Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

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by Stephanie Manley 5 Comments

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Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy is delicious over biscuits and chicken fried steak. White sawmill gravy made with bacon grease and seasoned with black pepper is soul-satisfying southern comfort food.

Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (1)

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Table of Contents

What Is Sawmill Gravy?

Sawmill Gravy is a delicious comfort food dish with a Béchamel sauce that folks often serve on top of country-fried steak or biscuits. It consists of milk or cream, meat grease, flour, salt, and plenty of pepper.It can be either a white or light brown gravy, depending on the fat (butter or meat drippings).

Why Is It Called Sawmill Gravy?

As a hearty and cheap meal, Sawmill Gravy was popular for cooks to serve at logging camps and old-time sawmills during the 1800s.It was commonly made with cornmeal, bacon drippings, milk, and seasonings. Because it was gritty gravy, the workers would accuse the cooks of using sawdust because it looks like a somewhat gritty gravy.

What Makes This Sawmill Gravy So Good

This version of Sawmill Gravy uses bacon grease instead of the more common sausage drippings. Depending on the bacon you choose to use, that minor change can impart a lot of smokiness and other flavors to the sauce.

Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy Ingredients

To make Sawmill Gravy, you’ll need:

  • Bacon grease
  • AP flour
  • Whole milk
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (2)

Ingredient Notes

Change up the flavor of the gravy by using the grease from different types of bacon. Bacon smoked with hickory wood offers the strongest smokiness, while sugar-cured bacon adds a little sweetness.

Always use the best and freshest black pepper for this recipe. Many people prefer large flakes of coarse-ground pepper to finely-ground pepper.

How To Make Sawmill Gravy From Scratch

To cook Sawmill Gravy:

  1. Warm the bacon grease in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. A cast-iron skillet is best because it distributes the heat evenly, but any good skillet will do.
  2. Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour into the skillet, and use a wooden spoon to mix the flour with the bacon drippings.
Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (3)
  1. Cook for about a minute until the flour turns a pale tan, giving off the scent of cooked pie crust.
  2. Slowly pour and whisk in 1 3/4 cups of milk to avoid lumps.
Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (4)
  1. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the gravy thicken while stirring occasionally. Remember that the gravy will thicken once it cools to serving temperature. If you reduce the gravy too much, add a little milk for a liquid to thin it out.
  2. Stir in salt and ground pepper and serve.
Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (5)

Variations You Will Want to Try

Everyone has a favorite version of this recipe, but White Sawmill Gravy and the famous Sausage Gravy are some of the more common varieties.

White Sawmill Gravy uses the same general recipe but substitutes butter for bacon drippings. Replacing the drippings with butter makes a white gravy that’s not as heavy and much milder than the standard recipe.

To compensate, you may also want to add some spices like cayenne pepper, English mustard, or garlic powder for more flavor.

Sausage Gravy over biscuits may not be the healthiest way to start the morning, but it sure is delicious. As a bonus, it is super easy to make. Just cook a pound of bulk sausage in a pan until browned. After that, follow the recipe above, starting from Step 2.

What To Serve With Sawmill Gravy

Sawmill Gravy is most commonly served over Country Fried Steak orbuttermilk biscuits. But it is also excellent on fried pork chops or even french-fried potatoes.

How To Store Sawmill Gravy

The best way to keep leftover Sawmill Gravy is in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

How to Reheat Sawmill Gravy

Warm the gravy on the stove over low heat with a splash or two of milk to help thin it out.

Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (6)

Favorite Cracker Barrel Recipes

  • Copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
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  • Cracker Barrel Green Beans
  • Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe
  • Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad
  • Eggs in a Basket
  • Steamed Baby Carrots

Popular Gravy and Sauce Recipes

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Check out more of my easy sauce recipes and the best Cracker Barrel recipes here on CopyKat!

Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy

Homemade Cracker Barrel sawmill gravy is great over biscuits and chicken fried steak.

5 from 24 votes

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Course: Sauces

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy, Sawmill Gravy

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 219kcal

Author: Stephanie Manley

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons bacon grease
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 3/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Melt the bacon grease in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.

  • When it melts, add the flour and cook for approximately 1 minute, until it becomes fragrant like pie dough.

  • Add the milk or heavy cream, and whisk until the gravy thickens.

  • Season with salt and black pepper, and serve with biscuits or chicken-fried steak.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 219kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 352mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 174IU | Calcium: 134mg | Iron: 1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Joan

    This cannot be their complete recipe – This is my homemade gravy exactly and theirs has a smoky flavor that tells me they are adding some smoke salt or flavoring – We cannot stand to eat their gravy due to the “Fake Smoky” flavor

    Reply

    • Stephanie Manley

      My smokey flavor comes from the bacon grease you add to this recipe.

      Reply

    • Wanda

      Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (8)
      I agree with you. There is definitely another flavor to their gravy.

      Reply

    • Barbara

      Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (9)
      I agree with you, they are using liquid smoke in their gravy. it was so strong I could not eat it. and I make bacon gravy all the time. My gravy is nothing like theirs.

      Reply

    • Mitch

      Add 1-2 Tsp. of liquid smoke to get a slightly smoky flavor without overdoing it. Otherwise I’d recommend getting the smoky flavor from the bacon you use to get the grease from. Personally, I like the recipe as is, but if your bacon grease isn’t particularly “smoky”, you can sub it in. I also agree that the real deal “smoky” flavor is just too much. Cheers!

      Reply

5 from 24 votes (22 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy - CopyKat Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is Cracker Barrel white gravy made of? ›

It consists of milk or cream, meat grease, flour, salt, and plenty of pepper. It can be either a white or light brown gravy, depending on the fat (butter or meat drippings).

What is the difference between country gravy and sawmill gravy? ›

There is no difference. In the South, country gravy and white gravy are used interchangeably and both for the same type of thick, creamy gravy made with butter, flour, and milk. You may also hear these gravies called sawmill gravy, and some people use this recipe but add sausage for a sausage gravy.

Does Cracker Barrel sawmill gravy have pork? ›

Sawmill Gravy seasoned and cooked with pork flavors, salt and black pepper. *May be cooked to order. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness. **We cook our hamburgers and hamburger steaks medium, medium-well and well-done.

What is the red gravy at Cracker Barrel? ›

Red-eye gravy is made from ham grease and black coffee

Unlike most gravies, red-eye gravy doesn't require flour to create a roux. A resourceful and low-waste sauce, the former Cracker Barrel gravy is made with just two ingredients — ham drippings and strong black coffee (per Southern Living).

Why is it called sawmill gravy? ›

You may hear it called sausage gravy, white gravy, or country gravy these days, but historians believe sawmill gravy got its original name for its stick-to-your-ribs quality, perfect for sawmill workers in 1800s Southern Appalachia.

What's the difference between gravy and white gravy? ›

It turns out, the biggest difference between the two is brown gravy is broth-based, while white gravy typically has a milk or cream base. Garcia said both types usually have flour or cornstarch for thickening and they both contain some sort of “fat or meat drippings.”

What is another name for sawmill gravy? ›

Sawmill Gravy

A creamy skillet gravy made with drippings, this staple—known by many now as just "sausage gravy" or "country gravy"—can be said to bolster up the entire Southern breakfast menu, and nobody makes it better than the old-fashioned, country-style breakfast joint in your hometown or your own grandma.

What color is sawmill gravy? ›

Sawmill Gravy is a calming, smooth light and airy beige. It is a very versatile neutral. Use this sweet color to add a touch of southern charm!

What is British gravy called in America? ›

Onion Gravy or Traditional British Gravy is what British people call gravy. Americans call it Brown Gravy, White Gravy (sawmill gravy or Breakfast Gravy), which is topped on biscuits. Brits don't put gravy on biscuits.

Does Cracker Barrel use lard in their cooking? ›

SO, when I was there, I asked my server if this was in fact the case ... " do you cook with Lard here" she didn't know but said she would go ask. She came back and said, "yes" and the cook says they use a LOT and they use it often.

Does Cracker Barrel make food from scratch? ›

That's why we hand roll our biscuits and make our mashed potatoes and gravy from scratch all day long in each of our restaurants. It's why we slow roast our beef for 18 hours, dip and bread our Sunday Homestyle Chicken ® by hand, and stay true to our heritage of authentic country style cooking after all these years.

What oil does Cracker Barrel cook in? ›

Grill & Fryer Note: Cracker Barrel does note potential cross-contamination with all top allergens for items prepared on the grill or in the fryer. They use soybean oil for frying, and several fried items do contain milk. Butter is used for seasoning several grilled items.

What did Cracker Barrel take off their menu? ›

11 Discontinued Cracker Barrel Menu Items We're Probably Not Getting Back
  • Fried Chicken Liver. Cracker Barrel fried chicken liver - Stanley Y/Tripadvisor. ...
  • Strawberries N' Cream French Toast. ...
  • Chicken Salad Sandwich. ...
  • Frozen Mugs. ...
  • Haddock Dinner. ...
  • Baked Apple Dumplin' ...
  • Red-Eye Gravy. ...
  • Campfire Meals.
Jan 29, 2024

What is broken gravy? ›

Broken Gravy

If your gravy looks curdled or has an oily top layer, it's likely the emulsion of flour and fat that thickens the mixture has split or broken. Fix it by adding a splash of warm water or two and whisking vigorously to restore the balance of liquid and fat.

What happened to Cracker Barrel gravy? ›

CRACKER Barrel has discontinued its beloved red-eye gravy – a move that has devastated fans. Diners gushed over the unique Southern dish that was made with fried country ham juice and black coffee. But the former staple was axed by the renowned chain in 2017.

What is white gravy made of? ›

This basic sauce is prepared with ingredients you likely already have on hand: butter, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. For a bit of heat, a pinch of cayenne can be added as well.

What is creamy gravy made of? ›

It's a simple concoction, made with pan drippings, flour, milk and cracked black pepper. But while it may appear plain, it's infinitely delicious. Sometimes it goes by the name country gravy or white gravy, but in Texas we always call it cream gravy.

Does Cracker Barrel biscuits and gravy have meat? ›

Three hand-rolled Buttermilk Biscuits with our special Sawmill Gravy (710 cal) -plus- Thick-Sliced Bacon or Smoked Sausage Patties (110-240 cal).

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