SOP: Biscuits & Gravy

Overview

Our Biscuits & Gravy is the warm hug our 4am crowd desperately needs, so getting it right matters more than you might think. Those buttermilk biscuits need to be flaky and fresh—never dry or dense—because they're the foundation that soaks up our rich, peppery sausage gravy. When someone stumbles in at this hour and orders this dish, they're looking for comfort and redemption, so make sure every ladle of gravy is properly seasoned and piping hot, with visible chunks of seasoned sausage that remind them someone actually cares.

📋 Handling Notes

Sausage in gravy must reach 155°F internal temperature; gravy must be held at 135°F minimum. Prevent cross-contamination by handling raw sausage with dedicated utensils and washing hands between tasks.

Key Ingredients

flour
buttermilk
butter
pork sausage
milk
flour

Ingredients Checklist

Base recipe for 1 serving · Check off as you gather

Prep Steps

📐 Recipe Scaler

Servings

1 serving

Ingredient	Amount
biscuits	2 whole
breakfast sausage	4 oz
flour	2 tbsp
whole milk	1 cups
black pepper	0.5 tsp
salt	0.25 tsp

Food Safety CCPs

Critical Control Points for this item. These are non-negotiable — check temperatures regularly and document readings.

Allergen Status (Big 9)

⚠️ Milk✓ Eggs✓ Fish✓ Shellfish✓ Tree Nuts✓ Peanuts⚠️ Wheat✓ Soybeans✓ Sesame

🔥 Hot Hold Min

135°F minimum

⚠️ Danger Zone

41–135°F

🌡️ CCP: Hot hold minimum is 135°F minimum. Check with a calibrated thermometer every 2 hours.

🛡️ Health & Food Safety Guidelines

Washington State WAC 246-215 · Whatcom County Health Department · (360) 778-6000

🙌 Personal Hygiene

Wash hands with soap for 20+ seconds before handling food, after touching face, after using restroom
Wear single-use gloves when handling ready-to-eat foods; change between tasks
Hair restraints required (hat or hair net)
Stay home if sick — vomiting, diarrhea, jaundice, or sore throat with fever must be reported

🌡️ Temperature Danger Zone

41°F – 135°F (5°C – 57°C)

Washington State WAC 246-215

TCS foods must never spend more than 2 cumulative hours in the danger zone
Hot hold: 135°F (57°C) minimum
Cold hold: 41°F (5°C) maximum
Reheat for hot holding: 165°F for 15 seconds

🔀 Cross-Contamination Prevention

Color-coded cutting boards: Red = raw meat, Yellow = raw poultry, Green = produce, White = dairy/bread
Store raw meats below ready-to-eat foods in the fridge
Never use the same utensils for raw and cooked foods without washing/sanitizing in between
Sanitize prep surfaces before and after each different food type

📦 Storage & FIFO

FIFO (First In, First Out) — rotate stock so older product is always used first
Label all prepared foods with prep date and discard date (7-day max for most TCS foods)
Store dry goods off the floor (6 inches minimum) in sealed containers
Refrigerator at 41°F (5°C) or below; freezer at 0°F or below

🧹 Cleaning & Sanitizing

Clean and sanitize all food-contact surfaces every 4 hours during continuous use
Sanitizer solution: 200 ppm chlorine (1 tbsp bleach per gallon of water) or 200 ppm quaternary ammonium
Test sanitizer concentration with test strips before each service
Wash, rinse, sanitize — in that order — for all equipment

⚠️ Allergen Awareness (Big 9)

Always be able to identify which menu items contain:

Milk Eggs Fish Shellfish Tree Nuts Peanuts Wheat Soybeans Sesame

Inform guests immediately if asked. Never guess — if unsure, check the recipe or tell the guest you cannot confirm.

📋

Certified Food Protection Manager Required: At least one CFPM must be on staff at all times. Certification must be from an ANSI-accredited program (ServSafe, NRFSP, etc.). Keep certification records on-site and available for health inspector review.

All food establishments must maintain proper hot and cold holding temperatures, with hot foods at 135°F or above and cold foods at 41°F or below. Eggs must be cooked to 145°F for immediate service or 155°F if pooled or held. Ground beef and pork must reach 155°F, and proper handwashing and prevention of cross-contamination between raw and ready-to-eat foods are critical.