Sausage Cream Gravy

Name: Sausage Cream Gravy
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound ground pork sausage; 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 to 2 cups whole milk; 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more; Optional twist=Substitute half sausage with chorizo for smoky heat

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 01 February 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Browned sausage in its own fat, thickened with flour and simmered with milk to creamy, peppery gravy. No draining grease, that flavor stays. Adjust milk for thickness. Salt and plenty black pepper to punch it up. Classic Southern start for biscuits but good on anything needing rich sauce. Watch the flour cook properly, no raw taste. Gravy thickens as it cools, so remove a bit shy of desired. Uses standard pork sausage; can swap spicy Italian or ground turkey for lighter twist. Keep stirring when milk goes in, no lumps allowed. Timing flexible, smell and texture guide all here.

Prep: 5 min

Cook: 15 min

Total: 20 min

Servings: 6 servings

#southern cooking #breakfast gravy #sausage recipes #comfort food #easy sauces

You start hearing that sizzle right away, sausage hitting hot skillet. Not just cooked through, but browned. Flavor hides in those edges, crust it up. Drainage? No way—grease stays in, a flavor vessel. Next, flour toss—watch it coat every piece, toasting out the rawness. Pour milk—slow and steady—stirring so lumps don’t invade. Thickens on its own, with gentle bubble and sheen that tells when it’s ready. Black pepper is the kicker, lots of it. Salt after tasting because sausage packs salt already. Tried turkey once, came out too light, so stuck with pork. This gravy comforts and wakes you up in the same bite.

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork sausage
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 to 2 cups whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or more
Optional twist=Substitute half sausage with chorizo for smoky heat

About the ingredients

Ground pork sausage is classic here; the fat content is key for rich gravy. Can swap half for spicy chorizo if smoky heat is what you want—adds depth. Flour—don’t skimp—thickens fat and milk into that glorious coat. Milk controls final texture; whole milk or half and half for richer mouthfeel. Skim or low-fat milk can short-circuit creaminess, so adjust accordingly. Salt lightly at first. Pepper is no joke; fresh cracked is essential, no pre-ground bag stuff. Leftover gravy? Thin with splash more milk and reheat gently, no burning. If lumps form despite best efforts, strain or whisk harder. Keep grease, flavor’s aftertaste lives there.

Method

Heat a large skillet on medium high. Toss in sausage, crumble it as it hits the pan. Listen for that sizzle, the smell darkening. Brown it well—don’t rush. Crisp bits form flavor; aim for golden edges and little charred spots. Fat will render—do not dump it out, it’s gold in liquid form. Takes about 6 to 8 minutes.
Sprinkle flour evenly over browned sausage. Stir constantly to coat every crumb. Don’t stop or it clumps up. Toast the raw flour flavor away. Color shifts slightly, tiny bubbles start. If flour mixture smells raw, cook longer. Around 3 to 4 minutes usually does it.
Slowly pour milk in small splashes, stirring hard after each drip. Smooth paste turning into liquid gold. Keep heat medium low now. Patience here keeps lumps from wrecking the texture. As mixture thickens, hear it thicken—bubbling slows, sheen turns glossy, slightly thickened will coat back of a spoon. Add more milk if it gets too thick for your hunger. In my trials, about 2 cups hits right, but enough wiggle room to suit preference.
Salt now, but sparingly at first; sausage is salty too. Black pepper—don’t be shy. Gravy without punch? Sad meal. Stir and taste often. It’s pepper that wakes up the whole kit and caboodle. Few cracks of fresh ground make a big difference.
Serve hot immediately. Lumps? Too thick? Add splash more milk, stir warm down. Leave on heat too long and gravy stiffens like glue. Better short rest covered if needed.
Common slip-ups: Overcrowd pan, sausage steams instead of browns. Undercooked flour tastes raw, like cardboard. Adding milk too fast? Clumps rule kitchen. Drain fat? Flavor lost, dry mess follows. Keep stirring, eyeball thickness, trust your nose.

Cooking tips

Brown sausage over medium-high heat until golden edges form, about 6-8 minutes. Do not drain grease—that fat is flavor. Sprinkle flour and stir constantly for 3-4 minutes, letting raw flour smell vanish. Adding milk gradually ensures lump-free texture; stir vigorously with each addition. Simmer on medium-low until gravy thickens, about 5-6 minutes, watching for glossy, spoon-coating consistency. Salt and pepper late; sausage contains salt naturally, so taste as go. Serve immediately for creamiest texture. If too thick, add milk sparingly; too thin? Let simmer slightly longer. Avoid overheating—gravy turns gluey. If lumps appear, whisk forcefully or strain through fine mesh.

Chef's notes

💡 Brown sausage medium-high. Hear sizzle, smell change, edges crisp first. Fat renders out, don’t drain it. That grease is base. Brown about 6-8 minutes. Crisp bits add texture. Stir crumbly, not clumped. Fat flavors turn gravy rich.
💡 Sprinkle flour evenly over sausage. Stir fast—no lumps. Raw flour smells off, cook longer if needed. Color shifts slight brown but no burn. Tiny bubbles start, 3-4 minutes usual. Use wooden spoon if stuck. Keep heat steady, no rush or scorch.
💡 Add milk in slow splashes. Stir each splash vigorously. Keeps lumps out. Medium-low heat now. Watch thicker with bubbling slow. Sheen forms on surface then gravy coats spoon back lightly. Adjust milk for thickness—too thick add some milk, too thin simmer bit more.
💡 Salt last, sausage salty naturally. Add pepper heavy, freshly cracked best. Pepper wakes dish, no shy measure. Taste often, balance seasoning. If too thick after cooling, add splash milk and reheat gently, stirring constantly. Avoid overheating or binds stiff.
💡 Use pork sausage with enough fat, or add butter if lean. Swap half sausage with chorizo for smoky edge but fats change slightly. Low-fat milk weakens creaminess; whole milk or half & half preferred. If lumps appear, strain or whisk hard. Cast iron pans add depth. Scrape browned bits to mix flavor well.

Common questions

Why keep sausage fat in pan?

Flavor locked there. Draining dumps taste away. That grease thickens and colors gravy. Also helps cook flour better. If fat is heavy, keep stirring and watch heat slow.

What if lumps form while adding milk?

Pour milk slower. Stir faster every drip. If still lumps, whisk vigorously or strain after cooking. Lumps mean flour not cooked or milk too fast. Can cool and reheat gently stirring hard helps fix some lumps.

How to fix gravy too thick or thin?

Too thick? Add splash milk warm—stir till smooth. Too thin? Simmer longer medium-low; bubbles slow, sheen thickens. Always add milk slow, adjust gradually. Remember gravy thickens when cooled so stop shy before desired stage.

Can leftovers be stored and reheated well?

Refrigerate in sealed container up to 3-4 days. Reheat low and slow adding milk splash to loosen. Microwave okay but stir often. Freeze possible but texture changes; reheat gently. Avoid boiling to keep creamy texture.