Sausage Gravy

This recipe is sinful. I admit it. There is something about gravy in general that is sinful, basically because you are dealing with a bit of fat, and in my case today, I am dealing with pork fat. The bigger question is, who doesn’t love pork fat? I miss biscuits and gravy. While living in Dallas, Texas in the late 1990’s, biscuits and gravy was probably consumed once a week, primarily in the early morning hours after spending some quality time at some rockabilly or punk concert, it was a common go to dish that would help soak up the beer consumed that evening. The best plates of biscuits and gravy were always readily available at the local greasy spoon, or diner, and were pretty much spot on for the most part.

Since moving back to Wisconsin, I have to admit that I have missed not only the early morning rantings with friends,  but I have really missed biscuits and gravy. It is just a dish that you don’t typically find in the north, and it was my goal to bring a killer sausage gravy to the table this week to share with my family. As easy as the ingredients look, your real challenge is to make a smooth, creamy consistency. The result is something so delicious and sinful that it really carried me back to my days in Dallas. To all my friends still in Texas, I do miss you.

Ingredients:

• 12 oz package of pork sausage, casings removed (I used a maple blend that had enough pork fat to boot)
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup of flour
• 2-3 cups of water (adjust to create your smooth gravy)
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp or more of your favorite hot sauce (to your taste)

Begin by getting a deep skillet warming on the stove on medium to high heat. Add the vegetable oil, and the pork sausage. When you are cooking the pork, break it up into smaller pieces. The goal with pork sausage gravy is the fat, so don’t drain it. Once the sausage browns, add the butter and combine until it is fully melted. Add in the flour and make sure that all of your sausage is covered. Let this cook for a few minutes, somewhat browning the flour, but not burning. Add the milk, salt, pepper, and hot sauce, and with a whisk, mix until you begin to bring everything together. This mixture will be a bit lumpy, and a bit heavy. Begin adding the water, one cup at a time until you begin to really smooth things out. You will continue to whisk for about 5 minutes, adding more water until you really have a smooth and creamy consistency. Reduce the heat to simmer, and continue to whisk.

Taste, and season appropriately with a bit more salt, pepper, or hot sauce. Your call on how peppery you want it. I like mine with a lot of pepper.

Now, you have choices here. Add this gravy to biscuits, which I did, add them to mashed potatoes, like my wife and kids did, or sit around the skillet and with a spoon, start eating it as is!

A truly wonderful Southern dish that will never go unforgotten.