Sausage Gravy Recipe

Sausage Gravy

1. 1

   Cook the sausage

   Place a large skillet (10–12 inch) over medium heat. Add the bulk sausage to the dry skillet. Break the sausage into small pieces with a spatula and cook, stirring and turning, until browned and no pink remains, about 6–8 minutes. As it cooks, press and crumble the meat to create small crumbles. If the sausage releases a lot of fat, pour off and reserve 1–2 tablespoons of fat in the pan; discard excess (or save for another use).

2. 2

   Add butter (if needed)

   If the pan has less than about 1–2 tablespoons of fat after draining, add the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the skillet and let it melt over medium heat. If the sausage left enough fat, you can skip the butter or add only part of it for richer flavor.

3. 3

   Make the roux

   Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle the all-purpose flour evenly over the cooked sausage and fat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon or spatula to coat the sausage and fat with flour, cooking for 1½ to 2 minutes. The mixture should become pasty and smell slightly toasty (this cooks out the raw flour taste). Do not let the flour brown heavily; keep it a light golden color.

4. 4

   Add milk and broth gradually

   Slowly pour in 1 cup of the milk while stirring to loosen the roux, then continue adding the remaining milk in a steady stream while stirring to avoid lumps. If you want a thinner gravy, add up to 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth in place of up to 1 cup of the milk (add it now). Stir constantly until the mixture is smooth.

5. 5

   Simmer and thicken

   Increase heat to medium and bring the gravy to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. The gravy will thicken as it heats; simmer for 4–6 minutes until it reaches the desired thickness. If it becomes too thick, thin with additional milk or broth, 2 tablespoons at a time, until you reach the consistency you prefer.

6. 6

   Season

   Season the gravy with 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and the optional 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more salt or pepper if needed. Because sausage can be salty, add salt sparingly and taste first.

7. 7

   Finish and serve

   Once seasoned and at the desired thickness, remove from heat. If you used whole sausage pieces and prefer a smoother texture, gently mash with the back of a spoon. Spoon the sausage gravy over warm biscuits, fried potatoes, or toast. Garnish with the optional chopped parsley before serving.

8. 8

   Make-ahead and reheating

   To store, cool gravy to room temperature, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or in a saucepan, stirring and adding a splash of milk to loosen if needed. For longer storage, freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.