Southern-Style Sausage Gravy

Sausage gravy, a Southern staple, has been a Huggins family favorite for generations. No true Southern breakfast is complete without buttery biscuits smothered in creamy sausage gravy. The sage sausage pays homage to my grandma Lena — a true Southern lady who loved using sage in her cooking. I learned to make this gravy watching my mom prepare it time and time again in our family kitchen in Southern California. I may just be superstitious, but I swear the gravy tastes best when it’s made in my favorite cast iron pan!

Ingredients

• 1 lb sage breakfast sausage
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter
• ½ cup flour, lightly mounded
• 4–6 cups whole milk, divided (start with 4 cups and add more to adjust thickness)
• salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper or white pepper, to taste

Directions

Cook the Sausage:

In a large skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned and crumbled, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. When fully cooked, push the sausage to one side of the pan, leaving the drippings in the skillet.

Make the Roux:

Add the butter to the sausage drippings and let it melt completely. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and drippings, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste. Cook the roux for 2–4 minutes, stirring continuously, until it turns a pale blond color and smells lightly nutty. Do not let it brown.

Add the Milk:

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Slowly pour in about 6 cups of the milk while whisking or stirring constantly, scraping along the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching (especially when using cast iron). Continue to cook and stir until the gravy thickens and begins to gently bubble.

Finish and Season:

Stir the cooked sausage back into the thickened gravy. If the gravy is thicker than you prefer, add additional milk ½ cup at a time, stirring well heating after each addition, until it reaches your desired consistency—smooth, creamy, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon while still pouring easily.

Season with salt to taste and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper or white pepper. Traditional Southern-style gravy is fairly pepper-forward, so don’t be shy unless you prefer it milder.

Serve:

Serve hot over warm buttermilk biscuits. This gravy is also excellent with fried eggs, soft-scrambled eggs, or grated boiled eggs alongside your biscuits.

Notes

Preparation

• Milk scorches easily, especially in cast iron. Once the milk is added, keep the heat at medium-low and stir frequently, scraping along the bottom of the pan.
• A pale blond roux (2–4 minutes of cooking) helps remove any raw flour taste while keeping the gravy light in color and flavor.
• The gravy will continue to thicken as it sits off heat. If it becomes too thick, gently rewarm and whisk in a little extra milk until it loosens to your preferred consistency.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve over hot buttermilk biscuits for a classic Southern breakfast.
• Pair with fried eggs, soft-scrambled eggs, or grated boiled eggs for added protein and richness.
• Try serving with hash browns, breakfast potatoes, or over toasted bread when biscuits aren’t available.

Variations

• Add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce to the gravy for deeper savoriness.
• Stir in a dash of your favorite hot sauce (such as Crystal or Tabasco) for gentle heat that complements the sage and sausage.
• If your sausage is not very sage-forward, add a tiny pinch of rubbed sage toward the end of cooking, tasting as you go to avoid overpowering the gravy.
• Use white pepper instead of black pepper if you prefer a smoother look while keeping a robust, peppery flavor.

Make-Ahead & Storage

• Sausage gravy can be made up to 2 days in advance and cooled completely before refrigerating in an airtight container.
• Reheat gently over low heat, adding a splash of milk as needed to loosen the gravy back to a smooth, creamy consistency.
• For food safety, avoid leaving the gravy at room temperature for extended periods; promptly refrigerate leftovers.