Pigs, Pork, and Heartland Hogs by Clampitt Cynthia;

Author:Clampitt, Cynthia; [Clampitt, Cynthia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Unlimited Model
Published: 2018-06-28T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

Transformed Pig

Recipes for Specialties

The people who came to the Midwest contributed both specific dishes and general influences to the developing cuisines of the growing nation. Even in communities with shared heritage, recipes evolved in the new land, where familiar ingredients might be hard to find. Some dishes remained associated with specific ethnic groups, but there were also foods that, thanks to millennia of trade routes and invasions in the Old World, were already common in a wide range of countries. Still others arose in various parts of the United States. Foods began to be shared at church socials, political rallies, and through the cookbooks that became increasingly common in the mid-1800s. In time, it became simply American food.

The recipes that follow are just a small fraction of the possibilities for the region. They are everyday fare, the things that people ate (and still eat) when they wanted to enjoy a meal, rather than impress a guest. Some have traveled, some are closely associated with specific places. All are delicious and, while anchored in history, all are still popular and being made in homes and restaurants around the Midwest.

Sausage Gravy

Sausage gravy is a classic Southern breakfast item, traditionally served over freshly baked biscuits. That said, because so much of the Midwest was settled by folks from the Upland South, it’s common fare in the southern half of the Heartland and can even be found at diners in Chicago. It’s cheap and flavorful, and it was a wonderful way to feed a hungry family, especially on a farm, where sausage and milk would almost always be readily available. Easy to make in large quantities, it was also a popular way to feed workers in the lumber trade, which is why it is sometimes called sawmill gravy or camp gravy.

I have always loved sausage gravy, even before I understood its significance or history. There are many regional variations, but the version I grew up enjoying was the white, milk-based gravy. Some people add garlic powder or cayenne, to zip it up or cut the richness, but since the black pepper and sausage are the flavors that delight me in this dish, I opted for one of the earlier and simpler versions.

1 pound bulk pork sausage

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

3½ cups whole milk, or more as desired

½ tsp. salt, or to taste

1 or 2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

Biscuits—your favorite recipe or packaged

Crumble the sausage into a large skillet. Brown the sausage over medium-high heat, continuing to break up the lumps. Cook, stirring, until no pink is visible. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle half the flour over the sausage, and stir until flour is no longer visible. Then add the second half of the flour, and stir to thoroughly combine. (Do not drain the fat. The fat plus flour creates a roux that is the base of the gravy.) Pour in the milk, and stir to combine, being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan for any bits of sausage that might have stuck.

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