Homemade Sausage Gravy
Every cook needs a good recipe for Homemade Sausage Gravy and this is the one! With just a few ingredients and a little time, you can have the most flavorful and creamy gravy for your biscuits!
PERFECT FOR BISCUITS AND GRAVY
This recipe for homemade sausage gravy is one that I’ve worked on and perfected over the years and that I think is now absolutely perfect! You can use it for various different recipes such as a breakfast recipe like biscuits and gravy or a lunch/dinner recipe like my S.O.S recipe. Whatever you like to serve your Homemade Sausage Gravy recipe on or with, this is the one that you need! I promise everyone will be begging for more!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ’S):
I like to use hot pork sausage, and trust me, I don’t handle spice well at all so it’s not what I would consider spicy at all. I’ve made it with sage sausage and just regular mild sausage. I find the spicy pork sausage gives it just a little bit of kick to really add flavor but not enough that you need to drink a glass of milk to cool the flames. However, if you want to substitute with your favorite ground sausage or even homemade breakfast sausage – you can.
You can go with any store bought biscuit that you like if you are short on time. However, if you want to make homemade you can go with a traditional Southern Buttermilk Biscuit. I also have a very simple, no biscuit cutter needed, biscuit recipe: Butter Swim Biscuits (a.k.a Butter Dip Biscuits).
There are so few ingredients in this recipe that when you start substituting ingredients, you are less likely to get the best version of this recipe.
Whole milk is the best for this gravy recipe as it makes it nice and thick but if you must you can use any milk that you have (other than skim). But if you are going to go through the trouble of making the best gravy ever, you really need to go with the full fat milk for the best flavor.
This Homemade Sausage Gravy recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it should keep for up to 5 days.
Gravy can also be frozen. Place in a freezer container or a freezer bag after it has cooled and it will keep for up to 3 months.
To reheat from frozen, place in the refrigerator overnight then reheat slowly in a pan or on the stove.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- ground hot pork sausage – please see my FAQ’s above for possible substitutions.
- butter – only real butter here, not margarine.
- all-purpose flour – I am a White Lily flour user (paid affiliate link) but you can use your preferred flour here. It’s not like it is being used in a baked good so any flour will work. I have not tried this with flour substitutes.
- whole milk – I talk about this above – it really should be whole milk if possible.
- salt and pepper – the key to gravy is seasoning it to your preference. I don’t like to give amounts because it must be to taste. I tend to like more salt and pepper than most people so if you are not a pepper lover or you are cutting back on salt, you can add as little or none as you want. Season with a little at first, then taste and continue to add seasoning in small amounts until it is to your liking.
- red pepper flakes – this is optional. If you like it spicier, add more and if you don’t like spice then just leave it out.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SAUSAGE GRAVY:
In a large skillet with deep sides over medium-high heat, add the sausage. Brown and crumble the sausage, stirring occasionally until cooked through and there is no pink left, about 5 minutes. You will not drain the excess grease. Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the butter to the pan. Stir the butter in until it melts.
Next add the flour. Make sure that the flour is soaked up by the fat from the sausage as much as possible before adding milk. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Very slowly stream in the milk while stirring constantly. If you pour the milk in too fast it may form lumps. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until it comes to a simmer and thickens, 3-5 minutes. Make sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pan where the flour mixture may get stuck. Season with the black pepper and pepper flakes if using. Stir them in until combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Serve over your favorite biscuits.
HOW TO STORE:
- This Homemade Sausage Gravy recipe can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator where it should keep for up to 5 days.
- This can also be frozen. Place in a freezer container or a freezer bag after it has cooled and it will keep for up to 3 months.
- To reheat from frozen, place in the refrigerator overnight then reheat slowly in a pan or on the stove.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Homemade Sausage Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground hot pork sausage
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
- salt, to taste
- pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
- biscuits (for serving)
Instructions
- In a large skillet with deep sides, over medium-high heat, add 1 pound ground hot pork sausage. Brown and crumble the sausage, stirring occasionally until cooked through and there is no pink left, about 5 minutes. You will not drain the excess grease.
- Turn the heat to medium-low. Add 1 Tablespoon salted butter to the pan, stir it in to melt.
- Add 1/3 cup all-purpose flour and stir it in so it gets fully absorbed in the fat and covers the sausage. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Very slowly stream in 3 1/2 cups whole milk while stirring constantly. If you pour the milk in too fast it may form lumps. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until it comes to a simmer and thickens, 3-5 minutes.
- Make sure to scrape the bottom and corners of the pan where the flour mixture may get stuck.
- Season with 1 teaspoon black pepper, salt, to taste and a pinch of red pepper flakes (if using) and stir it in. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- Serve over your favorite biscuits.
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Thank you adding the spoon of salted butter makes a great addition! I used pre seasoned flour and wanted to get away from the unknown ingredients. This helped tons with the flavor!
Worked out amazing, added ground black pepper and The Blend seasoning from Kinders. Turned out amazing!!
Truly delicious! I didn’t change a thing! Made it for dinner tonight over my homemade buttermilk biscuits! A big thank you!
Thank you so very much for taking the time time come back and comment. So, so happy you loved this one!
This is a wonderful recipe. It’s one of the few online that I do not find any need to modify a singe ingredient. Make this often just as scribed and it come out perfect every time. If this recipe were a movie scene it would be the one where Anton Ego, the food critic taste Remy’s ratatouille and gets brought back in time to a soothing dish his mom made him after he hurt himself on his bike.
You win best comment award Scott! Ha! I love it – thank you so much!
Yes best comment for sure!! I 2nd the notion that it is one of those memory smells! My son’s favorite dish is this gravy!!
My husband just made me this for today, Mothers Day. Delicious!!
Happy Mother’s Day Denise!
This is how I make mine except I use the Kentucky flour it adds more flavor and I use the sage sausage. But it’s good no matter what.
IT sounds and looks delicious. Reminds me of Dried Beef Gravy. Think I will
try it next week. Happy Mother’s Day to YOU!