Bulldog gravy facts for kids
Bulldog gravy was a simple, cheap food eaten a long time ago, especially during a tough time called the Great Depression. It was popular with coal miners and other families who didn't have much money. This gravy was made from just a few basic ingredients: milk, flour, and some kind of cooking grease.
Contents
Bulldog Gravy: A Simple Meal from Tough Times
This section will explain what it is and its history.
What is Bulldog Gravy?
Bulldog gravy is a very basic sauce. It's made by mixing cooking fat (like from bacon or sausage) with flour. Then, milk is slowly stirred in until it thickens. Sometimes, people used water instead of milk if they didn't have any.
A common recipe used about 1/4 cup of meat drippings. This was mixed with 1/4 cup of flour. Then, 2 cups of milk were added. This made a simple gravy.
Why Was it Eaten?
People ate bulldog gravy because it was very cheap to make. During the Great Depression (a time in the 1930s when many people lost their jobs and money), food was hard to get. Families needed meals that would fill them up without costing much.
This gravy was often eaten with beans. It was also poured over a "water sandwich". A water sandwich was just bread soaked in lard and water. It helped make a small amount of food feel like a bigger meal.
Other Names and Similar Foods
These simple dishes were common even before the Great Depression. Poor families often ate them, especially before World War I.
Monkey Gravy in the Midwest
In the Midwest, bulldog gravy was sometimes called "Monkey Gravy". Interestingly, this version was often made without any fat at all. It was just flour and milk or water.
Lard Sandwiches
"Lard Sandwiches" were another common food. These were slices of bread spread with lard. If eaten with beans, they were often "open face" (like a piece of toast). For school lunches, kids might have a "closed" lard sandwich.
Soaking bread in water and lard was not as common in the Midwest. For a sweet treat, people might sprinkle sugar on an open-face lard sandwich.
