“Ysilla was turning the biscuits. She laid an iron pan atop the brazier and put the bacon in. Some days she cooked biscuits and bacon; some days bacon and biscuits. Once every fortnight there might be a fish, but not today… They were best when eaten hot, dripping with honey and butter.” (Dance with Dragons)
Modern Biscuits and Bacon (Gravy!)
Our Thoughts:
Omdanom.
We hate to admit it, but some dishes really are just better now than they ever were. We struggled and struggled to find a cool, interesting old recipe for biscuits and bacon, and failed to find anything the least bit appetizing. The closest historical equivalent would probably be hardtack and salt pork, both of which were available on ships.
However, our modern biscuit and bacon gravy is a simply decadent and delicious way to start the day. The recipe is straightforward, but results in a thick, salty gravy filled with bits of crunchy bacon. Served over biscuits, or in them, as Tyrion does, it’s delicious, and even vaguely feasible for a shipboard breakfast!
Modern Biscuits and Bacon (Gravy!) Recipe
Like many of our modern recipe interpretations, this one is a bit loose. I doubt that Ysilla would have the means to make this particular pairing on the deck of a ship, but it was too delicious to pass up.
Biscuit Ingredients: DOUBLE
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoon butter or margarine, melted
Gravy Ingredients:
- 6 slices bacon
- 2 tablespoons bacon grease
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- generous salt and pepper
Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place 6 slices of bacon in the skillet and cook until just under crispy. Remove bacon and set aside to drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Add flour to grease, and whisk together. Cook for about a minute without burning the flour. Add milk; whisk together. Heat until bubbling. Simmer for 5-10 minutes, until sauce starts to thicken. Meanwhile, crumble bacon. Add salt and pepper (to taste), and bacon to gravy. Allow to simmer until desired consistency, then serve over biscuits.