Creamed Eggs plus Sausage and Gravy

It is Sunday morning and grits is not on the menu. I still have hard boiled eggs left over from my attempt to document Bacon Jam Deviled Eggs. The ugly eggs need to be eaten, so creamed eggs it is.

Another mash up dish from my youth. Creamed eggs is a way to stretch the few eggs one has left to feed more people. Sausage gravy is the same. There is no good reason that these two can not be made as one. Someone has to have thought of this but if so, I have not run across it.

My mother used to make creamed eggs to drape over toast made with typical sandwich bread or sausage gravy on biscuits but since I have focaccia in the house that is what will be using. I considered buttermilk biscuits this morning, but just didn’t feel like going that route since I don’t have any White Lilly Flour in stock. Not to be a flour snob, but White Lilly soft wheat flour is just how biscuits are done.

Regardless of the bread used, this is not exactly a dish for the calorie phobic. It has pure pork sausage with all of the grease, a bit more grease in the form of bacon drippings, and whole milk. The egg is not exactly fat free either but together it is a tasty treat for those days where comfort food is king. If you are not a farm hand or an Amazon Fulfillment worker you should probably choose a healthier breakfast but I could use some comfort today.

Two link sausages into the cold saucepan. You could use a small skillet, but the saucepan’s taller sides make the gravy less likely to end up on your stove top. While the sausage is cooking, grate the egg into a small bowl. Once the links are nice and brown, remove to a waiting plate and add a heaping tbsp of flour to the grease. You should have the same amount of oil as flour so a bit more might be needed. Since I have a cup of bacon grease next to the stove that is my go to. Butter would work as well.

We’re making a roux here so a low flame to keep it from burning. The mixture in the pan should not be too stiff but be able to spread out a bit in the pan. I did not take pictures of this step since I was avoiding burnt roux with a constant stir. It only takes a minute or two. This a white roux and all you are looking for is to cook away the raw flour taste. You could well do this with a blonde roux by cooking gently for 5-10 minutes and be rewarded with a nice nutty flavor, but I always seem to wait until quite hungry so quick is what I’m looking for.

Once your flour starts to change color and your nose detects a slight nutty odor, slowly add your milk. A whisk is the best tool but for a small amount like this, a fork works just fine. The key here is to add just a small amount of liquid at a time and stir constantly to avoid lumps. For this dish, a bit less than 1 cup of milk is appropriate but I just pour slowly from the carton. This is yet another eyeball dish but it’s how I learned to cook.

The sauce will be fairly thin since it does not thicken until it reaches a boil. Add to the pan your grated hard boiled egg and chunks of sausage. Use spoon to combine well. Raise heat to a medium flame and stir until the consistency is right for you. If the sauce gets too thick, add more milk. If it is still thin, cook a bit longer until it thickens up. I add a good grind of black pepper although traditionally white pepper is used in a white gravy. Salt may or may not be necessary, it is your call.

For me, the gravy should be fairly thick but some like it much thinner. Once again, your taste is what you need to please.

While the gravy is on the make, toast whatever bread you have handy. If you made biscuits, that is the perfect foil for the rich gravy. If not, you will enjoy it just the same. Put toast on your plate and spoon gravy on top. I had to use a fork and knife for my focaccia since it is a very hearty bread. Sit down and enjoy this calorie filled breakfast dish. Your cardiologist need not know.

I keep making Ugly Food, but it just tastes so good. This makes more than one normal serving, but I ate it all anyway.