Chefs use roux -- pronounced "roo" -- to thicken soups, sauces and gravies. Roux at its most fundamental involves cooking flour in hot fat such as butter, oil or pan drippings. Cooking the flour for several minutes breaks down some of its starch, which in an uncooked state can cause intestinal gas in some people. Using a creamy roux as a thickening agent also eliminates the lumps that result if you try to thicken a liquid with just flour alone. For sausage gravy, cook the raw sausage first to produce the drippings you'll need to cook the flour.
Step 1
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a high-walled skillet over medium-high heat. Add the uncooked sausage and heat until it begins to brown and render its fat.
Step 2
Add the flour and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture may be lumpy at first, but as the flour cooks it should dissolve into the fat to create a creamy, bubbling mixture. The flour is cooked when it begins to take on a tan color.
Step 3
Reduce the heat to medium. Pour in the hot milk or broth, slowly, while whisking the mixture constantly with your other hand.
Step 4
Allow the gravy to come to a very gentle boil and cook for 2 minutes. Season to taste, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover the pan to hold the gravy until it's time to serve. Stir it occasionally to prevent scorching.
Tips and Warnings
- Use 1/4 cup flour and 4 cups liquid to every 3 tablespoons of fat. If you are serving your gravy with a roast, stir in some drippings from the roasting pan to enhance the gravy's flavor. Stir the gravy occasionally to prevent a skin from forming, or lay plastic wrap over the top. Use milk to create sausage gravy for biscuits; use chicken or beef broth to create gravy to accompany a meat dish.
Things You'll Need
- High-walled skillet
- Olive or vegetable oil
- Uncooked sausage, crumbled
- Flour
- Milk, chicken stock or beef stock, hot but not boiling
- Whisk
References
- "The New Best Recipe"; Editors of "Cook's Illustrated"; 2004
- Bob Evans: Sausage Gravy
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