How to Make Sausage Gravy: A Step-by-Step Guide

Gather Ingredients and Tools
Before starting to make sausage gravy, it’s important to gather all the necessary ingredients and tools. Here’s a list of what you’ll need:
- 1 lb ground breakfast sausage
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Large skillet or saucepan
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
Make sure you have everything on hand before starting to cook. This will make the process smoother and easier, and ensure you don’t forget any key ingredients. Once you have everything, you’re ready to move on to the next step: cooking the sausage and making the roux.
Cook Sausage and Make Roux
To make sausage gravy, you’ll first need to cook the sausage and make a roux. Here’s how:
Heat a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, until browned and crispy, about 8-10 minutes.
Remove the sausage from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a plate. Leave the rendered fat in the skillet.
Add the flour to the skillet and whisk it into the fat until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture turns a light brown color. This is the roux.
Add the cooked sausage back to the skillet and stir it into the roux until well combined.
Now that you’ve made the roux, it’s time to add the milk and seasonings to create the gravy.
Add Milk and Seasonings
After making the roux and adding the cooked sausage back to the skillet, it’s time to add the milk and seasonings to create the gravy. Here’s how:
Pour 3 cups of whole milk into the skillet and whisk it into the sausage and roux mixture until well combined.
Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder to the skillet. Whisk the seasonings into the gravy until well combined.
Continue to whisk the gravy over medium-high heat until it comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let the gravy cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes or until it thickens to your desired consistency.
You can adjust the seasonings to taste, adding more salt, pepper, garlic powder, or onion powder as needed. Once the gravy has thickened to your liking, it’s ready to serve!
Simmer and Thicken Gravy
Once you’ve added the milk and seasonings to the skillet, it’s time to let the gravy simmer and thicken. Here’s how:
Whisk the gravy over medium-high heat until it comes to a simmer. Then, reduce the heat to low and let the gravy cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes.
As the gravy simmers, it will begin to thicken. If you find that it’s not thickening as much as you’d like, you can add a little more flour to the skillet and whisk it in until smooth.
Keep whisking and simmering the gravy until it reaches your desired consistency. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Remember that the gravy will continue to thicken as it cools, so don’t worry if it seems a little thin while still in the skillet. Once it’s reached the desired consistency, it’s ready to serve!
Serve and Enjoy Your Delicious Sausage Gravy!
Now that you’ve made your delicious sausage gravy, it’s time to serve and enjoy it. Here’s how:
Ladle the sausage gravy into a serving dish or over your favorite breakfast foods, such as biscuits, toast, or fried eggs.
Garnish the gravy with fresh herbs, such as parsley or chives, if desired.
Serve the gravy immediately while it’s still warm and creamy.
Leftover gravy can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply warm it in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until heated through.
Now that you know how to make sausage gravy, it’s a great addition to any breakfast or brunch menu. Enjoy!