Breakfast is heavy. I grew up in the South where calories are king, and Country Gravy with Sausage was often the first meal of the day.
During my childhood weekend mornings, my Dad would get us kids started with this Southern staple for breakfast. There was nothing better than tearing up hot biscuits and drenching them in Country Gravy with Sausage.
And it is easy to make, if you use ready-to-bake biscuits. Now this is an extreme shortcut for biscuit purists, but some mornings I'm just too lazy to make homemade ones.
If you have a biscuit recipe then pair it with my Country Gravy with Sausage recipe. But if you are drowsy and cheap, then this recipe with store bought biscuits will do just fine.
Click on any photo to see larger
I use cheap ground breakfast sausage that tends to be quite fatty, but all that rendered grease will be put to tasty use when mixed with flour and whole milk. Of course, it's okay to pour out some of the grease, but do leave a little, as it adds so much lush flavor to country-style gravy.
You can even use any lean sausage meat substitute as well, but be sure to drizzle in some tasty oil for a richer gravy.
I use whole milk and regular white flour as the gravy base. Again it's okay to lighten things up with low fat milk, or even a milk substitute. You can use healthier whole wheat flour instead of traditional bland white flour.
Okay to use milk substitute like Almond Milk.
All the ingredients are cheap enough as I get it all from my local 99c only Store and Dollar Tree. Breakfast sausage comes in 8 to 12 ounce packages. You can use as much sausage in the gravy as you like. And milk and flour are cheap enough.
The recipe comes together quickly, in the time it takes to bake biscuits for about 15 minutes. Just brown the sausage as the biscuits bake.
Once the sausage is cooked through, then sprinkle in flour and cook for a few minutes. Finish up by stirring in milk. Along with a little salt, I like a lot of black pepper in my Sausage Gravy, so don't be skimpy with it.
You don't want to serve this calorie bomb too often, but, boy does Country Gravy with Sausage hit all your flavor buttons.
Country Gravy with Sausage - Video
Play it here. Video runs 2 minutes, 27 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
Ingredients (about 2-3 servings)
5 biscuits - I used ready-to-bake. Okay to use your favorite biscuit recipe.
Breakfast pork sausage - about 8 to 12 ounces.
2 cups milk - whole or low fat. Okay to use milk substitute like Almond Milk.
1/4 cup of flour - white or wheat.
Salt and plenty of pepper to taste.
Directions
It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the gravy - about the same time it takes to bake biscuits. So you can start both at the same time. If the biscuits take longer to bake, you can keep the gravy at low heat, until ready to eat (stir in a tablespoon of milk at a time if gravy thickens too much.)
Typical store bought biscuits cook in about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
While biscuits bake, in a large pan or pot, over medium heat, add raw pork breakfast sausage. As sausage browns, break it apart into smaller pieces. It's okay to use formed sausage patties or links, just break them up as they cook.
It's best to get the sausage nice and brown, at least on one side. The caramelizing adds a lot of flavor to the gravy. Cook the sausage all the way through for about 5 minutes (depending on the size of sausage pieces.)
Breakfast sausage tends to have a lot of fat, so it's up to you how much rendered grease you want to keep in the pan. It's okay to pour out some grease to lower calories, but do leave a tablespoon for extra richness and flavor.
Next sprinkle on a quarter cup of flour. Stir into the cooked sausage and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
Slowly pour in the milk and stir to mix well. Keep stirring so any flour lumps break down. Once the gravy is brought up to a low simmer, it should begin to thicken in a couple of minutes. Once the gravy is thick and hot it is ready to pour over biscuits.
Almond milk version
My gravy recipe is for a thick one. You can add a tablespoon of milk at a time to thin it out some, if that's the way you like it.
Biscuit cooking time may vary, depending on the type you buy or make, so time the baking so both gravy and biscuits are done about the same time. You can get the gravy started first, as it is easy enough to keep warm, or just heat up at the last minute.
Serve hot biscuits covered in my delicious Homemade Sausage Gravy. Some like to tear their biscuits apart first, then spoon on the gravy. I just lay out a couple of them and cover it all with Sausage Gravy.
If you've had a workout being thrown about in crashing beach waves, then this hearty Hawaiian meal will fill any appetite! My Loco Moco Plate recipe video is just a click away futher below.
Loco Moco, while not made with native Hawaiian ingredients, is still an island original. It was developed here and it's served everywhere.
The basic ingredients are white rice, hamburger, gravy, topped with fried eggs.
Although it may seem a breakfast meal, locals get it anytime of day. You may not want to eat Loco MocoPlate every week, but it's worth a try, at least once. When in Hawai'i, sometimes you gotta go local. This meal is not for the faint of palate.
Boy, is it good going down. Just break the egg yolk and mix it with a slice of beef patty and gravy - try to make room on your fork for a little rice, too.
While just a meat beef patty, a hunk of beef is a good substitution for typical Mainland ham or bacon. It's simply seasoned with salt and pepper.
The white rice is just plain, and that's fine -- it there to soak up the rich beefy gravy.
The gravy brings it all together. The gravy is nothing unusual. I made mine with the pan dripping after frying the beef patty. Just add a little water and flour (to thicken the gravy.) You can boost the flavor with chicken or beef stock - I added one beef bouillon cube.
When I stayed in Waikiki a couple months ago, I got my first Loco MocoPlate Lunch at the Rainbow Drive-In. The Rainbow Drive-In is world renowned for it's cheap and tasty local cuisine, my kind of place. My huge serving is just under $8 bucks, and filled me up for the rest of the day. Just click here to see my video that features the Rainbow Drive-In.
Ground meat is about the cheapest beef you can get. Form one hamburger patty as thin or thick as you can afford to make it. For ground beef even at $3 per pound, you only need one 1/3 pound patty. This keeps the price per hamburger patty to about a dollar each (less, if you can find hamburger on sale.)
Eggs aren't as cheap as they used to be. I'm luck to get a dozen for two to four bucks, but for this recipe you only need one or two eggs. I can still get them at the Dollar Tree for half a dozen for a buck - not too bad.
Of course rice is still cheap - I get mine from a local Mexican grocery for 69 cents per pound.
For the gravy part you only need a tablespoon of flour, one beef bouillon cube (or a favorite stock) and a cup of water.
So if you want a cheap$kate taste of the Islands of Hawai'i, try my deliciously filling Loco Moco Plate. You won't need seconds -- if you can finish it!
Hawaiian Loco Moco - VIDEO
Play it here, video runs 3 minutes, 50 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, justclick here.
Ingredients (one serving)
1 hamburger patty - about 1/3 pound of ground beef. Okay to use lighter ground turkey or chicken. Make hamburger patty as large as you can afford.
1 to 2 eggs - I like sunny side up or over easy. Okay to scramble, too. Cook the eggs any way you like.
1 cup Cooked white rice - follow package directions. Okay to use brown rice. I have a Sticky Rice recipe below, too.
Black pepper to taste - I find that the gravy with a bouillon cube is salty enough for me. You can salt the eggs, though.
Gravy
Meat drippings from frying - okay to pour out some grease.
1 cup of water - okay to add more if you like a lot of gravy, or cooking for 2 people (add an extra teaspoon of flour.)
1 tablespoon flour or corn starch - to thicken gravy.
1 bouillon cube of beef or chicken - optional, for extra flavor.
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce - optional for more extra flavor.
Directions
Make a basic rice recipe according to package directions. Add water about 1 1/2 cup of water to 1 cup of rice. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, then cover pot. Cook about 20 minutes then turn off heat. Let rice rest for about 5 minutes, to make sure it cooks all the way through.
For Japanese-style Sticky Rice first rinse the rice a few times.
Click on any photo to see larger.
Add one cup of water to one cup of rice. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cover and cook 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and allow rice to rest another 10-15 minutes.
If you have a rice cooker, then use it. Keep rice at room temperature until ready to use.
Once rice is done, you can start making Loco Moco.
Add hamburger to a medium/hot frying pan. Saute until brown on both sides, to your desired doneness. Depending how thick the hamburger patty, it will take about 5-10 minutes total. Make a small slice into thickest part of patty to check. Set cooked hamburger patty aside.
For gravy, use the same pan you cooked the hamburger - don't clean it out, that's where all the gravy flavor lies.
Drop in a bouillon cube into a cup of water. Break it up to dissolve.
Add a tablespoon of flour or corn starch to bouillon/water.
Okay to use any favorite broth like beef ,chicken, or vegetarian.
Pour in the water/flour mixture into medium/hot pan. Scrape the bottom of pan to loosen tasty bits, and dissolve the bouillon cube.
Bring gravy to a low simmer. Gravy will thicken in 3-5 minutes. When ready add cooked beef patty to keep it warm in gravy. Turn heat to low.
Finally cook the eggs in a pan. Add non-stick spray or oil to a medium heated pan. Cook egg the way you like it. I make mine sunny side up or over easy. Cook until whites of egg are firm, but yolk still soft and runny. If you like a scrambled egg then do it your favorite way - it's all good.
Now time to assemble and chow down. Just add cooked rice to your plate and top with beef patty and pour on the gravy. Finally top with fresh cooked egg(s.)
If you have Hawaiian-style Macaroni Salad (click here for my recipe,) you can add a scoop, too.
Hindsight
This recipe is easy to double. Just cook an extra beef patty and eggs. The rice and gravy should be enough for two servings. If you want more gravy add another half cup of water and a teaspoon of flour.
My recipe uses a cup of rice, you will have some leftover, but rice freezes well. You can use leftovers for another day, or make one of my Fried Rice Recipes with it (click here.)
After frying the beef patty, it's okay to pour out some of the grease, but do leave a tablespoon for flavoring the gravy. You could add a teaspoon of Worchestershire sauce to gravy for extra flavor.
For this recipe I leave out salt, as a bouillon cube or stock has plenty for me. You can add some to eggs and meat when frying, if you like.
99 thanks to:
A
great Hawaiian radio and internet station that I feasted on, selecting a few tropical
tunes for my travelogue videos, called "Territorial Airwaves - Your
Source for the History of Hawaiian Music."
Online at: www.territorialairwaves.com
Song Title: Hula Blues. Performed live by Johnny Noble’s Hawaiians
Except for the missing sausage part,Larry The Cable Guy Biscuits & Sausage Gravy frozen breakfast side is a decent Deal of the Day. I was ready to make joke that Larry should stick to comedy, but his cable reception for food is okay, at least for a blue collar breakfast.
The gravy part is creamy and flavorful, with a little black pepper heat. There is even a little bit of green bite from parsley. While the gravy is too salty, that's normal for most frozen fare, so I'm not that shocked.
The gravy had a nice cream consistency with a little bit of cooked sausage flavor. And they give you plenty of gravy to spoon over the biscuits.
As often the case, the box photo showed the gravy studded with sausage - well, not in this particular meal. I did detect a couple tiny scraps of sausage, but nothing near what the box illustrated. Hmmm, could just be my bad luck of the draw? Since I only got one meal, it's possible that others may have more sausage.
It is hard to review the sausage part of this meal when I could could not find enough to analyze. So I can't complain or praise something that is barely there.
I was pleasantly surprised how the biscuits microwaved. They held up quite well, still dry even floating in gravy, and tender too. I did have one small biscuit corner that was slightly tough - microwaving can cause hot spots.
While the biscuits were not flaky fresh they had some springiness left. It did not have that crisp shell top that fresh from the oven biscuits have.
Microwaving
We all have our favorite type of breakfast biscuit. These turned out somewhere in the middle, for me. The biscuit flavor was fine and mixed well with the creamy gravy.
So on my Cheap$kate Scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best, I give Larry The Cable Guy Biscuits & Sausage Gravy a 6 ! I had to take off a few points for lack of sausage and over-saltiness.
This Deal of the Day would compliment a regular plate of scramble or fried eggs quite nicely. It is always better to have fresh baked biscuits for breakfast, but Larry The Cable Guy Biscuits & Sausage Gravy is not a bad way to start the day.
Whew, the holidays are over! At least there's a break until New Years Eve. And, this Economical Epicurean learned a few culinary lessons on cooking the big bird during this holiday break. Plus, I shot a short stop motion video of the roasting turkey for the fun of it.
I was on the lookout for whole frozen turkey for less than a dollar a pound -- without the caveat of a $25 minimum purchase. I found my local Ralphs grocery sold Jennie-O whole turkeys for 79 cents a pound. I got a 13-pounder for just over $10 -- what a deal! But even if you prefer an heirloom, free-range, all- natural, hormone-, steroid-, and antibiotic-free heritage bird fed on an alfalfa pasture, protected by a 7-foot fence, and raised on a sustainable farm -- you can still apply my cooking tips.
I have only cooked turkey a couple of times, and at these prices, it was a good chance to get some more experience. Since we were having a rib roast for Christmas dinner with the in-laws, I
thought I'd invite some friends and neighbors over for a cheap
pre-Christmas fowl feast. Hey, I could feed seven, and still have
leftovers though the New Year. Roasted turkey is notorious for being too dry. I wanted to try brining it, which I've heard keeps the bird from drying out.
There has been a lot of bytes spilled on the subject of salt-brining a turkey. Well, I think brining is bogus! I tried it and I didn't like it -- maybe I did it wrong? I salted the turkey all over, which I read works as well as submerging a turkey overnight in a cooler of icy salted water. It's supposed to keep the breast moist and tender during roasting.
Well, if you overcook the bird, just a little bit, all that effort goes out the window, and you still get a dry bird. It's too much work for too little payoff.
The other problem with brining is you get over-salted turkey parts. It takes too much rinsing and soaking to get rid of all the salt.
I like to chomp on crunchy turkey wing bits, and sink my incisors into the "oysters" (known to the French as: "sot-l'y-laisse,") which are two tender meaty rubies embedded in the bony undercarriage of the fowl's carcass. And, the jolt of an over briny bite is too much. You would have to run the turkey though a car wash twice to get out the salt from all those tasty tidbits.
Those poultry roasting bags work well at keeping the bird from drying out. Cooking the bird
upside down keeps the breast moist, too. Cutting along the turkey backbone
and flatten, or splaycock, will enable the breast and dark meat to
finish cooking at the same time and also reduce roasting time.
I loosely cover the bird with foil to keep the breast from drying out. During the last hour or so, add enough water to fill the roasting pan just below the roasting bird for turkey drippings to make a rich gravy. And make sure to scroll down to the end of this blog post, under Hindsight, for my Homemade Turkey Gravy recipe.
And for a crispy skin take off the foil and let the skin brown for the last hour or so.
My method is not new, but it's underused. In my video I use this old school method.
Here are a couple delicious tips for you: I added fresh sage leaves under the turkey skin (I would even add more next time). It made a fragrant bird and added a light earthy herb flavor.
Also, I added 2 cups of water to my roasting pan when I took off the aluminum foil during the last hour; then sloshed the water around to loosen the browned bits and mix in the drippings. I basted the turkey breast and legs about every 15 minutes until done. Sage leaves are such a tasty addition that you'll also want to bake your next chicken (or breast and thigh pieces) with them.
Of course if fresh herbs are hard to find just roast the turkey herbless, it will still be delish.
No one complained about the bird being salty in places. The Sausage Stuffing I made was perfect (see recipe video below), and my wife's Squash, Tomatoes and Onions (click here to see the recipe) made a welcome light veggie side While not the best pre-Chrismas dinner, it was a success, and I learned a few things. So, check out my fun video of an imperfect turkey dinner.
And, if you learned any turkey cooking tips of your own this year, or have some tried-and-true advice to pass on, leave a comment for me and my visitors. Have an entertaining New Year!
Sausage - about one12-ounce package breakfast sausage. You could use less or more, to your taste. Or, keep it vegetarian and use more mushrooms and veggies.
1/2 bell pepper - chopped, any color.
1 onion - chopped.
1 rib of celery - chopped.
1 tablespoon of chopped garlic
Sliced mushrooms - small 4 or 5 ounce package. Optional.
Stuffing mix - any favorite store bought package, follow package directions.
Water - according to stuffing directions.
Stuffing mixes are usually over-seasoned, so I left it out salt and pepper.
Okay to use any fresh or dried herbs, too. I sometimes add a few chopped leaves of fresh sage, parsley and oregano.
Directions
Over a medium heat in a large pan or pot, saute the sausage until brown and cooked through. Break apart the sausage into bite sizes. You can drain off some of the fat -- I kept it in, to flavor the veggies and stuffing. Set sausage aside when done.
In the same pan, add the chopped onion, bell pepper, mushrooms and celery. Cook about 5 minutes until soft. Finally add the chopped garlic and cook another minute.
Prepare the stuffing according to the package directions. I cut the water or broth amount in half. If you add all the water they call for the stuffing is very mushy - fine if you like it that way. The stuffing will get more moisture from the roasting bird.
I like to add a couple extra slices of toasted bread, sliced into small cubes. And if I have extra stuffing to roast at the end, well, just get some turkey pan liquid and add that. I have a tall loaf pan to add the extra stuffing
Now it's time to mix it all together. You may need to do this in batches, depending how much stuffing you are making. In a large bowl add the stuffing, sausage and cooked veggies. I add some fresh herbs, too. Mix well, and set it aside while preparing the turkey for roasting.
Ingredients for Turkey with Sage
10-15 pound turkey - I got a 13-pound bird. If yours is larger, then follow package directions for baking times. I have a couple of handy links for cooking times. Butterball has a comprehensive guide for turkey size and cooking times, just click here. Allrecipes has a simpler guide, a click away here.
Sage leaves -- a handful, depending how many leaves you can get under the turkey skin. You can use almost any fresh herb, including: basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano -- or any combination. Of course this turkey recipe is delish, even without adding herbs under the turkey skin.
Salt and pepper - to taste.
Aluminum foil
Water - during last hour or so, for Turkey Gravy.Two to four cups, depending how deep your roasting pan is. Under Hindsight below, you will find my Homemade Turkey Gravy recipe.
Directions for Roasting the Stuffed Turkey
First remove any turkey parts in the chest cavity. Mine had a turkey neck, giblets, heart and liver. It also had a plastic pouch of gravy. Don't throw out the extra turkey parts - just throw them in a pot of water and low boil for about 2 hours to flavor your gravy (chop and shred the neck meat and add to your favorite gravy recipe.)
For the liver, I like to season it and roast it on the rack with the bird, about half an hour, or until done. This is the Chef's reward for all the hard work!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place whole turkey in a roasting pan. Season the turkey, inside and out, with salt and pepper.
Loosen the breast, leg and thigh skin. I do this with my clean fingers. Watch the video to see how I did it. It's a yucky process, but done carefully, you will get a flavorful bird loaded with a pungent, earthy herb taste. Loosening the breast is easy, it's harder to do the legs and thigh. The skin is malleable, but will tear, so be gentle and work it loose slowly.
I used sage leaves from my garden, but you can use any fresh herbs you have on hand.. I spaced the leaves about an inch apart. But next time I would add more leaves.
Next, fill the chest cavity with stuffing -- don't pack too tight, just fill 'er up. If you add stuffing under the neck skin, do it before stuffing the breast cavity. Flip the bird on it's breast and fill up the neck cavity. I use a couple of toothpicks to thread the skin closed (if necessary.)
Loosely wrap the the turkey in foil.You will remove the foil during the last hour of roasting.
My turkey was 13 pounds, so the baking time is 3-4 hours (okay to follow turkey package direction timeline for the weight of your bird.) Because the bird is covered, you have a little wiggle room - the turkey will stay moist longer.
After the third hour, it's time to start checking the thigh meat to see if it's done. I make a small slice into the thickest part of the thigh, that is attached to the body, and look for any pink or red juices. The bird is done when the juices run clear, or the internal temperature of the thigh meat is at least 165 degrees.
Add water to the roasting pan once the foil is off. Slosh around the water to get all the tasty bits in the pan loose. The water and pan juices will be the base of your Turkey Gravy.
If you have leftover stuffing you can add it to a loaf pan, and bake it with the bird during the last hour of cooking. I like a tall pan, as opposed to a shallow dish, so the dressing doesn't dry out. (Add some of the turkey broth from the roasting pan for extra flavor and moisten.)
When turkey is done remove it and allow to rest for about 10 minutes.
I also like to remove the stuffing while the bird is resting. I add the bird stuffing to a loaf pan and let it cook in the oven about 15 minutes, while the turkey rests. Often the stuffing is too mushy for me so this firms it up just enough, as well as cooking it through (just in case.) Of course, you can leave the stuffing in the bird, for a nicer presentation on the dinner table (the internal temperature of the stuffing should measure at least 165 degrees.)
And should the bird still be a little dry (hey, it may still happen) just spoon on some of the turkey broth over your freshly sliced turkey -- that'll fix it.
Hindsight
For Homemade Turkey Gravy add at least 2 cups of water to roasting pan an hour or so before bird is done. This will give time for tasty roasted pan drippings to loosen and mix with water to make a rich broth. Add another cup of water (or more) to pan after removing bird. The water is the base to your gravy, so add enough water to make plenty of gravy.
Lightly scrape the pan and stir water. Now you can pour out the broth into a large pot or pan to make gravy.
Over medium heat, whisk or stir in 1 tablespoons of flour per cup of broth. I usually mix 3 cups of broth with 3 tablespoons of flour. You can use more or less flour to suit your taste, to make a thick or thin gravy.
To make a gravy without lumps, I add flour to a bowl and pour in a cup of broth. Mix until you have a watery paste. Add that to the pot or pan with the rest of the broth. Stir until well blended.
Stir and heat the gravy until it low simmers. The Turkey Gravy will thicken as it heats up, after 3-5 minutes.
If you are like me, I like some meat in my gravy. While turkey roasts I low boil the neck bone and giblets for about 2 hours in seasoned water, to tenderize. The liquid also serves as extra broth for gravy.
When neck and giblets are tender, let them cool down some and chop the giblets. You can easily peel off the neck meat from the bone. Now you have plenty of tasty meat to add to your Turkey Gravy. Add as much or as little as you like.
