I have a confession to make. I am a bit of a biscuits and gravy snob.
Okay, maybe more than a bit. 😂
If I see biscuits and gravy on a breakfast menu, there’s a pretty good chance I’m going to try them. I’ve ordered them at breakfast restaurants more times than I can count, and every single time I find myself comparing them to the ones I make at home.
And so far?
I still like mine best.
Everyone has different taste buds, of course, but these really are my family’s favorite biscuits and gravy. Everyone I’ve made them for seems to love them too.
Not to toot my own horn, but they’re pretty fabulous.
Why My Biscuits and Gravy Are a Little Different
I think what makes my biscuits and gravy different is the sweetness.
I’ve always liked things just a little bit sweet. Considering I’m a baker, I suppose that shouldn’t surprise anyone.
I use maple sausage instead of regular breakfast sausage, and I add a little sugar to the gravy. It doesn’t make the gravy taste sugary. It just gives it that sweet and savory combination that I love.
I also use bacon grease whenever I have it. If I don’t, sausage grease works too. Either one adds so much flavor to the gravy.
Serve it all over a warm biscuit, and in my opinion, it’s the ultimate comfort food.
My Biscuits and Gravy Recipe
I should warn you that this is one of those recipes I don’t really measure anymore.
I pour, stir, taste, and adjust until it’s right. 😂
So consider these measurements a starting point, especially when it comes to the sugar, salt, and pepper.
Ingredients
- 1 large roll maple breakfast sausage
- 4 to 6 cups milk
- About 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- About 1/2 cup bacon grease or reserved sausage grease
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Sugar or pure maple syrup to taste (I use about 1/4 cup)
- Homemade biscuits or biscuits made from Bisquick mix
How to Make Biscuits and Gravy
Cook the maple sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks. Once it’s cooked through, remove the sausage from the skillet and set it aside.
For food safety, the USDA recommends cooking ground pork to an internal temperature of 160°F.
Ground pork sausage should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F. You can find more information about safely cooking pork from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
In a shaker bottle or jar, combine about 1 to 2 cups of the milk with the flour and shake really well.
Sometimes I still end up with a few flour clumps. If that happens, I just strain the mixture as I pour it into the skillet.
Using the same skillet, add enough bacon grease or sausage grease to equal about 1/2 cup. Once it’s melted, slowly pour in the milk and flour mixture.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly as the gravy begins to thicken.
Gradually add more milk until you have the consistency you want. I usually use somewhere between 4 and 6 cups total.
The Secret to My Biscuits and Gravy
Now for the part that makes these biscuits and gravy mine.
Sugar.
I usually use about 1/4 cup, but I recommend starting with less and tasting as you go.
Add sugar, salt, and pepper, stir, and taste. You can also use pure maple syrup.
Then adjust.
That’s really how I make this gravy. I keep tasting it until I reach that point where I think, Yep. That’s it.
Once the gravy has thickened and tastes the way you want it, stir the maple sausage back in and let everything heat together for another minute or two.
Homemade Biscuits or Bisquick?
You can absolutely make homemade biscuits for your biscuits and gravy, but most of the time I use Bisquick.
I make the drop biscuits, which makes this breakfast so much easier to pull together.
I love baking from scratch, but I also live in the real world. Sometimes I want a warm, comforting breakfast without covering the entire kitchen in flour.
And once those warm biscuits are covered in homemade maple sausage gravy, nobody at my house is complaining that I took a shortcut.
Make This Biscuits and Gravy Recipe Your Own
One thing I love about homemade gravy is how easy it is to adjust.
If it’s too thick, add a little milk.
If it’s too thin, cook it a little longer.
If you want more flavor, add salt and pepper.
And if you’re like me and love that little touch of sweetness, add another spoonful of sugar.
After you’ve made these biscuits and gravy a few times, you probably won’t measure much either.
The Ultimate Comfort Food
There are some foods that are just comforting, and biscuits and gravy are definitely one of those foods for me.
They’re warm, filling, and perfect for a slow weekend breakfast.
I’ve tried biscuits and gravy at restaurant after restaurant over the years. Some have been good. Some have been okay. And a few have made me wish I’d just ordered pancakes. 😂
But I always come back to this recipe.
Maybe it’s the maple sausage. Maybe it’s that little bit of sweetness. Or maybe I’ve made them this way for so long that this is simply what biscuits and gravy are supposed to taste like to me.
Whatever the reason, they’re a family favorite.
So yes, I’m still a biscuits and gravy snob.
And until I find a plate somewhere that I like better than mine, I’m perfectly okay with that.
Making every house feel a little more like home.
