Pepper Gravy

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

By
Joshua Bousel
a photo of Joshua Bousel, a Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Joshua Bousel
Joshua Bousel is a Serious Eats old-timer, having started sharing his passion for grilling and barbecue recipes on the site back in 2008. He continues to develop grilling and barbecue recipes on his own site, The Meatwave, out of his home base of Durham, North Carolina.
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Updated April 03, 2025
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

  1. Heat bacon grease in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add flour and whisk constantly until mixture turns light brown, about 1 minute.

    Flour is whisked into the bacon grease to form a blonde roux.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

  2. 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.

    Milk and pepper are whisked into the roux until smooth.

    Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Special Equipment

Medium saucepan, whisk

Read More

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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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