Depending on where you are, gravy can mean different things to different people. For many, it’s the rich brown sauce served alongside poultry. For certain Italian Americans, it’s the word for the tomato sauce that takes half a day to simmer. In this recipe, sausage gravy refers to the thick, white gravy that is most often spooned over one of our favorite weekend breakfasts: biscuits and gravy. While this Southern classic may seem daunting to take on, with our top tips, it couldn’t be easier to master. Here’s everything you need to know:
The best sausage for sausage gravy:
Breakfast sausage is our preferred choice for sausage gravy. It usually doesn’t come in casings, but if it does, remove the casings before cooking. Steer clear of pre-cooked links—you’re looking for raw sausage here. If you can’t find breakfast sausage (or are looking to shake up the flavor profile), sweet Italian sausage is a great alternative.
How to make thick sausage gravy:
After your sausage is cooked in the pan, you’ll use the rendered fat to brown the flour. You might be used to making a roux with flour and butter—this is essentially the same thing. Mix in milk to loosen the gravy and a pinch of cayenne to offset the richness. Unlike the gravy you’d see on a Thanksgiving table, this sauce is lighter in color and much thicker. Sausage fat takes the place of turkey drippings and no stock is added, resulting in a super-thick and luxurious gravy.
Tip: We simmer our gravy until perfectly thick, 5 to 7 minutes. If your gravy still isn’t thick enough after that time, keep letting it simmer until it reaches your desired thickness.
How to serve sausage gravy:
This classic sausage gravy is perfect spooned over our homemade biscuits, but if you’re in a pinch, you can also bake off some canned biscuits (the sausage gravy is really the star of the show here). Looking for other variations? Use it in our biscuits and gravy bake, on top of our buttermilk biscuits, or as a dip for drop biscuits.
Make ahead & storage:
If you want to make this ahead (or if you manage to have leftover gravy), store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat in a saucepan on the stove when ready to serve. If your gravy is thicker than you’d like after reheating, add a bit of milk to loosen it back up.
Made it? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!
Depending on where you are, gravy can mean different things to different people. For many, it’s the rich brown sauce served alongside poultry. For certain Italian Americans, it’s the word for the tomato sauce that takes half a day to simmer. In this recipe, sausage gravy refers to the thick, white gravy that is most often spooned over one of our favorite weekend breakfasts: biscuits and gravy. While this Southern classic may seem daunting to take on, with our top tips, it couldn’t be easier to master. Here’s everything you need to know:
The best sausage for sausage gravy:
Breakfast sausage is our preferred choice for sausage gravy. It usually doesn’t come in casings, but if it does, remove the casings before cooking. Steer clear of pre-cooked links—you’re looking for raw sausage here. If you can’t find breakfast sausage (or are looking to shake up the flavor profile), sweet Italian sausage is a great alternative.
How to make thick sausage gravy:
After your sausage is cooked in the pan, you’ll use the rendered fat to brown the flour. You might be used to making a roux with flour and butter—this is essentially the same thing. Mix in milk to loosen the gravy and a pinch of cayenne to offset the richness. Unlike the gravy you’d see on a Thanksgiving table, this sauce is lighter in color and much thicker. Sausage fat takes the place of turkey drippings and no stock is added, resulting in a super-thick and luxurious gravy.
Tip: We simmer our gravy until perfectly thick, 5 to 7 minutes. If your gravy still isn’t thick enough after that time, keep letting it simmer until it reaches your desired thickness.
How to serve sausage gravy:
This classic sausage gravy is perfect spooned over our homemade biscuits, but if you’re in a pinch, you can also bake off some canned biscuits (the sausage gravy is really the star of the show here). Looking for other variations? Use it in our biscuits and gravy bake, on top of our buttermilk biscuits, or as a dip for drop biscuits.
Make ahead & storage:
If you want to make this ahead (or if you manage to have leftover gravy), store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, and reheat in a saucepan on the stove when ready to serve. If your gravy is thicker than you’d like after reheating, add a bit of milk to loosen it back up.
Made it? Let us know how it went in the comment section below!
- Yields:
-
4
serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 10 mins
- Total Time:
- 30 mins
- Cal/Serv:
- 306
Directions
-
- Step 1
In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Step 2Sprinkle with flour and cook, tossing, until coated, about 1 minute. Add milk, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes; season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Step 3Arrange biscuits on a platter or divide among plates. Ladle gravy over.
- Step 1
Related Video: Homemade Biscuits
