The first time I made this Cracker Barrel-inspired sawmill gravy, the rich aroma of bacon and black pepper filled my kitchen, transporting me straight to my grandmother’s Sunday morning table. As I poured the velvety mixture over freshly baked biscuits, watching it cascade down the sides, I knew I’d captured a piece of Southern heritage. This simple yet soul-satisfying gravy has been the cornerstone of comfort breakfasts in my home ever since—bringing that down-home Cracker Barrel feeling without ever leaving the house.
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Table of Contents
What Makes Sawmill Gravy So Special?
Unlike other gravies that might use fancy ingredients or complicated techniques, sawmill gravy celebrates simplicity and resourcefulness:
- Ready in just 15 minutes for quick comfort any time of day
- Uses everyday pantry ingredients that cost just pennies per serving
- Transforms humble bacon grease into liquid gold with extraordinary flavor
- Creates a perfect balance of creamy texture and peppery bite
- Carries the authentic taste of Southern tradition in every spoonful
Why You’ll Love This Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipe
This homemade version of Cracker Barrel’s famous sawmill gravy:
- Requires just 5 simple ingredients
- Takes only 15 minutes from start to finish
- Costs a fraction of restaurant prices
- Lets you control the thickness and pepper level
- Makes the perfect base for customizing with sausage or other add-ins
- Turns basic biscuits into a memorable meal
Cracker Barrel Sawmill Gravy Ingredients
To make Sawmill Gravy, you’ll need:
- Bacon grease – Provides the foundational flavor, adding smoky depth and richness that elevates the gravy beyond a basic white sauce
- All-purpose flour – Creates the roux that thickens the gravy, giving it body and silky texture when properly cooked
- Whole milk – Forms the creamy base that transforms the roux into gravy, adding protein and calcium while carrying the flavors
- Salt – Enhances all the other flavors and balances the richness of the bacon fat
- Black pepper – Delivers the signature spicy kick that cuts through the creaminess, providing a distinctive speckled appearance and warmth
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:
- 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.
- Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour into the skillet, and use a wooden spoon to mix the flour with the bacon drippings.
- Cook for about a minute until the flour turns a pale tan, giving off the scent of cooked pie crust.
- Slowly pour and whisk in 1 3/4 cups of milk to avoid lumps.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, and let the gravy thicken while stirring occasionally. Remember that the sauce will thicken once it cools to serving temperature. If you reduce the gravy too much, add milk for a liquid to get it to your desired consistency.
- Stir in salt and ground pepper and serve.
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. Add up to a pound of cooked sausage crumbles to this gravy for delicious homemade sausage gravy for a hearty breakfast.
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 or buttermilk biscuits. However, it is also excellent on fried pork chops or even french-fried potatoes.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerating Leftovers
- Allow gravy to cool completely.
- Transfer to an airtight container.
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating for Best Results
- Microwave method: Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, adding a splash of milk if needed to restore creaminess.
- Stovetop method (preferred): Place in a small saucepan over low heat with 1-2 tablespoons of fresh milk. Whisk occasionally until hot and smooth.
Favorite Cracker Barrel Recipes
- Copycat Cracker Barrel Hashbrown Casserole
- Cracker Barrel Fried Apples
- Cracker Barrel Green Beans
- Cracker Barrel Meatloaf Recipe
- Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad
- Eggs in a Basket
- Steamed Baby Carrots
Popular Gravy and Sauce Recipes
- Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
- Chicken Gravy from Drippings
- Creamy Alfredo Sauce Recipe
- Gravy for Pork Chops
- Thai Peanut Sauce Recipe
- White Gravy from Scratch
Check out my easy sauce recipes and the best Cracker Barrel recipes here on CopyKat!
Cracker Barrel-Style Sawmill Gravy
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.
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
My smokey flavor comes from the bacon grease you add to this recipe.
I agree with you. There is definitely another flavor to their gravy.
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.
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!
Add a little bit of coffee. My mom called this red-eye gravy, but it’s not. I asked her one day how she made it and she added coffee. I never could get my mom’s gravy right until I realized it was sawmill gravy. Got to thank cracker barrel for bringing back a memory. Mom added coffee to hers though and I think that’s what you’re missing.