History

Biscuits and gravy have been Southern breakfast canon since the 1800s when settler-era cooks used pork drippings and milk to stretch a meal. Big Bad Breakfast (John Currence, Oxford Mississippi) opened the Birmingham branch on Highway 280 with the canonical Conecuh sausage gravy and buttermilk biscuit, and it remains the Birmingham brunch-counter signature alongside the meat-and-three Sunday plate at Yo' Mama's.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 40 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 300g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 115g cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 240ml cold buttermilk
  • 500g breakfast pork sausage (or Conecuh sausage, crumbled)
  • 40g all-purpose flour for the gravy
  • 480ml whole milk
  • Black pepper to taste

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 220C / 425F.
  2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the cold butter with fingertips until pea-sized lumps remain.
  3. Add buttermilk and stir just until combined. Turn onto a floured surface, fold over 4 times, press to 2.5cm thick, cut 6 biscuits.
  4. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until risen and golden.
  5. While the biscuits bake, brown the sausage in a heavy skillet, breaking it apart. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir 1 minute.
  6. Slowly whisk in the milk. Simmer 5 minutes until thick. Season generously with black pepper.
  7. Split the biscuits and ladle the sausage gravy over them. Serve immediately.

Tip from the editors. The biscuit dough should look shaggy and barely come together. Overworking it makes tough biscuits.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat buttermilk biscuit and sausage gravy

Buttermilk biscuit and sausage gravy in Birmingham

Big Bad Breakfast ★ 4.4

Southern breakfast and brunch$13-22highway-280Daily 07:00-14:30Walk-in only

Big Bad Breakfast on Highway 280 Birmingham serves John Currence's canonical Southern brunch with Conecuh sausage gravy and the buttermilk biscuit weekends.

Order: Conecuh sausage gravy and biscuit

5361 US-280, Birmingham, AL 35242

Yo' Mama's ★ 4.4

Soul-food brunch with gluten-free menu$12-22downtownMon-Fri 10:30-14:30; closed Sat-Sun; brunch 2nd and last Sat 09:00-13:00Walk-in only

Yo' Mama's on 4th Avenue North downtown Birmingham serves soul-food brunch on the second and last Saturday with the canonical chicken and waffles plate.

Order: Chicken and waffles with a side of gluten-free grits

2024 4th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203

Continental Bakery ★ 4.5

European bakery brunch$8-18mountain-brookTue-Sat 07:00-17:00, Sun 08:00-13:00, closed MonWalk-in only

Continental Bakery on Cahaba Road in Mountain Brook Birmingham runs European-bakery brunch with the canonical sourdough, croissants and a Sunday patio crowd.

Order: Continental sourdough toast with eggs and jam

1909 Cahaba Road, Mountain Brook, AL 35223

More cities are in research. Want buttermilk biscuit and sausage gravy covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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