‘Gravy Boys’ have been stirring up Cajun cuisine and culture since college

Cajun cuisine is pretty mainstream, with gumbo, jambalaya, and bread pudding on restaurant menus across the country.

But gravy remains a hidden gem in Louisiana. And the Gravy Boys, eight close friends from college, are dedicated to perfecting the dish and preserving its cultural heritage.

The story of the Gravy Boys technically begins in the 1700s, when the Cajuns first arrived in Louisiana.

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“They got kicked out of France. They got kicked out of Nova Scotia. They ended up here,” Sullivan Zandt, one of the Gravy Boys, said in a Zoom interview with Fox News Digital. (See the video at the top of this article.)

Zandt is executive chef at restaurant Vestal in Lafayette, Louisiana.

According to Zandt, the Cajuns were “a people with a lot of resources, but never a lot of money. Gravy, for lack of a better word, was made with jambalaya and many other dishes that were popular throughout Cajun cuisine. It is food for people who are “poor.'' ”

According to Zandt, gravy “takes in a little bit of meat and a little bit of veggies to fortify it, so it's not just nutrients. [make them] filling. ”

“So it's essentially made up of some kind of protein, typically the Cajun holy trinity of onions, bell peppers, and celery, and most often, but not always, rice. It will be served on top of it.''

“Gravy Thursday was born from the ashes of Taco Tuesday.”

The Gravy Boys met at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The group started a tradition of holding a gravy party every Thursday.

“From the ashes of 'Taco Tuesday,' Gravy Thursday was born,” Zandt said with a laugh.

These parties drew large crowds, and the group used them as an opportunity to hone their culinary skills. They now have custom denim jackets, and some of the Gravy Boys compete together in a Cajun cooking contest.

In addition to Zandt, the Gravy Boys include Trey Delcambre, Tanner Dimick, Samuel Frazier, Jakab Gibson, Jordon Connow, Joshua Mata and Derick Savoie. Dimmick had recently married, and the other Gravy Boys served as his chaperones.

The Gravy Boys have remained close for years since their college days, and he recently served as a groomsman at member Tanner Dimick's wedding. From left to right: Derrick Savoie, Jakab Gibson, Joshua Mata, Dimmick, Trey Delcambre, Sullivan Zandt, Jordon Connow. Not pictured: Samuel Frazier. (Joseph Vidrine)

Most of the Gravy Boys grew up eating Cajun food, Mata, “the self-proclaimed CEO of Gravy Thursday,” told Fox News Digital.

“At least rice and gravy has always been part of my diet,” he says.

Delcambre remembers watching her grandmother make gravy and other Cajun dishes.

“This is just something that we grew up watching and watching and observing our families do,” he told FOX News Digital.

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For Gravy Boys, gravy is more than just a way to get delicious food to the masses at a relatively low price. It's a way to preserve their culture, friendships, and the community they've built.

“One of our good friends, who is also a very successful and great musician around here, likes to stop in the middle of a show and yell in the middle of it, 'If you're not living your culture, You’re killing it,” Zandt said.

“And that's what really resonated with me right now, and I think it's the same for all of us. That's really all we do.”

“If you're not living your culture, you're killing it.”

Zandt says Cajun culture is “unique and obviously something very special to us,” but insists “I'm not in control of it.”

He said, “We just want you to come and meet us and have a good time together. That way you can break down walls and really get to know someone.'' Every time we sit down and eat bread together.'' ”

Zandt said they can “in doing so find more common ground than almost anything else. And that's very important to what we do and why we do it.” I think so,” he said.

The Gravy Boys shared a basic gravy recipe with Fox News Digital for those looking to start their own tradition.

According to Zandt, one of the gravy boys, gravy began as an easy and delicious way to make hearty dishes at a relatively low cost. (Joshua Mata)

Part of the appeal of gravy is that there is no official recipe. The selection of meats, seasonings, vegetables, and cooking times differs for each chef and is primarily based on personal preference and what is available at the time of cooking.

Gravy Boys says this recipe is a guideline and is meant to be adjusted.

Gravy Boys Basic Gravy Recipe

material

Cheap cuts of meat (7-bone steaks, pork chops, “anything on sale”)

Cajun spice mix (salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, desired amount)

vegetable oil

Beer, wine, or water (for deglazing)

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1 onion

1 green pepper

1 bunch of celery

Dashi (chicken, beef, or even water if you have it)

Long grain rice (for cooking)

Gravy is best made with whatever cheap cuts of meat you can get your hands on, says Gravy Boys. (Joshua Mata)

direction

1. Pat dry meat and season with Cajun spice mix. Chop your favorite vegetables such as onions, peppers, and celery.

2. Heat a pot (preferably a cast iron Dutch oven) over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the seasoned meat and sear for about 4-5 minutes on each side. “Then you'll have delicious fondue.”

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3. Once browned, remove the meat and deglaze it in a saucepan with “beer, wine, water, or whatever you have on hand,” then scrape off the foam.

4. Add vegetables to pot and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Add additional seasonings if desired.

5. Add enough stock (or water) to cover the entire meat. When it boils, return the meat to the pot and simmer over low heat. Cover the pot.

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6. Simmer for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. After that, remove the lid and reduce the gravy.

7. Once the meat is tender, serve over long grain rice.