Sausage gravy and flaky buttermilk biscuits are the best breakfast out there – fight me!
I still remember the first time I had sausage gravy. It was a revelation: creamy, thick super savory gravy studded with bits of well browned breakfast sausage smothering the perfect biscuit. It was at Pine State Biscuits in Portland way back when they first opened. I was absolutely hooked. From then on, it was sausage gravy or nothing.
As someone who didn’t grow up in the South, I don’t have a family recipe. I didn’t grow up eating it and I’m not set in my sausage gravy ways. In my eyes, this is a good thing. I’ve been able to try countless sausage gravies throughout my adult life without being blinded by a childhood ideal of what it should be. I’m an impartial judge without any biases on whether it should contain milk or cream or bacon fat or cayenne pepper. I just want my gravy to taste good. After countless tests, this is my best sausage gravy. I think you’ll like it too!
What is sausage gravy
Sausage gravy is a traditional Southern American breakfast dish, typically served with biscuits. First, pork sausage is browned, then mixed with flour to create a roux. The cooked roux and sausage combine with milk to make a thick, pourable gravy that’s usually seasoned with lots of freshly ground black pepper, and that’s it! Sausage gravy usually comes with flaky buttermilk biscuits.
How to make sausage gravy
This is one of the easiest gravies to make!
- Brown the sausage. Remove the breakfast sausage from the casing and brown in a skillet over medium high heat, breaking up the pieces into small bits.
- Add a bit of fat. Melt butter into the cooked sausage.
- Make a roux. Sprinkle on flour and stir, cooking the flour with the sausage fat and butter into a roux, which will thicken the gravy.
- Stir in milk. While whisking, slowly stir in the milk.
- Thicken. Let the gravy bubble and thicken.
- Enjoy. Season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and enjoy!
Best sausages to use
Sausage gravy is typically made from breakfast sausage, which is fresh ground pork mixed with herbs and spices. Breakfast sausage comes in links, patties, or even loose.
Besides your standard breakfast sausage seasoned with salt, black pepper, and sage, they also come in a multitude of flavors, including maple syrup, brown sugar, and spicy. You can go ahead and buy your favorite breakfast sausage from the store or you can make your own breakfast sausage mix using ground pork and spices.
Can you make your own sausage
Yes! All you need to do is brown 1 lb of ground pork with 1 tbsp fresh chopped sage, 1 tsp fresh chopped thyme, 1 tsp crushed fennel seeds, and a pinch of nutmeg. Season to to taste with salt and pepper. If you like your breakfast sausage sweet, add a drizzle of maple syrup or a bit of brown sugar.
Milk or cream
I like using milk but lots of people use cream or a mix of milk and cream. I find using cream makes the gravy a bit too thick and rich. The perfect sausage gravy isn’t too thick and whole milk is the best choice!
Tips for the best sausage gravy
- Use a potato masher to crumble up the sausage into small bits as it cooks.
- You don’t have to buy sausage, you can make your own!
- Whole milk is going to give you the creamiest, most luxurious gravy.
- You can make it ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. To reheat, simply warm over medium on the stove in a pan, loosening with a splash of milk, if needed.
- Freshly cracked black pepper is absolutely needed, it adds that spicy, fresh aroma that is crucial to sausage gravy.
- Try some crispy fresh sage leaves to really amp up the flavor.
Pairings
- Biscuits of course!
- If you’ve ever tried steak with this, you know it’s amazing
- Mashed potatoes smothered with gravy is out of this world
- For a sweet-n-savory combo, try it on french toast with a drizzle of maple syrup – SO GOOD.
And if you’re wondering what to serve with biscuits and gravy, I’ve got you:
- Twisted bacon – try it, you’ll never eat bacon any other way
- Crispy fried eggs because what is breakfast if you don’t have eggs
- The best roastie potatoes so you can pour gravy on them
Sausage Gravy
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Ingredients
- 1 lb breakfast sausage
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 1/4 cup whole milk
Instructions
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Remove the breakfast sausage from the casing and brown in a skillet over medium high heat, until browned and cooked through. Use a potato masher or a wooden spoon to break it up into little pieces. When the sausage is brown, melt the butter into the sausage then evenly sprinkle on the flour, garlic powder, and onion powder.
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Stir in the flour and spices and cook over medium heat, until the flour is lightly toasted and cooked through 1-2 minutes.
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Slowly stream in the milk while whisking and let come to a simmer to thicken. When thick, season with plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
Heat up a bit of oil or butter over medium heat and add whole sage leaves and fry, flipping as needed, until crisp, 15-20 seconds depending on size. Crumble into your sausage gravy or serve whole on top.
Estimated Nutrition
Calories from Fat 356
