Cracker Barrel Old Timer's Breakfast
A hearty Southern-style breakfast platter inspired by Cracker Barrel: eggs cooked your way, crispy bacon or sausage, creamy stone-ground grits, caramelized fried apples, warm biscuits and rich sawmill gravy.
⏱️ Prep: 10 min🍳 Cook: 20 min
Nutritionper 100 g›
210
Calories
8g
Protein
16g
Carbs
13g
Fat
Ingredients
| 4 | large eggs |
| 2 tablespoons (30 g) | butter |
| to taste | salt and pepper |
| 6 strips | thick-cut bacon |
| 4 | breakfast sausage links or patties (alternative) |
| 1 cup (170 g) | stone-ground grits |
| 4 cups (960 ml) | water |
| 1 teaspoon | salt (for grits) |
| 3 tablespoons (45 g) | butter (for grits) |
| 1/2 cup (55 g) | shredded cheddar cheese (optional) |
| 2 large | Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced |
| 2 tablespoons (30 g) | butter (for apples) |
| 1/4 cup (50 g) | brown sugar |
| 1/2 teaspoon | cinnamon |
| pinch | nutmeg |
| 4 | prepared biscuits (homemade or store-bought) |
| as needed | butter, for serving |
| 1/4 cup (55 g) | bacon drippings or butter (for gravy) |
| 1/4 cup (30 g) | all-purpose flour |
| 2 cups (480 ml) | whole milk |
| 1/2 teaspoon | black pepper |
| to taste | salt, to taste (for gravy) |
Instructions
- Make the grits: Bring water and salt to a boil. Slowly whisk in grits, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in butter and cheese if using. Keep warm.
- Cook the bacon or sausage: In a large skillet, cook bacon until crispy (about 4-5 minutes per side) or sausage until browned and cooked through (about 3-4 minutes per side). Remove and keep warm. Reserve drippings for gravy.
- Make sawmill gravy: In the same skillet with drippings, add flour and whisk over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Gradually add milk while whisking constantly. Cook for 5-7 minutes until thickened. Season with pepper and salt. Keep warm.
- Prepare fried apples: In a separate skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender and caramelized.
- Warm the biscuits: Heat biscuits in a 175°C (350°F) oven for 5 minutes or until warm.
- Cook the eggs: In a clean skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Cook eggs to your preference (fried, scrambled, or over-easy). Season with salt and pepper.
- Assemble the plate: Serve eggs with bacon or sausage, a generous portion of grits, fried apples on the side, and warm biscuits smothered with sawmill gravy.