Description
A rich and comforting Southern-inspired sausage gravy made with browned breakfast sausage, a simple flour roux, whole milk, and plenty of black pepper. Serve it hot over flaky biscuits for a hearty homemade breakfast.
Ingredients
1 pound (450 g) breakfast sausage, mild or spicy
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, cold or room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breakfast sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, breaking it into crumbles, until completely browned with no pink remaining.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the cooked sausage and stir thoroughly to coat the sausage and combine the flour with the rendered fat.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, to remove the raw flour taste.
- Slowly pour in the milk while stirring constantly, scraping any flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
- Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the gravy is thick and creamy.
- If the gravy becomes too thick, stir in a small splash of additional milk until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the crushed red pepper flakes if using.
- Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed.
- Serve the sausage gravy hot, generously spooned over warm biscuits.
Notes
Keep the rendered sausage fat in the skillet because it combines with the flour to form the flavorful roux.
For spicier gravy, use hot breakfast sausage, add crushed red pepper flakes, or increase the black pepper.
For thinner gravy, add a little extra milk. For thicker gravy, simmer for another minute or two while stirring.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding small splashes of milk as needed to restore the creamy consistency.
Serve over warm biscuits and pair with eggs or other favorite breakfast dishes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of gravy
- Calories: 385 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
