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This Country Bacon Gravy is a simple milk gravy recipe made with bacon drippings. It is perfect for homemade biscuits and gravy.
If you love homemade flaky biscuits and gravy with traditional sausage gravy for breakfast, you’ll love this bacon country gravy version. Whether you’re a star in the kitchen or this is your first time making homemade white gravy, the simple instructions will walk you through every step.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Homemade gravy with complex flavor
- Hearty breakfast when served over warm biscuits
- Super easy to make
Ingredients needed
The exact quantities are listed in the printable recipe card below, but here are the simple ingredients you will need:
- bacon grease along with crisp bacon bits
- all-purpose flour
- whole milk
- salt and black pepper
How to make creamy bacon gravy
Combine the bacon grease and flour
You’ll need about a quarter cup of bacon grease. If you already have rendered bacon fat available, simply measure out the amount needed. If not, you’ll need to cook some bacon and reserve the drippings. See my bacon cooking tips below.
Add the bacon grease to a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the flour.
Develop the roux
Whisk the grease and the flour together regularly. It takes about 5 minutes for the roux to develop to a deep golden brown color.
Make the savory bacon gravy
Add one cup of milk at a time and whisk the mixture together until it’s nice and smooth. It might not seem like it will thicken at first, but if you continue to whisk the mixture over the heat, it will thicken.
Once all the milk has been added and it is heated through, it will be the right consistency.
Add seasonings
Finally, add salt and pepper and give it a good taste. Adjust the seasonings as desired.
Serve and enjoy
Spoon the gravy over warm biscuits. For additional flavor and crunch, crumble bacon and sprinkle on top.
Storage and reheating
Any leftover gravy can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated. It’s best consumed within a few days.
This easy bacon gravy recipe is best reheated in a pan over very low heat. You can, however, reheat it in the microwave in one-minute increments at 50% power.
Recipe tips for best results
- Thick gravy – If you find your gravy is too thick, there are several ways to thin it. You could add additional milk, but I also recommend thinning any kind of gravy with chicken stock or chicken broth. Simply whisk in small amounts until you’ve reached the desired consistency.
- Always save the bacon grease – Any time you have cooked bacon, you’ll have excess grease. Not only can you use it to make a bacon grease gravy recipe, but you can use the rendered fat to make eggs in the morning. Simply store it in a glass mason jar for future use.
- Extra flavor – This recipe is fantastic as-is, but there are a few things you can add to change up the flavor. A dusting of cayenne pepper can make them extra spicy. A drizzle of maple syrup can add a sweetness that compliments the salty rich flavor.
How to cook bacon properly
In order to use the reserved bacon drippings, you must either cook the bacon on the stove or in the oven, not in the microwave.
The amount of bacon needed to get the needed amount of grease will vary depending on the quality and fat content of the bacon, as well as whether you’re using thick cut bacon.
Cooking bacon on the stove
My favorite way to cook bacon pieces or chopped bacon is to use a heavy bottom Dutch oven. Simply start over high heat and when the bacon pieces start to bubble and brown, consistency lower the temperature.
When the bacon is done, use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate and you should have a significant amount of the reserved grease.
Cooking bacon in the oven
If you like to cook bacon slices in the oven for easy cleanup, you can still use the leftover grease. Just be sure to line the baking sheet with parchment paper and when the bacon is done cooking, the residual grease can easily be transferred to a measuring cup to make the gravy.
Other serving ideas
Although I would argue that a country-style gravy like this is perfect over fluffy biscuits, I’ve also found it delicious with:
- Pork chops
- French fries
- Breakfast casseroles
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Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup bacon grease see note 1
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 4 slices cooked bacon chopped
- flaky buttermilk biscuits see note 2
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom stock pot or skillet, whisk together bacon drippings and flour over medium heat. Continue to cook until the mixture browns slightly, about 5 minutes, but be careful not to let it burn.
- Add milk, 1 cup at a time, whisking thoroughly with each addition. Continue to whisk over medium heat until gravy is smooth and begins to thicken. Add salt and pepper.
- Serve over warm biscuits and top with chopped bacon pieces.
Notes
2. Love my recipe for Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits! Homemade is always best!!!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in August 2018 and has been updated with helpful information, ingredient and process photos, as well as recipe tips. Don’t worry – the recipe hasn’t changed!
This is the best white gravy I have ever tasted! I added one chopped Butterball All Natural Turkey Sausage Breakfast Patty. I used Smithfield Hometown Original bacon and whole organic milk. My husband and sons loved the gravy and said it is the best they have had as well. Thanks for the recipe!!
I’ve been making bacon gravy for years .Grand dad had 1800 hogs on the farm
beside cattle and sheep so we smoked a lot of bacon & Hams.
nothing like going into the smoke house=
on a cold winter morning and take a slab of bacon to the house for butter milk
biscuts and bacon gravy. grate recipe.
Ray from Ohio & Venice Florida
I normally add on to recipes I find.. but this was excellent and I wouldn’t change a thing! Southern girl approved (:
Well, actually, I guess I did change a thing or two. Let me mention that I didn’t need to cook 18 slices(or a whole 1lb package) of bacon. I cut up about 5-6 slices and pan-fried them in about 1 tsp of veg oil. AND, I chopped up those slices and added them into the gravy so more of the flavor would cook down into it.
Serve sliced tomatos with it gonna love it thank me later.
Doesn’t work. Tried to create roux and after 5 mins still had waster. Added milk an twenty minutes later still had water. So as for thick gravy I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but all I have now is bacon milk.
Hi Luke, Sorry to hear this didn’t work for you. I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying about having water?
It doesn’t always take 5 minutes and then after you add the milk if it doesn’t thicken it cld be because your heat is too low.
I followed the directions exactly, and it tasted like hot milk. I’d recommend to use half the milk for the gravy or double the bacon fat and flour.
Hi Joy, I’m sorry it didn’t turn out for you. I’m wondering if there was also a difference because of the type of bacon that was used? I’m a total bacon snob and go for the thick cut, uncured, uber delicious stuff.
Learned as a kid in south Louisiana how to make the sausage version (as is every child in the south, girl or boy). Started making the bacon version back 30 years ago. Great for brunch before the Sunday New Orleans Saints game!!!
Takes the edge off another loss!
This was the first time I made country gravy. I use to buy it in a can, but for now on this is my go to recipe. My husband said this was the best country gravy he tasted.
Thank you for sharing.
This is similar to the gravy my Mom taught me to make – she was a Southern cook.
One way she would make it is to cook crumbled sausage in the bacon grease to make a combination of sausage/bacon gravy. And she would use 1 can of evaporated milk in place of 1 cup of the milk.
Great recipe! It turned out perfectly. I added a little more milk to make it stretch. It worked!
I grew up with this gravy being on the breakfast table every Sunday,and I had done the same with my kids, if i make bacon through the week, I always save the grease in a mason jar…so whenever you open my refrigerator youll see my Mason jar of bacon grease, but my label on it states LIQUID GOLD