Pepper Gravy Recipe

Essentially a heavily peppered, bacon-infused bechamel, this gravy is perfect for smothering biscuits and chicken-fried steak.

Joshua Bousel

Updated May 03, 2024

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Pepper gravy spooned on chicken fried steak, served with mashed potatoes. — Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Why It Works

Subbing bacon grease for butter adds smoky depth to the gravy.
Freshly ground peppercorns yield gravy with the best flavor.

For all the sausage and pork belly I went through in 2012, I ended the year an amazing ten pounds lighter than I started it. So instead of making the common New Year's resolution to shed weight, I'm giving myself free reign to relish in wintertime comforts, which translates to starting the year off with an exploration of hearty southern gravies.

Pepper gravy is a simple base that serves as building block to a whole host of other gravies. In essence, it's merely a bechamel with a strong peppery kick, but substituting bacon grease for butter imparts an underlying salty and meaty flavor that lets it rise above its "white sauce" origins.

To take full advantage of the pepper, it's important to go with fresh, coarsely ground black peppercorns, which create little pockets of intensely sharp heat that contrast with the rich and soothing creaminess, giving this gravy its character.

Pepper gravy is pretty all-purpose—it can go on pork chops, biscuits, mashed potatoes, etc.—but it doesn't get much better than when it's smothered on a chicken fried steak. Now that's how to start the year!

January 2013

Recipe Details

Pepper Gravy Recipe

Cook 15 mins

Active 10 mins

Total 15 mins

Serves 8 to 10 servings

Makes 2 cups

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Ingredients

1/4 cup bacon grease
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Kosher salt, to taste

Directions

Heat bacon grease in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add in flour and whisk constantly until mixture turns light brown, about 1 minute.
Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel
Slowly whisk in milk. Stir in pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; season with salt and additional pepper to taste. Use immediately on chicken fried steak, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, or biscuits.
Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Special Equipment

Medium saucepan, whisk

Condiments & Sauces

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
89	Calories
6g	Fat
7g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories	89
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 6g	7%
Saturated Fat 2g	12%
Cholesterol 8mg	3%
Sodium 223mg	10%
Total Carbohydrate 7g	2%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 80mg	6%
Iron 0mg	2%
Potassium 105mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.