Sausage Sawmill Gravy for Biscuits

About the recipe

When you think biscuits and gravy, a good sausage gravy separates the winners from the losers. We like the richness of half and half over the more traditional milk, and the added fat will keep the gravy from separating when hot. Adjust the black pepper to your liking, but we think it should be the second-most pronounced flavor, behind the sausage, of course.

We like to use Texas Pete hot sauce in this recipe.

Serves: 4

Hands On Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

8 ounces prepared breakfast sausage

1/4 cups vegetable oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups half and half

2 teaspoons hot sauce

2 teaspoons ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt

Buttermilk biscuits, for serving

Instructions

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is hot, add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces, until browned. Transfer to a plate. 

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil, followed by the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until lightened in color, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the half and half, hot sauce, black pepper and Worcestershire. Season with salt and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly to prevent the roux from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Once the mixture has thickened, return the sausage to the pan and simmer until the sausage is heated through and the flavors have melded, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and additional pepper, if desired. Serve with biscuits.