There's nothing better than a hot, creamy white pepper gravy to serve over your favorite foods like chicken fried steak, chicken and potatoes.
What is Gravy?
Gravy can mean different things in different parts of the world. It originated in medieval France as simply juices produced by cooking. What we now know as gravy in the United States was popularized in British cooking in the 1800's. It was made by taking the pan drippings from a roast and thickening it with flour to create a creamy sauce to complement the meat or to add to potatoes or rice. It can be very simple, like this recipe is, or it can be seasoned with things like wine to add another element to a dish. So feel free to experiment with different flavorings if you like!
This simple milk and pepper gravy is easy and takes only a few minutes to prepare. It is delicious served over dishes that call for a white gravy. It is not highly seasoned so as not to take away from the flavor of the food, only to enhance it and give it a creamy texture.
What You'll Need
- Butter (you can also add pan drippings, if you have some)
- Flour
- Whole milk
- Heavy cream
- Pepper
- Salt
If you are making this gravy to go with chicken fried steak or another dish that produces drippings, use 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings from that dish plus 2 tablespoons of melted butter, because this will enhance the flavor of your gravy to that of the dish you are serving. And if you are making it to go with potatoes or another dish without drippings, use 4 tablespoons of butter. But if you don't have pan drippings and would still like to enhance the flavor the gravy, no problem. Simply replace a 1 cup of the milk with a 1 cup of broth for a flavor boost. Or replace ½ cup of the milk and the heavy cream with 1 cup of broth.
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White Pepper Gravy Goes Great with Meat and Potatoes
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter OR 2 tablespoons pan drippings plus 2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk
½ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste
Instructions
1. Melt butter in pan (with grease drippings, if using.)
2. Add flour and mix well, cooking over low heat for a couple of minutes until flour is lightly browned.
3. Turn the heat up to medium; slowly stir in the milk and the heavy cream. Cook on a low simmer, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes.
4. Add freshly ground pepper. Salt to taste.
Notes
Be cautious about salting the gravy if you are serving it over a salty dish such as chicken fried steak or chicken. You don't want an overly salty meal.
If you would like to add some additional flavor to the gravy, you can eliminate 1 cup of milk and add 1 cup of chicken or beef broth in its place, OR eliminate ½ cup of milk AND the heavy cream and use one cup of broth in their place.
Gravy will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop, adding some milk to reconstitute to desired consistency.
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