Northerner needs to learn how to make Sausage Gravy

[6bg6ga]

Grew up in the midwest and I've never tasted sausage gravy. The other night I made some sausage and figured I'd try to make some sausage gravy. I thickened the drippings in the pan and added some milk just like I have made **** on the shingles in the past. The end result didn't taste too good.

So, how do you make it? or is it just plain tasteless.

[Thundarstick]

It can't be taught, is a birth rite!

[6bg6ga]

Its an acquired taste?

[phonejack]

My wife adds flour to the drippings and heats until the flour starts to turn brown. Then she adds the milk and cooks until desired thickness is obtained. Last, she finely chops some cooked sausage and adds to the gravy. Serve over biscuits.

[6bg6ga]

My wife adds flour to the drippings and heats until the flour starts to turn brown. Then she adds the milk and cooks until desired thickness is obtained. Last, she finely chops some cooked sausage and adds to the gravy. Serve over biscuits.

That is just what I did and there must have been something with the drippings. Had sausage pattys with toasted english muffins covered with gravy.

Maybe I will try some bacon drippings next time for more flavor or maybe asausage with a higher degree of seasonings.

[GhostHawk]

I suspect it is all in the sausage.

Salt and pepper also help, pepper in particular. My wife and I have been discovering that Cavendish greek seasoning adds a nice bit of flavor to foods that have grown tasteless with age. Might try it.

[Biggin]

I guess I'm a little different. I start out with hot bacon grease stir in a handful of flour make a rou then add milk and let it cook. Stir occasionally to keep it from clumping up. Add in the sausage after it starts to cook. Pepper to taste. It's a learned skill u have to pull it off at the right time to keep it from overcooking.

[MyFlatline]

I'm betting the lack of spices. Milk and flour ( think glue ) have little or no taste. A good sausage helps a bunch.

[tinhorn97062]

I guess I'm a little different. I start out with hot bacon grease stir in a handful of flour make a rou then add milk and let it cook. Stir occasionally to keep it from clumping up. Add in the sausage after it starts to cook. Pepper to taste. It's a learned skill u have to pull it off at the right time to keep it from overcooking.

^^^^ Exactly how I make my gravy.

[pworley1]

I don't know how to tell you how to do it, I have never measured anything in the 50+ years that i have been making it, but I will tell you what I do.
First cook good sausage. Pour off all but about three or so table spoons of the grease produced. Using medium low heat add enough self-rising flour to create a thin paste. Be sure to add salt and pepper to this mix. When this mix has become smooth and slightly brown, add a crumbled up sausage and 3 or 4 cups of milk. Continue to cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the mix just begins to bubble. Remove from heat at once and pour into a bowl. enjoy.

[Taylor]

These recipes ain't gonna do you no good if'n ya'll don't know how to make cathead biscuits

[woody1]

It IS Rocket Science and it has to be learned. Review post #8 and think seriously about it. There's your answer. It's all in the spices the sausage either contains or that you must add if using "mild" sausage. A little more salt helps too. As does a little "Uncle Woody's secret seasoning.

[Greg S]

I like butter or bacon fat rue. Salt, pepper and a sprinkle of granulated garlic (1/8-1/4 tsp) for a faint background flavor. Rubbed sage if your sausage is weak in flavor.

[KenH]

toasted english muffins

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Gotta be biscuits!!! and if they're not HOMEMADE, they're not "real" biscuits

[buckwheatpaul]

My wife adds flour to the drippings and heats until the flour starts to turn brown. Then she adds the milk and cooks until desired thickness is obtained. Last, she finely chops some cooked sausage and adds to the gravy. Serve over biscuits.

I make it exactly the same way but I add salt, pepper, and garlic (granulated or powder) plus I use 50/50 milk and water.....to begin I take the flour salt, pepper and garlic and add it to a jar with water or milk to fill the jar 2/3 of the way and shake it up to smooth out the flour prior to pouring into a very warm skillet that still has some grease and the drippings...then you just stir and add water or milk until the gravy is as thick as you like....comes out great.....good luck!

[country gent]

I add salt pepper butter and also some sage to the ground sausage when browning it. then a teaspoon or so of flour and cook fry until it browns some and add milk to desired thickness. A well seasoned cast iron pan makes a difference also. Over biscuts or hash browns its a very filling breakfast.

[popper]

She refuses to make it for me, says it's bad for the heart. But when the SIL comes, he gets some. Humm.

[Thundarstick]

It can't be done with that limp wristed Yankee sausage either! If you want real flavor order you some Broadbent's aged sausage, but I doubt many North of the Ohio, or West of the Mississippi could stomach it!

I learned the basics from my Granny and it only took me 15 years to prefect the subtle techniques! My wife and I don't even agree on what's good gravy and not good gravy! Granny made it with a dark dark roux, I like it this way. I cook the flour until the first whiff of smoke rises from the skillet, then hit it with the milk! That's whole milk to, not blue john or 2% junk! If I'm forced to make it for my wife the roux is a little lighter.

[Outpost75]

How the roux is made differs depending upon which part of The South you are from.

If you don't have "enough" bacon or sausage grease, I "stretch" the pan drippings with a bit of lard or butter.

You don't want the pan smoking when you add the flour. You want to "brown" and coat the flour, not burn it.

Stir the flour vigorously so that all of the grease and essence from the pan is mixed in, if there are not enough enough drippings to take up all of the flour in the pan, this is when you supplement the pan drippings with a dab of lard or butter.

If using fresh ground pork which has not been seasoned, use only salt, pepper, sage and cayenne if you like it. If you don't have fresh ground cayenne, it's OK to add about a tablespoon of Crystal hot sauce.

In our hunting camp we cook 1 pound of sausage until crumbly, remove from the pan and put it aside, then make the roux with 1/2 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of salt (if the pork was unsalted) and 1/2 teaspoon each of rubbed sage and fresh ground black pepper. 1 pint of water and one 12oz. can of evaporated milk stirred into the roux to heat and thicken, then put the sausage back in, one diced onion and a fresh serano or jalapeno pepper optional.

We serve ours on cornbread! Only Yankee's and Brits eat "crumpets!"

Substitute hamburger for the sausage and Worcestershire sauce for the Crystal and leave out the fresh peppers and you have S.O.S.

[rking22]

Ya'll are making me awful hungry.....