Bacon Herb Biscuits + Sausage Gravy {AIP + Whole30}
Back in the day, I used to love going to a local “down home” breakfast joint with my family on the weekends. It was very family friendly, rooted in southern comfort, and full of happy memories. There is nothing like tried and true pure comfort food.
To me, biscuits and gravy are at the top of the comfort food list. Rich, buttery, filling, and leaves you with a smile on your face. Our Bacon Herb Biscuits + Sausage Gravy is all that, but without the unhealthy components. It will still leave you with a big old smile on your face though, that I am certain. Because it feels like something grandma, or your favorite local breakfast spot, would make.
But thankfully these Bacon Herb Biscuits + Sausage Gravy are much more than that. They are proof that pure comfort food can consist of whole foods that nurture your body, instead of harmful ingredients that lead to health issues.
They are also proof that you can always find a way back to your passion. More on that in a minute.
First, let’s talk nutrition and ingredients. There is usually an assumption that comfort foods = unhealthy. Which in may cases is true. But the beauty about recreating these dishes at home, and revamping what they are made with, means you can change the nutritional value.
Using fresh high quality ingredients makes all the difference, as does avoiding inflammatory ingredients (such as refined oils and sweeteners, gluten, conventional dairy and meat, etc.)
Plus, when you can customize ingredients to suit your specific needs, you are really nurturing your body. And you are doing so while you nurturing your soul, hence the comfort aspect.
Next, all about finding a way back to your passion. For me, baking has always been my love language. I started baking first, as a young girl (thank you Easy Bake Oven), and was immediately drawn to it. Of course I adore to cook now, but it wasn’t my first love.
There is something about the methodical, exacting nature of baking that gets me every time. I appreciate that it can be harder to achieve, which makes it that much sweeter when you get it right.
For years I had a groove, and felt incredibly comfortable baking just about anything. Then everything changed. I had to start over and learn the basics once again.
Beginning a new food regimen can leave one feeling lost. Even as someone who loves to cook, I felt overwhelmed at first. I had this feeling when I started the Paleo lifestyle several years ago, and felt it again when I started the Autoimmune Protocol.
Let me tell you, learning how to bake without eggs, gluten/grains, dairy, or refined sugar, is, shall we say, difficult. It felt like learning how to walk for the first time. I had no baking legs to stand on for quite some time.
But now, 4 months after starting my initial AIP/anti-inflammatory eating plan, I am getting there. I am feeling more comfortable with my ingredients, and rekindling my passion for baking once again.
Which means you can count on many more AIP and allergy-friendly baked goods in the near future. Even if you don’t need to avoid these common allergens, you will want to try these biscuits. I promise they are stellar.
No, they aren’t exactly like traditional gluten-filled biscuits. However, they still maintain a good crunch and flakiness, and have that tender chewy interior.
Because everyone should be able to enjoy their passion, regardless of what their limitations are. And a baker certainly needs some good biscuits on her side. I am happy to say we are reunited, and it feels so good.
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Bacon Herb Biscuits + Sausage Gravy {AIP + Whole30}
Ingredients
Biscuits
- 4 slices AIP-friendly bacon
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon each fresh thyme chives and sage, chopped or a half teaspoon each dried
- 3/4 cup coconut flour scoop into a measuring cup with a spoon then level
- 1 cup tapioca flour scoop into a measuring cup with a spoon then level
- 3/4 teaspoon allergy-friendly baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon grass-fed gelatin
- 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon avocado oil
- 1 cup full fat smooth coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Herb Pork Sausage
- 1 tablespoon reserved bacon fat or cooking fat of choice
- 1 pound pasture-raised ground pork
- 1 tablespoon maple or coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons each fresh thyme oregano, chives, and sage, chopped, or a 1 teaspoon each dried
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh fennel fronds
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Gravy
- 1/2 recipe trilogy purée see notes for tips
- Dash of sea salt to taste
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat or fat of choice
- 1/4 cup bone broth if needed
- 2/3 herb pork sausage recipe follows
Optional Toppings
- Raw honey for drizzling
- 1 teaspoon each fresh thyme chives, and sage, chopped
Instructions
Biscuits
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat. Set aside.
- In a large sauté pan, cook bacon over medium heat until browned and crispy. Flip occasionally to prevent burning, and remove to a plate once done. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat in the pan, and pour off the rest into a small bowl.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, and add minced garlic and fresh herbs. Cook, stirring constantly, until lightly softened and fragrant, about one minute. Remove from heat, crumble bacon pieces on top, and set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl add both flours, sea salt, baking soda, and gelatin, then whisk to combine.
- In a separate small bowl whisk together avocado oil and coconut milk. Add to your dry ingredients.Work mixture into a smooth dough, then stir in reserved garlic-herb-bacon mixture.
- Finally, add apple cider vinegar. Mix gently until just combined. Dough will be thick and sticky, and should hold together easily when squeezed between your fingers. If it feels too dry, add a splash of warm water.
- Split dough into 8 even portions, then using the palms of your hands, work each portion into a biscuit shaped disk. I use one palm to flatten one side, and cup my other palm to create a rounded top. Place biscuit on your sheet pan, and repeat with remaining dough, setting biscuits a couple inches apart.
- Bake biscuits for about 10 minutes, until set and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
- While the biscuits bake, prepare your sausage.
Herb Pork Sausage
- Heat bacon fat over medium-high heat. Once hot, add ground pork, sugar, and all spices. Mix to combine.
- Cook, stirring every so often, until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. We like to let ours sit several minutes to get it nice and caramelized. Remove from heat and let cool.
- While sausage is cooking, prepare gravy.
Gravy
- Prepare Trilogy Purée. Reserve half the puree and store for later use. Blend other half of purée with herbs and additional salt to taste. From here, the consistency is really a personal preference. If you want a thinner gravy, add bone broth, a couple tablespoons at a time, until your desired texture is reached.
- Finally, take 2/3 the sausage mixture and pulse into the gravy until combined.
Assembly
- Slice cooled biscuits in half (make sure they are cool so they can be easily cut), and top with warm sausage herb gravy.
Notes
- To break up the prep time, you can easily make this meal in stages. All components freeze very well, so you can even batch cook each.
- We like to prepare the Trilogy Puree 1-2 days in advance and enjoy it as a side with dinner, then reserve half for the gravy. Or, save half the recipe for meals throughout the week.
- Biscuits can be made weeks in advance and frozen until ready to use. Let them cool completely, slice in half, place a parchment piece between each half, then wrap well and freeze. Defrost in the refrigerator over night, and reheat in a 325 degree oven until warm.
- Sausage can be prepared 1-2 days in advance, or prepared and frozen until ready to use.
