It’s one of those hearty, stick-to-your-ribs kinda things that just gets you going in the morning. For me, it just tastes like home.
And my super quick and easy method doesn’t require any draining and it all cooks in one skillet – making it a cinch to make.
A few things to keep in mind:
This recipe uses a pound of bulk breakfast pork sausage. You know the kind in the plastic tube thing? We like to use the mild sausage since we never know who might show up at the breakfast table, but the hot sausage works just as well. In fact, it adds even more flavor to the gravy.
You can use bulk turkey sausage here, but it won’t render out enough fat to make the gravy. So you’ll need to add about 3 tablespoons of butter to the sausage as it cooks.
As you’re browning the sausage – you need to actually get some brown color on it. Don’t just cook it through. Let it sit still in the pan some so it can get some of those browned bits on it. That adds tons of flavor.
To make the gravy, we need to make a roux. And being that we’ve got all that fat rendered out of the sausage, we’ve got a head start. There’s no need to spoon the sausage out or drain the grease away. Simply sprinkle the flour right over the sausage and grease right in the pan. Then stir, stir, stir. We need to cook the flour a bit without letting it brown. This usually takes 2 to 3 minutes.
Next, you’ll gradually add in the milk, stirring well after each addition. Some folks like a thick gravy, so using about 2 cups of milk will be enough. Others like it thinner, so you can add up to 1/2 cup (or more) to the gravy to get it thinner. I like to use whole milk here, but 2% or skim will work in a pinch.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow the gravy to thicken.
When it comes time to season, a little salt may be necessary depending on the amount of salt in your sausage. Black pepper is a must, for me, so I’m pretty generous with it. Again, this is a personal preference, so add it until it tastes right to you.
Now, the gravy will thicken even more as it sits, so feel free to stir in a little more milk to thin it out if it starts getting too thick.
There you have it! You just made sausage gravy!! Grab the biscuits and enjoy!
Recipe Card
Sausage Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 pound bulk ground pork breakfast sausage (mild or hot)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups milk
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, crumble and brown the sausage. Don't just cook it, but actually allow it to brown some. It adds flavor. Do not drain the grease away.
- Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add the milk, stirring well after each addition. Reduce to a simmer and allow the gravy to thicken, stirring frequently. For thicker gravy, add about 2 cups total. For thinner gravy, add more milk. Add salt and lots of black pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
This was SO good and so easy to make! I always thought gravy was difficult to make but this recipe was easy peasy and delicious!!
Thank you so much Sarah!
Well, lemme jump on this bandwagon! My thing is I’ve recently got into cast iron cooking and learning how to season these skillets. Mom left me few I remember her using almost exclusively. I googled a couple other skillet gravy recipes that said to drain the fat? Well, knew that ain’t right. Low and behold, I landed on southerbite.com. This recipe is exquisite in its simplicity. I used spicy sausage, whole milk and as another suggested, just a dash of onion powder. It was creamy, spicy, sweet and my skillet loved it as well. Thank you for sharing this.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I always add about a teaspoon of onion powder and it takes it to the next level.
Sounds great!
Such a sensible recipe.
I like using tube sausage with added sage. Brightens up the flavor for sure.
A pure white gravy is tasteless. You are spot on letting the roux develop before adding milk.
Outstanding read…
Thanks, Eddmo!
I want to make this for a group, can I put it in a crockpot to keep it warm? How will it effect it thickening? Should I make it thinner so when it’s ready to be served it’s not too thick? Or will keeping it with low heat keep it thin enough to spread?
As it stands, it will get thicker. I’d make it pretty thin to start, but also keep some milk on-hand to thin it out as needed.
I made this today and it is the best sausage gravy I ever made! Thank you Stacey!
Awesome!! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it!!
I’ll preface this by saying that I’m not originally from the US and grew up in NYC, so traditional US country and southern fare is about as foreign to me as tarantula shish kebabs would be to a typical westerner (myself included). My hubby, on the other hand, was born and raised in the rural Midwest, and absolutely loves – LOVES – biscuits and gravy. In fact, he loves it so much that if ever we do go out for breakfast, this is what he gets from the menu 9 times out of 10 (the 10th being solely due to a subjective evaluation of the type of establishment we’re at or the time of day). I occasionally sample his whenever he orders it, but can’t say that I’ve ever found the dish appetizing enough to order one for myself.
So… on the account of it being Wednesday before Thanksgiving in COVID lockdown, I braved my first ever attempt at serving country gravy (using this recipe) over SugarSpunRun’s biscuits (https://sugarspunrun.com/easy-homemade-biscuits/). Of course, in keeping true to my style in the kitchen, I couldn’t help but doctor up the gravy just a smidge by adding about a tablespoon of bacon grease and about a teaspoon of rubbed sage (my breakfast sausage was already sage flavored, but the gravy just wasn’t quite sagey enough for my liking).
And oh boy, did this turn out mmmm-mmmm plate-licking good! Hubby declared me the designated deer camp cook, should women be allowed to join, LOL. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing this mind-blowingly easy and delicious recipe!
As for all you folks balking at the use of Italian sausage or doctoring up the recipe with “non-traditional” ingredients (or am I thinking of a different blog?), I’ll tell you this:
Follow the same exact recipe steps as this gravy, except replace the sausage with a mixture of ground beef, diced onion, and sliced mushrooms all sautéed and browned together, strain out the grease, increase the liquid to 3 cups or decrease the flour to 2 Tbsp, add about 1.5 Tbsp of ketchup and 1 bay leaf, and simmer everything uncovered for 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture gets to the consistency of slightly thick turkey gravy and no longer tastes like raw ketchup straight out of the bottle. I find that a combination of water and cream works better than straight milk if simmering everything together, or else simmer in some broth or water and add 1-2 Tbsp of plain yogurt or sour cream right after removing the pan from the heat. Salt and pepper to taste and serve over your favorite noodles, sprinkled with something green, like dill or parsley. I promise, it makes the most delicious, budget-friendly 30-minute weeknight beef stroganoff-esque dinner you’ll be making again and again.
Ha! I can’t love this comment enough, Larissa! So glad that y’all enjoyed it!! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Made this morning with OGB. Oh my! Was absolutely delicious. We sure did enjoy..
Love the website..????
Thanks, Melodie! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed both of them!! 🙂
I make sausage gravy the same way…I make the biscuits first so they will be done about same time.i love boiled pot…then sliced and fried in butter,scrambled eggs with cheese,and fried mush with sausage gravy poured over…all these things I named off is a great meal anytime of day.
Yum! That sounds amazing!
This recipe is the way I’ve been making my sausage gravy for over 50 years. I have always get a nice brown crust on most of the sausage. I never drain, but occasionally there won’t be enough fat and I may need to add a bit of butter. Like this recipe states, stir the flour right in with the meat. When you’re ready to add the milk, one way to add extra richness to the gravy is to use evaporated milk, such as Carnation. If the gravy gets too thick, it can always be thinned down some by adding water or regular milk.
Like you stated, I like to spoon some over my scrambled eggs and, of course, homemade biscuits!
Thanks for sharing your tips, Carolyn!
Breakfast or dinner once a month minimum, for last 25+ years! I sometimes crave it enough to have it 3-4 times! And make it this exact way, although I do merely cook it through, good either way. I also HAVE to have sausage from “down on the farm!” But it really is simple. And soooo delicious!
We sure love breakfast for dinner!
Love me some Biscuits and gravy, and we like all the kinds sausage, tomato, chocolate. We only ever got the chocolate on special occasions, like Christmas morning and such. I still make sausage gravy and biscuits for weekends or at harvest. It makes a wonderful breakfast or supper after a long days work, and it really hangs with you. Grandma would always make it to go along with the big breakfast she took to the field to feed everyone that came to help with harvest. Love all of your recipes and the memories they bring back!!
Thanks so much, Cindy!!
We live in “Southern” Il which has a lot of great country, Southern cooks. My dear Mother made sausage gravy just as you describe above and you are right, it is home. Thank you for sharing your recipe and story with us and for the memories that came with it. Your photos look like you took pictures of the food she cooked, iron skillet and all!
That’s quite a compliment! Thanks, Vickie!
I’ve been making peppered sausage gravy with biscuits for what seems like ages. If I don’t use the hot sausage I will add some crushed pepper flakes for just a little kick. In winter months will fix this for supper with grits and or potatoes and eggs too. Didn’t grow up eating this but after moving to the deep south, I’ve enjoyed cooking and eating this a lot.
My late husband used to make a peppered gravy using dried beef to have with biscuits or sometimes just toast.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
I grew up on sausage gravy and biscuits, too. ???? Sometimes I make breakfast for dinner and this is always a quick, yummy go to. I just can’t understand why people would buy the jarred gravy when this is so easy and good. ????♀️
It is pretty easy, right?? We’re big fans of breakfast for supper at our house!
You should try it with evaporated milk. It adds a smooth richness. I only use evaperated milk in my white gravys.
And yes scrambled eggs are a yummy add in.
Hubby looks at me like i lost my mind when i do this on my plate. Dont knock it till you tried it.
Told that to my oldest when he was a kid about cornbread and milk, now he loves that stuff
Any time we have sausage gravy, I almost always put some over my scrambled eggs, so I’m right there with you. And I do love using evaporated milk. You’re right, it makes it so creamy and smooth.
Evaporated milk is all I use, and you’re right, the best flavor and richness.
Mercy me, this sounds so good to me. I will add the hot sausage to my grocery list. Thanks for sharing.