Bulk Country Sausage Gravy

brenda-ohio's Note:

This recipe will make 1½-2 gallons of gravy! Feed a crowd or stock your freezer. Be sure you have a large pan and plenty of milk. This is one recipe you need to read all the way through before starting. I freeze in 1 or 2 cup portions and also freeze prebaked biscuits, for a quick meal.

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 32

Yield: 2.0 gallons

• 1 lb ground country sausage
• 1 1/2 cups shortening
• 2 1/2 cups flour (all purpose)
• 1 1/2 gallons milk
• 1 (10 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet

Directions:

1. You will need a very large pot to make this gravy.
2. Put sausage into pot, add 1-2 quarts of water.
3. Stir to break meat up very fine while bringing to a boil.
4. When cooked through, strain the water off of the meat.
5. Return meat to the pan and add shortening; brown the meat till it starts to look crispy.
6. Add flour and cook until flour is browned, stir often so you don't let it burn (use low heat).
7. Add seasonings.
8. Using large whisk stir the first gallon of milk into the flour and turn up heat,while remaining to stir constantly.
9. Once it thickens, add the kitchen bouquet and the can of evaporated milk.
10. Stir to mix and bring to a boil.
11. Next you may add the other half gallon of milk as you need it, to get your gravy to the consistency that you like. (Remember, gravy must come to a boil before you know how thick it is or isn't going to be).
12. If after all your milk has been added, its still too thick, then add a bit of water and bring it back to a boil.
13. Add liquid to thin gravy a little bit at a time.
14. It is easier to thin than to rethicken properly.
15. Once it is to the consistency you like and has come to a boil again,then it's done.
16. Taste to see if it needs more salt.
17. Adjust if need be and serve over biscuits, toast, fried potatoes or mashed potatoes.
18. To freeze cool completely then package and freeze.
19. Will keep 3-6 months in freezer.

Reviews

[Crafty Lady 13]

I make sausage gravy a couple times a month, and this was a good recipe...but I did make a few changes. I don't normally make this large a batch of gravy. I used 2 pounds of Bob Evans Savory Sage Sausage. I didn't boil the sausage because I think the grease from the sausage gives the gravy it's flavor. Since I didn't drain the sausage grease, I didn't add the 1 1/2 cups of shortening. I only used 1 3/4 cups of flour and 3/4 gallon of milk. This gave me the perfect consistency for my tastes. This was the first time I used Kitchen Bouquet in my sausage gravy, and I liked the flavor it gave. I used some over biscuits and home fries and froze the rest. Made for PAC Fall, 2009.

[DenverZeppo]

I manage a busy, high-volume night club right outside of Denver, CO. Sometimes, after a particularly rough or very busy weekend, I like to feed the troops. This recipe has been met with sterling reviews from my staff, and I'm able to feed about 40 people for 40 bucks (after buying Bisquik to make biscuits and all the ingredients here). It's a GREAT way to end the weekend and cheer up an overworked staff! Thanks for sharing it with us!