Chocolate Gravy Is a Thing and Better Yet, It's for Breakfast

Gravy comes in many forms. Rich meaty pours over your meatloaf or Thanksgiving spuds, peppery jus on your roast beef, or coffee-spiked red eye on your country ham. Italians call their Sunday tomato sauce gravy. It can be creamy, like sausage gravy, or spiked like red wine or sherry gravy. Whether your gravy comes from a can or box, or you make it from scratch, it is that savory accompaniment that takes your meal to the next level and gives you that perfect sauce to sop up with the bread of your choice.

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I've been a gravy fan my whole life, but nothing prepared me for chocolate gravy.

While visiting Mississippi, we were invited for a brunch at a friend's home. And accompanying the eggs and bacon and other delicious breakfast treats were homemade biscuits. When we were asked if we wanted gravy on our biscuits, we said of course, expecting peppery sausage gravy, but instead they swaddled our biscuits in a dark gravy that looked more like a smooth mushroom gravy. When we dug in, surprise! It wasn't a savory gravy at all, but a sweet chocolate one. Sort of like a thick, warm chocolate custard, bathing the hot buttered biscuits in a creamy, chocolatey blanket. If you like Nutella spread on bread, or love your pudding warm, this combo will blow your mind. And biscuits are the perfect foil. 

Chocolate gravy on biscuits has long roots in Appalachia, and because is it essentially a pantry recipe, using cocoa powder for the chocolate, it is one of those things that can be made almost any time on a whim. It is still made all over the South, but for some reason, has not yet made its way into the common vernacular, which is a shame. Chocolate gravy has now become a go-to for me for brunches at home. It is super easy to make, you can hold it in a slow cooker on warm, and it is always that surprising bonus special dish that makes guests excited. 

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I've been known to make it for dessert, adding fresh berries or whipped cream to the top. And it is the perfect cozy winter weekend indulgent breakfast dish. Biscuits are the traditional vehicle, but I love it on waffles or pancakes as well. The sweetness is a great balance for savory eggs and salty bacon or sausage—just think about maple syrup.

If you want a new taste sensation this season, give chocolate gravy a try! There are many recipes out there, and I have tried a bunch, but none of them can touch this version from Sheri Castle, who has gravy in her DNA, and whose chocolate gravy is simply perfect, no tweaking needed. Give it a try this weekend! I recommend serving it on my easy morning biscuits.