southern sausage cream gravy (for laliana)

[Arundel Pajo]

We were talking the other day on the IRC channel about southern cooking, and the subject of cream gravy came up. Cream gravy is one of those things that restaurants just can never seem to get right - and most people don't know the difference simply because they've never had *real* cream gravy. I don't know exactly what the restaurants do to fuck it up so bad...use shortening instead of pork fat...use corn starch or gelatin to thicken it....I don't know, but it's nasty whatever they do... I have heard more than one person claim to hate cream gravy and then do a total 180 when they tasted some that was home-made. There's just that much difference.

My apologies that this really isn't measured out. I learned to make gravy when I was little, and I do it the same way my mother and grandparents learned it, etc...it's all by feel.

Start with pork sausage. I like something a little spicy, maybe with some sage if I feel like it, and I usually find that locally produced sausages have a better flavor than your big name breakfast sausages. In Texas, I suggest "Carl's Tasty Sausage." Honestly, though, any pork breakfast sausage will work.

In a medium skillet, fry up about 5 or so patties worth of crumbled sausage.

Sprin_kle one level tablespoon full of flour evenly and slowly over the cooked sausage (still on the heat and undrained). You don't want to lay too much flour in any one place. The idea is for the flour to mix with the grease and make a roux. Usually one tablespoon of flour is good. Sometimes, after eyeballing it, you may need to add a bit more, but be very judicious with that. Too much flour will ruin a gravy with a quickness.

After the flour's in, stir it all up pretty much constantly until it thickens some and makes your roux. Then you want to add some heavy cream (organic is best) a little at a time, stirring as you go to remove clumps, until you have a thin gravy consistency. Milk can also be used here, but really, you would need whole milk. The higher fat content really helps keep the gravy together. Cream is best, then whole milk. I really wouldn't use 2%.

Add *generous* helpings of fresh ground black pepper and salt. Seriously. To do it right, you'll probably add a lot more of these than you feel comfortable with the first time. As you are doing this, the gravy will reduce somewhat to a thicker consistency. If it gets too thick for you, just add a little more cream.

That's pretty much it. Slather it over some biscuits and enjoy it!

The same method is also used to make any other cream gravy...we make it after frying chicken to put on mashed potatoes (chicken cream gravy is awesome), after frying some chicken fried steak, whatever. Just use the fat in the pan, some flour, cream, and S&P.


edit>> XOU!!! Somebody should really disable the word-sub for "sprink_le" in the cooking forum. It was really funny after coming here from IGN and that totally demented mod, but the word has legitimate cooking use!

[Hesten]

Hmm, just curious. Roux, where does that origine from?
In Denmark we dont do anything even remotely like it in our usual recipes, i never even heard of it before i saw the some recipes here mentioning it.

And when making roux, what kind of pan is best? A steel pan (tend to get awfull hot even at middle temperature), or a tefal covered one that handle the heat better?
And how is the consistency of roux? Is it sticky? Could imagine some horrible heat burns if you accidentially get a mix of oil and flour on you.

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

The word is (of course) french - it's the base of a lot of different sauces. Brown roux for etouffe or brown sauces, white roux for bechamels, veloute etc. Actually, I bet you've had a ton of food that involves a roux.

Code: Select all

 Danish sekret code: Det drejer sig faktisk bare om det nogle kalder en 'smørbolle' - det samme man bruger til de fleste opbagte saucer - en rigtig persillesovs f.eks. er lavet på en smørbolle. En eller anden type fedtstof (afhængig af smagsønske) kombineret med mel.

[Hesten]

Ahhh, ok, now i get it.

Just thought roux were some form of liquid base, whereas the smørbolle ends up being a ball that you then pour the other ingredients over.

[Drolgin Steingrinder]

All depends on the amount of flour used!

[Tenuvil]

And how is the consistency of roux? Is it sticky? Could imagine some horrible heat burns if you accidentially get a mix of oil and flour on you.

Yes. Roux is known as "cajun napalm" and can give nasty burns. I use a long handled wire whisk when I make a roux and have still gotten some pretty painful burns.

[Arundel Pajo]

I should probably add that for cream gravies, you don't want to cook your roux too long. The longer you cook a roux, the darker and more intensely flavored it gets. You want a light-ish roux for this.

[Boogahz]

I started reading and had too many memories come flooding in from childhood....did you mention using an Iron skillet?