This creamy, sawmill gravy made with pork sausage drippings also utilizes the crumbled sausage for a chunky, gravy experience that you’ll want to smother all over your biscuits. It’s almost like a Southern-style sloppy Joe!
It takes only 15 minutes to prepare and requires a few basic ingredients. Let’s look at how to make sawmill gravy.
What is Sawmill Gravy?
Sawmill gravy is a white, Southern gravy made with flour, milk and sausage or bacon drippings. The flour and drippings make up the roux base; the dairy makes for a creamy gravy. The cooked meat is added right into the sauce, making it chunky rather than smooth.
It is called sawmill gravy because it has its origins in the Southern region of the US where lumber was one of the main industries. It was cheap and filling for the lumber workers and it enhanced the taste and texture of biscuits. It is said that the original recipe was made with cornmeal instead of flour, hence the nickname ‘sawmill gravy’ (which I imagine wouldn’t have had the best texture).
Sawmill Gravy Ingredients
In this easy recipe, we use seasoned pork sausage for the meat component. You can buy loose seasoned pork meat or simply remove the casings from pork sausages. You also need:
- AP flour
- milk
- fresh herbs
- Salt and pepper
Serving Suggestions
Serving this gravy over split biscuits is the best way to use it up for a true Southern delight! I also enjoy it over mashed potatoes.
Did you enjoy this chunky, meaty homemade gravy? What did you serve it over? Let us know in the comments and please share the recipe!
Sawmill Gravy
Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground pork sausage meat - (or pork sausages with casings removed)
- 1-2 tablespoons butter - (to add to the sausage drippings)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley, etc.) - diced
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground sausage until browned evenly and cooked through, crumbling it as it cooks.1 lb. ground pork sausage meat
- Remove the ground sausage from the skillet with a slotted spoon and reserve. You need to have 4 tablespoons of grease in the pan (if there isn't enough grease from cooking the sausage meat, top it up with butter or canola oil to equal 4 tablespoons).
- Melt the butter in the pan with the drippings. Stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until the flour starts to turn golden and smells nutty (a couple minutes).¼ cup all-purpose flour
- Gradually add the milk, whisking constantly to get all of the lumps out. Add the fresh herbs. Bring to a simmer.2 cups milk, 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley, etc.)
- Simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, about 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the cooked ground sausage and heat through.
- Serve.
Notes
- For a thinner gravy, whisk in some more milk until desired consistency.
- Sawmill gravy is typically served over biscuits.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Hungry for more gravy recipes? Try our Ham Gravy
So scrumptious, I could eat it as soup! Yum.
Lol thanks Charlie!