Sausage Gravy

[MadTripper]

This may be considered pretty basic but I have more people ask me how I make it than I can remember. I lived in Texas for a short period and love the white gravy found in that area and all over the south. I was 15 at the time and always loved to cook. After I got out of the Navy, I lived with my Grandparents for a few months and my Grandma helped me to perfect the recipe I came up with. I feel guilty saying that since it really is the easiest recipe ever. (I have tried several of the instant gravy packs that are sold in local markets and while some of them are decent, I think this one is superior.)

1 to 2 lbs of breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean works however my local market has the best recipe I have found)
1/2 Gal. of milk (whole is what I like but choose what you want)
1/4 cup of flour
1 TBSP Salt (more or less depending on taste)
1 TBSP fresh ground pepper (of course you can use preground pepper but those big chunks of fresh pepper make the asthetics, I use red, green, white and black peppercorns in my grinder)

Using a heavy stock pot, 5 quart or so, fry the sausage up until browned. Turn the heat down a little and add about 3/4 of the milk. Keep in mind that you can add whatever amount of milk you want here. Adjust spices accordingly. Once the milk comes to temperature, look for small bubbles, use a gravy shaker and mix the flour with some of the remaining milk. You can use a bowl and fork to mix if you don't have a shaker although I picked my shaker up free from an auction. Well worth having around. Add the flour/milk mix slowly while stirring the mixture. Add the flour mixture until desired thickness is acheived. Keep in mind that as it cooks, it will continue to thicken and also the leftovers will thicken while cooling in the fridge. Cook on low for at least 8 minutes after you add the flour mixture to break the starches down.

Pour over biscuits, toast or whatever else you might like.

Some thoughts:
Separate a portion of the sausage and milk prior to adding the flour mix for freezing. I've had it last for a month no problem. Just thaw, heat and thicken when the time comes.
Like any other time you are cooking with milk based ingredients, keep the heat as low as possible to achieve your goal. Once you flavor it with burning milk, you can't get it back not to mention the pan becomes much more difficult to clean.


Enjoy!!!

[annabella1]

I make it about the same way except after the sausage is browned I mix the flour in without the milk. The fat in the sausage coats the individual grains of flour and you wont get any flour lumps. Turn the heat low and mix in the milk a cup at a time mixing well after each addition until it is the thickness you want then simmer it on low till the raw taste is gone.

[Penny_Plinker]

I make it the same was as Madtripper but i would also like to try the way Annabelle says as that makes sense, too. I've thickened gravy that way after browning chicken but never thought of doing the same with the sausage gravy. Adding the flour directly to the drippings, that is.

BTW, are we all talking about the same thing here? You serve it over toast and it's called S#!t on the shingle?

Penny

[WileyCoyote]

When you put the flour in with the grease and stir it, making a paste before adding milk or water, it's called a roux, and I've always done it the way Annabella does it... I like to brown the flour a little bit too. The other way always gives it lumps in my pans! LOL

[MadTripper]

BTW, are we all talking about the same thing here? You serve it over toast and it's called S#!t on the shingle?

Basically the same. I was raised thinking that SOS was dried beef gravy on toast but I've heard people refer to most any gravy mixture over toast as SOS. I like the sausage gravy over biscuits when I make it but use the leftovers on toast.

As far as adding the flour to the sausage goes, that does work fine however if you want to freeze any of it, you should add the milk first and then take what you want. Gravy just doesn't freeze well in my opinion. Sure, its edible but more like a jello.

[MYellowRose]

When I was an Army cook in the late '70's we used hamburger in place of the dried shredded beef for the SOS as it was called. About the most popular breakfast we had, barring the made to order omelette's of course.

[Penny_Plinker]

* When I was an Army cook in the late '70's we used hamburger in place of the dried shredded beef for the SOS as it was called. *About the most popular breakfast we had, barring the made to order omelette's of course.

You were an army cook? That must have been ineresting.

I'm a 70's era vet too and do remember Army SOS seemed more hamburger like. Good though.

Penny

[snuffy]

I'm one of the few GI's I know that loved SOS when I was in the Army.
Haven't had it in a loooong time, now I'm getting hungry for some. LOL

Snuffy

[bookwormom]

SOS?-- -- -- - - - -- -- -- ? How things change.

[AlchemyAcres]

Goodlookin' recipe.
I love sawmill gravy and have made it almost every way imaginable....
Making a roux works best for me...it's the easiest and most consistant way I've found...

And, yeah, in this neck of the woods...SOS means chipped beef gravy...or even burger in milk gravy...


~Martin :)