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Biscuits with Salt Pork Gravy hero image coming soon
1861-1900 - Chuckwagon cooks, farm cooks, and 19th-century working kitchens using cured pork
Before sausage gravy became the default, cooks could make a filling breakfast from salt pork, flour, and milk. The method fits chuckwagon, farm, and 19th-century working kitchens where cured pork traveled well and every bit of fat mattered.
Difficulty
Easy
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
25 minutes
Total time
45 minutes
Servings
6 servings
Region
Great Plains and 19th-century working kitchens
Era introduced
1861-1900
Introduced by
Chuckwagon cooks, farm cooks, and 19th-century working kitchens using cured pork
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Salt pork gravy is a practical ancestor of many cream gravies. Salt pork kept well, rendered useful fat, and gave flavor to otherwise plain staples. Cooks crisped the pork, stirred flour into the drippings, and thinned the roux with milk or water before spooning it over biscuits, potatoes, or toast. This version keeps the salt level cautious because modern salt pork can vary widely.
Drafted with 1881 salt-pork milk-gravy context from Tasting History (https://www.tastinghistory.com/recipes/biscuitsandgravy), Gold Rush/working-food context from Tasting History episode notes (https://www.tastinghistory.com/episodes/biscuitsandgravy), and farm-style salt-pork gravy context from Just A Pinch (https://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/gravy/salt-pork-gravy-an-old-farm-recipe.html).
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