This sausage gravy is full of flavor and hearty in texture, with chunks of sausage in a creamy, peppery gravy.
Granny's Southern Sausage Gravy Recipe
Sausage gravy is a southern favorite breakfast dish that my family has enjoyed for years. It started with my mother, then my children, and now the grandchildren just gobble this stuff up.
This creamy gravy, poured over biscuits or even toast, makes for a hearty breakfast. Many of my childhood memories are linked to my Mother preparing food, and this breakfast item is no different.
You may think that this Sausage Gravy and Old Fashioned Buttered Toastare difficult to make, but you couldn't be more wrong. This sausage gravy is made with ground sausage, flour, milk, and simple seasonings. The buttered toast is simply bread and butter. How easy is that?
I know. You are asking, "What is old fashioned about buttered toast?" Back in my childhood, there was no such thing as spreadable butter or margarine.
Margarine was the butter of choice. We mostly used margarine and even called it butter. If you used butter in a recipe, you would affectionately call it "real butter." Isn't that funny?
Actually, today, that is what I use in all my recipes, including this toast. I remember the only way you could even buy margarine was in sticks or a block, sometimes called oleo.
Mother would make toast by cutting pats of margarine and placing four of them on a slice of white bread in each corner (as shown in the photo). Talking about white bread.
As I can remember, that is all we could buy, and my Father called it "light" bread.
Ok. Back to the toast— then she would place the slices on a baking sheet and put them under the broiler in the oven to toast. Remember making toast this way?
I know some of you might think making gravy is difficult, but you will find this recipe easy and very forgiving. The best part is that you can reheat leftovers in a pan and add a little more milk to thin out the gravy, elevating it for another meal.
I hope you enjoy making Sausage Gravy, and more likely, you will eat it over biscuits. However, I also hope you try it with buttered toast.
Enjoy!
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE? TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR SAUSAGE GRAVY
Below, under the next heading, I provide a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for Sausage gravy, as well as similar recipe ideas you can try.
Or, you can scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with amounts of the ingredients and complete instructions with notes.
TIPS AND TIPS FOR THE BEST SAUSAGE GRAVY
Sausage. Pork bulk sausage is a classic choice. However, you can also use turkey or chicken sausage, as well as a family favorite, venison sausage.
Don't drain the grease. Leave the sausage drippings in the pan, as they are crucial for creating the flour-based roux for the gravy.
Brown the sausage. Allow the sausage to develop some brown color during cooking, as this adds flavor to the gravy.
Cook the flour before adding the milk. Cook and stir the flour and sausage grease mixture for a minute or two to eliminate the raw flour taste.
Consider adding butter. If using leaner sausage, such as turkey, add 2-3 tablespoons of butter or oil to compensate for the lack of rich flavor.
Gradually add the milk. Pour in the milk slowly, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming. The key to preventing lumps is to keep whisking until the gravy is finished cooking.
Use whole milk for richness. Whole milk provides the best consistency and adds more fat and flavor.
Cook until the desired thickness is reached. The gravy will thicken as it simmers, so cook until it reaches your preferred consistency. Start off with 2 cups for a thicker gravy and more for a thinner consistency.
Gravy will continue to thicken. Keep in mind that the gravy will continue to thicken as it sits and cools, so you can add a splash of milk when reheating.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE SAUSAGE GRAVY
Reserved grease from cooked sausage patties
Flour
Butter if the sausage is lean
Whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste
White bread
Butter (or margarine), cut into pats
HOW TO PREPARE SAUSAGE GRAVY
In a large, heavy-gauge skillet or cast-iron skillet, add the sausage and break it up into small crumbles while cooking. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink and is done.
Remove the crumbled sausage from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels. Reduce heat to medium-low.
If the pork sausage is real lean and there is not at least 2 tablespoons of grease in the skillet, add a tablespoon of butter at a time to reach 3 tablespoons of grease in the skillet before adding the flour.
Add flour to the reserved grease, constantly stirring with a wire whisk until well incorporated into the grease and lightly browned.
Add 2 cups of milk and stir constantly with a wire whisk, simmering until the gravy has thickened. If the gravy becomes too thick, add the remaining milk to achieve the desired consistency.
Add crumbled sausage and stir in until well incorporated.
Serve warm over biscuits or toast.
To make the toast, lay each slice of bread on a sheet pan. Cut pats of butter and place a pat in each corner of the bread.
Toast under the broiler in the oven.
Remove the crumbled sausage from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain it on paper towels. Reduce heat to medium-low.
If the pork sausage is real lean and there is not at least 2 tablespoons of grease in the skillet, add a tablespoon of butter at a time to reach 3 tablespoons of grease in the skillet before adding the flour.
Add flour to the reserved grease, constantly stirring with a wire whisk until well incorporated into the grease and lightly browned.
Add 2 cups of milk and stir constantly with a wire whisk, simmering until the gravy has thickened. If the gravy becomes too thick, add the remaining milk to achieve the desired consistency.
Add crumbled sausage and stir in until well incorporated.
Serve warm over biscuits or toast.
To make the toast, lay each slice of bread on a sheet pan. Cut pats of butter and place a pat in each corner of the bread.
Toast under the broiler in the oven.
Yes, M'AM, this is good eatin'! Nothing better than homemade sausage and gravy. Yes, I love when you run across an older recipe that calls for oleo. And you'd put it in the "icebox". Some people put theirs in the "Frigidaire", regardless of what brand it was. We didn't make toast under the broiler, we had a little counter top toaster that had a tray that you slid in and out. It held 4 slices of light bread. ;)
ReplyDeleteThis was fun, Kay, and your photography is so pretty and cheery! :)
Thank you Joy…have a great weekend!
DeleteGrowing up we always made our toast this way, and I still prefer this to the toaster toast.We also called it "light bread". How funny to see your memories are also somebody elses' memories! Love it! We also put our oleo in the "icebox"! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by…yes, that is another one "icebox"!
DeleteI love this recipe! Sausage gravy is one of my favorites! =)
ReplyDeleteI've never had sausage gravy, but this looks too good to resist!
ReplyDeleteYuuuumy! Comforting winter breakfast food. I love sausage gravy, but I've only eaten it with biscuits. Your toast looks so buttery and delicious though!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Leslie
What a beautiful tutorial for this lovely and simple recipe. I've never made toast like that, but you can be sure I'm gonna have to try it! Thanks so much Friend for linking up at Weekend Potluck. We love your amazing recipes. Please come back soon.
ReplyDeleteWould be nice to have a printable copy
ReplyDelete