Do you think “Ew” when someone mentions fish in a can? Canned fish was a popular mid-century food, as it was readily available and more affordable than fresh fish. In 1942 while World War II was raging, the government began rationing food items such as butter, sugar, meat and seafood. Canned fish (or tinned fish, as it was often called) was easier to come by and could be used in casseroles such as this one, or it’s popular mid-century cousin tuna noodle casserole, to stretch the number of servings.
Here’s some surprising news — millennials are starting to like it!
Canned fish remained popular through the 1970’s, but began a dramatic drop in sales in the 80’s. In 2016, the US Department of Agriculture reported that sales of canned tuna alone had dropped a whopping 42% over three decades. But according to Supermarket News, the popularity of canned fish is once again on the rise, and global sales indicate an expected increase by 2021 of more than 23% over 2016’s sales numbers.
Why should you try canned salmon:
- It’s healthy; low in mercury content and contaminants
- The USDA found slightly higher levels of two omega-3s in canned pink salmon than it found in fresh
- Canned salmon is an excellent source of protein, vitamin D and selenium
This dinner comes together so easily; don’t let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. Mix casserole ingredients in a bowl, mix cream sauce ingredients in a pot and simmer for literally a minute, add a sauteed stick of celery, then toss everything together in a casserole dish and bake — it’s that simple! And if you prefer to skip making the white sauce and use cream of celery soup in its place, no judgement here.
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Salmon Casserole
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 05 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop and Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
This salmon casserole is packed with flavor and is a good way to get in your omega-3’s if you’re not a big fan of fish served by itself.
Scale
Ingredients
Salmon Casserole
14.75 oz can boneless/skinless pink salmon
2 cups herb stuffing croutons
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup milk
Cream Sauce
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1–1/2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vegetable bouillon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup chopped celery, sautéed in 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. Make the cream sauce first by sautéing the celery in 1 tablespoon of butter until soft, about 10 minutes. In a pan, whisk the cornstarch into the milk, then add the remaining ingredients except the celery. Bring to a boil and simmer for one minute. Add sautéed celery.
Grease a 3 quart casserole dish. In a bowl, combine all the the salmon casserole ingredients thoroughly, then mix in the celery cream sauce. Pour into greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Notes
Modern twist: if you’re looking for a shortcut, you can substitute a 10-1/2 oz. can of condensed cream of celery soup in place of the celery cream sauce. If you do that, reduce the milk in the salmon casserole from 3/4 to 1/2 cup.
Old Fashioned Cocktail
The original mid century cocktail
No list of mid century cocktails is complete without the Old Fashioned. It was Don Draper’s drink of choice on that television show and after trying one, you’ll ‘mad’ you haven’t been drinking them all along.
This drink supposedly originated in Louisville, Kentucky at the famous Pendennis gentlemen’s club which was founded in the late 1800’s. However, some similar recipes had been kicking around since the early 1800’s. There’s even a family connection with the bartender who may have been the inventor in our family, but that’s a story for another time.
Like many whiskey-based cocktails, there’s plenty of variation between bourbon and rye and sure, for a while there folks in the US used a lot of blended Canadian whiskey because that was all you they could get. Today we are blessed with amazing selections of sweet bourbons and spicy ryes. Do yourself a favor and try it out both ways and see what you like. As i’ve noted before, i can appreciate the drinks made with rye but i’m still more of a bourbon guy.
Put on a show
This drink is fun to make and you put on a show when you have friends over. Do yourself a favor and use sugar cubes and don’t just squirt some pre-made simple syrup in a glass. There’s something to be said about soaking the cubes with bitters and adding a dramatic splash of chilled water. I like to use a splash of real Kentucky Spring water—yes, you can buy it by the bottle now. Then the ultimate in putting on a show is when you reach for your muddler and grind everything up. What’s that? You don’t have a muddler? No self-respecting drinks person should be without one. I prefer a wooden one that is simple and cleans up easily at the end of the night.
Speaking of sugar cubes, like everything else these days, you can go old school and use the pure cane sugar white squares—my preferred approach, or use more of a craft sugar rock or even a Demerara cube. I personally stay away from the brown sugar cubes because that’s all my guests taste when I use them.
Tools of the trade
One more important point to make in preparing the cocktail, you need the right tools to have a working bar. I prefer to muddle and mix the drink in a mixing glass rather than the glass I drink from. I muddle orange peel with my sugar cubes and ice all together. When I strain out the cocktail, any undissolved sugar and orange bits stay in the mixing glass and makes for a ‘clean’ cocktail.
Onto the main event with the heavyweight champ—The Old Fashioned Cocktail.
Print Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Prep Time: 8
- Cook Time: 3
- Total Time: 11 minutes
Description
The heavyweight champ of mid century cocktails, the Old Fashioned is a winner all year ’round.
Scale
Ingredients
2–3 sugar cubes
3 or 4 dashes of Angostura bitters
2 Orange peels
2 oz of bourbon
1 dash of purified water
1 cocktail cherry
Instructions
- Fill your cocktail mixer with your sugar cubes.
- Add 3 or 4 dashes of bitters—you really want to saturate your sugar cubes.
- Add a dash of cold water.
- Peel a little orange peel off and add that to the bottom of the glass. Keep it separate from your ‘hero’ piece you’ll garnish the drink with.
- Next use your muddler to crush the cubes and grind them up.
- Pour in the bourbon.
- Now add two generous scoops of ice and stir vigorously to mix it all up and chill it down.
- Using your bar strainer pour it in your old fashion glass or rocks glass.
- Add a large block or ball of ice to keep it cool.
- Lastly add a bit of orange peel for garnish. But you should ‘express’ the orange peel into the glass first. That means twist it and you can even see a little of the essence from the peel spray. Then tear it a little and place on the rim of the glass. Use a cocktail spear if you like.
Notes
Yes, you can use ‘craft’ sugar cubes to give the drink different flavors.
Have fun with the bitters. I have substituted orange bitters and black walnut bitters that make for a fun twist depending on the season
If you are in a hurry or have several drinks to make, by all means reach for a simple syrup.
Many people use Rye rather than Bourbon and that will make for a spicier harder biting cocktail.
Classic Sidecar Cocktail
Fresh off the tree
I am a Chicago transplant to Los Angeles. I am fascinated by the concept of walking out to my backyard and picking fresh fruit right off the tree and eating it.
We have an old and prolific lemon tree in the back that produces more lemons than anyone could possibly ever use in a single season, or even a lifetime it seems. Taking the day off from thinking of things to make with lemons—you can only eat so many lemon squares, right, I was out at our local bar and told the bartender to surprise me with a cocktail rather than my usual Manhattan. He knows I usually like bourbon drinks but this time he whipped up something different. It was one of the fastest, simplest cocktails he’d served me but in that simplicity lay perfection. Using just three readily available ingredients he made me a Sidecar. It was delicious, refreshing and simple. And yes it contained lemon juice.
Something good comes from war
The cocktail originated in either Paris or London after World War I. It seems there is some lore around different types of army units adopting it as their group drink and based on them being in the scouts, they rode motorcycles which in those days had a sidecar. How that translated into the drink’s name is lost in the mists of time. Depending on which bartender based in which city you believe created the drink influences how you make it. The French version has equal parts of all three ingredients whereas the English version has more cognac. I’ve made them both ways and they’re both delicious. I prefer the French version on a hot day because it is very thirst-quenching from the extra lemon juice. Think of a spiked lemonade. Most of the time I will make the English version and sip it before it warms up too much.
How to drink it is equally important
I’d also be remiss if I didn’t talk about which type of glass to serve this drink in. My bartender told me that it should be served in a cocktail glass. That seems pretty simple, right? But what exactly is a cocktail glass? Great question! Imagine the shape of a glass with a stem and an inverted bowl—kind of like an upside down funnel, and you’re actually imagining a cocktail glass. So the next question is why that type of glass? Since it is served with no ice, the heat of your hand would warm it if served in a tumbler. Therefore you want to hold it by the stem of a cocktail glass to keep your drink chilled longer. That’s never been a problem for me. These drink so quickly they never get the chance to warm up!
Here’s the lowdown on how to take a ride in the sidecar.
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Classic Sidecar Cocktail
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 2 min
- Total Time: 7 minutes
Description
A post WWI classic cocktail that came into its own in the mid century.
Scale
Ingredients
2 oz of cognac
1 oz of Cointreau
1 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Fill your cocktail shaker with two generous scoops of ice and pour in all of your ingredients.
- Shake vigorously for a few seconds and then strain into a cocktail glass.
- Feel free to add a bit of lemon peel for garnish. I am not a fan of sugaring the rim of the glass since it makes the drink super sweet, but if that’s your thing, feel free.
Notes
Regardless of whether the drink originated in Paris or London, we can all raise a glass and enjoy this refreshing drink.
You are more than welcome to make the French version of this cocktail by using equal measures of each ingredient.
Manhattan Cocktail
One of the original cocktails
When you think of mid century cocktails and guys sipping drinks in a dark room thick with cigarette smoke, usually the first cocktail that comes to mind is the Manhattan. This is a very approachable and versatile cocktail that is not complicated to make. It can have many fun variations to suit your taste or the occasion.
Different from many vintage cocktails, the basic ingredients for a Manhattan haven’t really changed all that much since its beginnings. Which is good because sometimes when making an recipe, you’ll notice that the ingredients or a particular brand are no longer available and there may not be a substitute. We are fortunate that our choices today are much improved over what the mad men had to make drinks with. There are many wonderful bourbons and delicious vermouths from all over the globe. Trying them can be half the fun.
It all began a long time ago …
The drink’s origins are a little murky. It seems to have been invented in the Manhattan, New York area in the mid 1800’s. See? It really is a mid-century cocktail—just not the correct century! There are tales of it being created to celebrate a dinner with Winston Churchill’s mother. Unfortunately that appears to be just a myth. There are also debates about whether to use Rye or Bourbon whiskey—as if we need more things to divide us!
My family history with this drink
This drink hit my radar because it was the drink of choice for my father in law. Pretty much every evening in the summer if he was feeling particularly jaunty he’d mix up small batch. I remember them as strong and spicy with a neon red cherry or two in the bottom of the tumbler. I’ve made it a habit to drink one of these if I’m out for work and silently toast my father in law. It has become my go-to cocktail.
When I started getting more serious about my mixology, I experimented with different whiskey types, brands and even ‘non-regulation’ ingredients. I’ve also been lucky in that a few talented bartenders filled me in on their tips and tricks.
Have fun with all the variations
I’ve made Manhattans using both rye and bourbon, but I’ve settled on bourbon since to my taste it makes for a more smooth sipping cocktail without the spice or bite that a rye can have. Speaking of bourbon, I’ve come to realize a few things about my tastes and that influences how I make cocktails. I like a sweeter Bourbon or a ‘wheated’ Bourbon. That just means that the mash contains wheat for the second ingredient instead of rye—aside from the main event, corn. It usually has a sweet taste and is a more mellow sipping bourbon that you can drink neat. I prefer Weller Special Reserve or the surprisingly affordable Larceny Small Batch as my go-to bourbons.
We are lucky to have access to so many different vermouths today. Back in the day people just used that Martini & Rossi Italian vermouth in the ubiquitous green bottle and didn’t give it another thought. I prefer to make mine with Cocchi Vermouth from Torino, Italy. It’s been around since 1891 so it has stood the test of time and is delicious to sip all by itself. For a twist, I will also use Dubonnet from France for a very sweet cocktail.
When it comes to bitters, I use the tried and true Angostura bitters. The only thing I’ll note here is that it is worth your time to buy a fresh bottle right now. You’re probably like most people who have had the same stained yellow capped bottle in their bar since the 50’s it seems. Some people really enjoy substituting an Amaro such as Fernet-Branca but I find it changes the cocktail’s taste a bit too much for me.
Lastly, the garnish. Back in the old days people just used the pinkish red cocktail cherries because that’s all they had. Treat yourself to a real candied Maraschino cherry such as Luxardo brand. Plus, it is not the worst thing in the world if you get a little extra juice with it in the cocktail—it’s that good!
So enough stories, let’s get to the drink.
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Manhattan Cocktail
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 2 min
- Total Time: 7 minutes
Description
A tried and true classic cocktail that came into it’s own during the mid-century era.
Scale
Ingredients
2 oz of bourbon
1 oz of vermouth
3 dashes of bitters
1–2 cherries
Instructions
- Fill your cocktail mixer with a couple of generous scoops of crushed ice.
- Pour in the bourbon and vermouth.
- With a long-handled bar spoon mix thoroughly.
- Using a bar strainer, pour into either a rocks glass or a coup glass.
Notes
I sometimes like to substitute a half ounce of cognac instead of the whole two ounces of bourbon.
Don’t feel like you can only use Angostura bitters. Try mixing it up and using various bitters such as black walnut or orange bitters. You can really change the vibe of the drink with one substitution. It may technically not be called a Manhattan after your change, but you do you.
Kentucky Style Biscuits and Gravy
My husband was born in Chicago, but his parents were born and raised in the Appalachian Region of eastern Kentucky where, in the post WWII era, coal mining was the primary way to make a living. In search of a better life, they moved to Chicago shortly after they were married, but what his mother brought with her was priceless…the Southern style recipes of Kentucky comfort food.
I use the term “recipes” lightly…I never saw her refer to a recipe in my life. She and her sisters would get together and cook up the tastiest meals I’ve ever eaten by using only sight, texture and taste, without a measuring cup or spoon to be found. This was both fascinating and frustrating all at the same time. I wanted to be able to recreate these foods, many of which I’d never heard of, for my husband who had grown up with them. But with all the flour flying and salt shaking and milk pouring going on, it was all I could do to watch, much less write things down. Eventually I picked up the technique, then was able to quantify the ingredients in a written recipe.
Southern style breakfasts were always my favorite meal. There was no need to eat again until dinner after a feast like this. Kevin’s mom would make plates full of eggs over easy, hash browns from freshly shredded potatoes, bacon and sausage patties, from-scratch biscuits, and to top them off my very favorite item — a giant cast iron skillet of sausage gravy.
If you already know how to make from-scratch biscuits, then by all means make and serve them with this gravy. The purpose of this recipe is to master the gravy first, and we will tackle the homemade biscuits in a future recipe. Popping some refrigerated biscuits in the oven while you whip up the gravy makes this a fast and easy recipe to prepare. When using store-bought biscuits, Kevin prefers the Pillsbury Flaky Layers Buttermilk Biscuits sold in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.
This recipe doesn’t take long and I know you’re in a hurry to eat it, but be sure not to turn up the heat too high and cook it too fast. It’s best cooked at a medium temperature to allow the flour and milk to absorb the savory flavor of the sausage. If it’s cooked too quickly the gravy will have a chalky flour taste to it.
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Kentucky Style Biscuits and Gravy
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 Servings 1x
Description
This hearty and delicious biscuits and gravy recipe gave the hard working people of the South the energy and stamina they needed to get through the morning’s duties. This is a Sunday morning favorite, and always requested by guests.
Scale
Ingredients
16 oz. package sage pork sausage
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/3 cup all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons black pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1 package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Instructions
Break up sausage in oil in skillet and cook over medium heat until pink is gone and sausage is browned. Reduce heat to medium-low; sprinkle in the flour and mix until all lumps are gone and flour is fully absorbed by the sausage (the sausage will look very dry.) Continue to cook for one more minute until the flour is slightly browned.
Slowly stir in the four cups of milk and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add salt, pepper and paprika. Stir constantly until gravy is very thick, about 10 minutes. Serve over hot biscuits and enjoy!
Notes
Lowfat milk can be used in the recipe, but the gravy tastes richer with whole milk.
If it gets too thick, thin gravy by gradually adding more milk until desired consistency is reached.
Leftover gravy can be stored in the refrigerator, then reheated on stovetop, adding milk to desired consistency.