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Homemade White Peppercorn Gravy

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Homemade white peppercorn gravy is a perfect topping for chicken fried steaks for dinner, or to go with biscuits for brunch, or for topping any number of things – fries dipped in gravy anyone? And you’ll never believe how easy it is to make homemade gravy!

Thest best homemade white peppercorn gravy you can make!


Last week Five Ingredient Friday came and went, but it totally didn’t get enough attention – I mean, 5 ingredient slow salsa chicken and quinoa? What’s not to love?

You know what else is worth checking out and making? This homemade peppercorn gravy!

Homemade white peppercorn gravy is a perfect topping for chicken fried steaks

I went to college in kind of the south. I say ‘kind of’ because it was southern Illinois. That counts, right? People had accents and the weather was really hot, and there was this one little place that served homemade biscuits and gravy that was only open on the weekends, and only accepted cash. Southern enough, right? So on weekends my best friend and I would throw on some sweats and head on over to this little hole in the wall to try and be one of the lucky customers that actually got to eat there. When they ran out, they closed the place down.

[Tag me on Instagram, @philiakelnhofer if you make this homemade peppercorn gravy!]

The place was tiny, maybe 6 tables and had a little wrap around bar with individual seating. The bathrooms were also something with character. Instead of signs with ‘boy’ and ‘girl’ they had a little picture of a rabbit on the doors…to this day I’m still not 100% sure I was using the correct restroom.

Their biscuits and gravy were worth the wait and gamble of getting seated or not. Their gravy was white gravy with pepper flecks and went sooo good topped on anything. Truly delish!

Ever since moving away (13+ years ago) I still think about that gravy. I have actually never thought of making it at home or trying to replicating it. That was until I was on the phone with my grandmother-in-law, Grandma Rita (you might remember her from these white chocolate peanut grape bites), and she was telling me how she had just made homemade white gravy.

The easiest white peppercorn gravy you can make

I was a little hesitant when Grandma Rita told me how easy it was to make homemade gravy. I thought there was some super-secret that I didn’t know. Nope, it was easy as whisking a few ingredients together in a sauce pan and letting it thicken. That’s it! And the flavor! OMG, sooooo good! Never will I ever question anything Grandma Rita says (not that I ever did before, I mean, she can COOK!)

Homemade gravy goes great over chicken fried steaks which have a super crispy crust and need that gravy to make them really taste great!

Homemade white peppercorn gravy that goes great over chicken fried steaks

Other recipes you might enjoy:

Homemade White Peppercorn Gravy

Homemade white peppercorn gravy is a perfect topping for chicken fried steaks for dinner, or to go with biscuits for brunch, or for topping any number of things – fries dipped in gravy anyone? And you’ll never believe how easy it is to make homemade gravy!
4.48 from 106 votes
Print Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 2 1/2 cups gravy

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 4 tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons fresh cracked ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic salt
  • 2 ½ cups milk

Instructions

  • To make the gravy-melt the butter in a medium sauce pan and then whisk in flour and pepper, and while continuously whisking stir in the salt and garlic salt.
  • Slowly pour in the milk and turn heat to medium, whisk occasionally and it will thicken (about 5 minutes) then remove from heat and serve.
  • You can serve this over chicken fried steaks, simply cook them according to package instructions and pour about 2-3 tablespoons of gravy over a steak and serve.

Omaha Steaks compensated me for my time to develop this recipe. As always, thank you for reading and for supporting the brands that make the SweetPhi blog. All thoughts and opinions are as always, mine alone. Happy cooking!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. NANCY CONLEY says

    Ohmygosh! Thank you thank you so much for this recipe! We have been self isolating for two weeks so far and to make this gravy for our chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes last night was such a “comfort food “ meal. We also had corn – that’s the way it’s often served in restaurants. And I am telling you this was “RQ = Restaurant Quality”!!!

    Reply

    • Sweetphi says

      Oh my goodness, thank you so much, this made my day!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, you’ve inspired me to make a comfort food – RQ – meal for dinner 🙂

      Reply

    • Ian Shaw says

      I’m from the south, but I never learned how to make southern white gravy since my parents always try to eat healthy. This was definitely richer and had more of a buttermilk flavor than the typical gravy I’ve had made from sausage or bacon grease. I cut down on the salt by about half and skipped the garlic salt, since I was making this for biscuits. For my stovetop on medium heat, I’d pull it off after whisking no longer than 4 minutes (pull it off the heat before it thickens to desired consistancy). Overall not bad, but not quite the traditional taste I’m used to.

      Reply

  2. Brittney watson says

    Made this for breakfast just now and I almost started freaking out because it wasn’t thickening. Turned the heat up and it was perfect. I didn’t measure the salt or pepper and it was AMAZING!!! My boyfriend was skeptical because he comes from the country! I also added everything but the bagel seasoning to put my own spin on it. Thank you so much

    Reply

    • Sweetphi says

      I’m so happy to hear that it turned out for you – yay! I also love the addition of the everything but the bagel seasoning. I have some of that so next time I make this I’ll have to try adding it!

      Reply

  3. Sasha says

    I tried this today and it was amazing. I reduced the amount of salt and pepper and just added to taste once the base was made. But it was hella good 10/10!

    Reply

    • Sweetphi says

      Thanks for the feedback, I haven’t had that experience, but I do know that everyone’s salt preferences are a little different. Glad you enjoyed the taste 🙂

      Reply

  5. Tiffany E says

    Crazy, I stumbled upon this recipe. I was born and raised in Southern Illinois. I’m kind of curious of the area you were in?
    Can’t wait to try your recipe. Thank you!

    Reply

  6. Zoë says

    The first time I made this gravy and it turned out a little weird but I kind of made it wrong. this time I did it right and it was great!

    Reply

  7. Kathy says

    I’ve been looking for a recipe for gravy to duplicate my late mother in laws and this is it! It is great!

    Reply

  8. Sam says

    I made this gravy with eggs and biscuits for the wife and kids sunday morning and it was a hit! I was looking for an alternative to my usual sawmill gravy with 1/4 cup bacon grease instead of butter. This is much better for me im sure! Tastes better too.

    Reply

  9. Hal says

    I bet you went to SIU. I went there for 2 years. Southern Illinois is an interesting blend of midwestern and southern culture that varies from town to town.

    Reply

  11. Craig says

    Hey this is Craig here from Oklahoma down around the Red river being born and raised here biscuits and gravy was breakfast about 3 out of 7 days of the week either white gravy with or with out ground sausage in it and then my favorite Chocolate gravy but with the white in my opinion the best way is bacon grease or sausage grease some flour and milk and of course salt n pepper my grandma never used exact measurements so neither do I but it’s the best I love it ! And it’s good with biscuits, Texas toast, chicken fried steak , chicken strips , fried livers and gizzards , fries, mashed potatoes, fried potatoes and I guess any thing else you wanna it lol but I will be tryin your recipe

    Reply

  12. Carol Holtsclaw says

    I made this tonight – it turned out great. It took longer than 5 minutes to thicken but the seasonings and consistency were perfect. I’m so tickled that I made white peppercorn from scratch and it TASTED SO GOOD! Thanks

    Reply

  13. Tanya says

    I made your gravy just this morning. I used it for panfried biscuits and gravy.. it was very very good!! Thank you for sharing… 😉

    Reply

  15. Jeff says

    I tried this as my family loves the Omaha Country Fried Steak and we usually purchase a package gravy in the grocery that everyone likes……but this recipe had them all fooled and they never knew the difference! Tastes great!

    Reply

  16. Jerri says

    I love this recipe. Thank you so much. I am from Florida, born and raised and we do love gravy of all types. Above I read where someone spoke of tomato gravy. I wanted to take the time to recommend adding about 1/4 cup of brewed coffee and 1 tsp beef paste to your tomato gravy. This adds a kick to it that is to die for.

    Reply

  17. May says

    I’m from NY. I never had white gravy over biscuits until I married and went to California. Then we moved to Coos Bay, OR and ate in a little bar/diner that made them perfectly. We were regulars for breakfast. And now in FL, my husband is an expert at tomato gravy, and it’s marvelous; but then I discovered this gravy recipe. It’s my go to. So I’m here typing away with a recommendation that you try this recipe, because there’s none better. EASY PEASY. You can’t go wrong with this one.

    Reply

  20. Katherine U says

    We’ve been experimenting lately with different country gravy recipes, and I have to say you win! I was starting to wonder if it would thicken up and then I turn around and it’s perfect. My husband was emphatic about how good the mashed potatoes and gravy were. A rare occurrence. Thank you!!

    Reply

  21. Trina O says

    I just tried this recipe as I have been struggling to find a good white gravy. This was by far one of the better recipes. It was a tad bit to peppery for my taste-buds but the hubby loved it. Going in my recipe box as we speak. Thank you

    Reply

  22. Sheila says

    I got the Omaha chicken fr steaks in the package and honestly didn’t have a clue what to do with them. This sounds so good and EASY I’m going to do them tonight. Thank you, thank you!

    Reply

  24. Diana Paris says

    Hi Phi,
    I made your peppercorn gravy tonight. It was delicious. I’d baked a ham and was going to put it with veggies. Hubby asked for eggs instead. Of course I had to bake biscuits but needed a quick gravy dish. I came across yours and it is now my go-to gravy mix. Thank you so much.

    Reply

  25. Little Cooking Tips says

    This is very similar to Bechamel, but a lot thinner. What an interesting idea to try that as a gravy with fried chicken or -even better- French fries!:):) Another delicious idea to indulge ourselves! Thanx so much Phi, both for the recipe as well as for the wonderful story! We didn’t know you lived South-ish:) And we never saw a rabbit as a sign in any restroom:)
    Have an amazing Super Bowl weekend dear!xoxoxo

    Reply

    • Sweetphi says

      You’re so right, this gravy is very similar to a bechamel (a sauce I LOVE by the way) and goes perfectly with fried foods – especially like fries and chicken fried steak. The south is totally different than the midwest 🙂

      Reply

  27. Sharon says

    Well, I AM from the south (Lafayette LA) and Cajun to the bone, and I have struggled for years when it comes to making a perfect gravy for chicken fried steak. Trusting grandmothers, especially when it comes to cooking, is in my genes, so this recipe is my new go-to for white gravy. It sounds divine. Thanks Phi!

    Reply

  28. Mary says

    Omaha Steaks makes chicken fried steaks? They look amazing and so does that gravy! (P.S. Thanks for stopping by the blog. Everyone needs to be on snapchat, right?!)

    Reply

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