Biscuits and gravy is a popular breakfast dish in the United States, especially in the South.[1] The dish consists of soft dough biscuits covered in white gravy (sawmill gravy),[2] made from the drippings of cooked pork sausage, flour, milk, and often (but not always) bits of sausage, bacon, ground beef, or other meat. The gravy is often flavored with black pepper.
A variation of the dish served in the US military is sometimes referred to as "SOS" which means "shit on a shingle", and is prepared with either biscuits or toast, and has been a military comfort food for over 100 years.[3][4][5][6]
The meal emerged as a distinct regional dish after the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), when stocks of foodstuffs were in short supply. Breakfast was necessarily the most substantial meal of the day for a person facing a day of work on the plantations in the American South.[7] In addition, the lack of supplies and money meant it had to be cheap.[7]
Restaurant chains specializing in biscuits and gravy include Biscuitville, in Virginia and North Carolina, Tudor's Biscuit World, in West Virginia, and Biscuit Belly in Kentucky and Indiana.
Variations
Tomato gravy is white gravy mixed with crushed or diced tomatoes.[8]
