American Gravy is a sauce that is often served with biscuits, country fried steak and fried chicken. As the name suggests it is an American dish that is also known as sausage gravy, bechamel gravy and southern gravy. These are formed by thickening the meat paste with added flour or corn starch with added garlic powder, pepper and salt. There are varieties of gravies available with different color and flavor.
The gravy recipe given here is a very fast and easy to cook dish.

History of American Gravy
The majority of the gravy that we are familiar with today has strong French culinary roots. In the 17th century, “sauce cookery” saw a renaissance in French cuisine. This is where the majority of the fundamental concepts for adding a roux to a sauce to make gravy originate. As this cooking method’s popularity grew, elements from numerous other civilizations were added to it. The use of “drawn butter” at this period made it one of the most popular components that is being used today. In the 1800s, gravy’s popularity started to rise.
Tips and Tricks for Making American Gravy
- Start with pre-seasoned pork sausage when adding seasonings. The gravy won’t taste flavorful enough with just plain ground pork. Apart from this, you don’t need much to make a great gravy with lots of flavour.
- Keep your gravy warm until you are ready to serve it. Sausage gravy that has been chilled is less appealing. When it’s time to serve, simply reheat the gravy on the stove over low heat if you wish to prepare it beforehand. Try to serve it warm always.
- Make the sausage gravy the centre of attention. To really appreciate the flavour of the gravy, serve it with starchy foods like toast, biscuits, or potatoes.
- Cast iron produces a wonderful browning on the meat and an even heating surface, which is why I adore using it. Having said that, if you don’t have cast iron, you can still cook this dish; I simply think it’s simpler (and more real) in cast iron.
- Leave out the flour and add 2 tablespoons of cornflour to the sausage gravy to thicken it.
- You might not be familiar with this tip, but it’s wonderful since it gives your gravy a rich depth of flavour and a less drab appearance. You won’t be able to taste the coffee, so don’t worry!
Types of Gravy
- Redeye Roast Beef Gravy: Louisiana
- Redeye Ham Gravy: The South
- Tomato Gravy: New Orleans and Appalachia
- Shrimp Gravy: Charleston, South Carolina
- Hamburger Gravy: Midwest
- Sawmill Gravy: The South
- Chili Gravy: Texas
- Chocolate Gravy: Appalachia
- Cream Gravy: Texas
- Salt Pork and Milk Gravy: New England
- Chicken Gravy: South
What to Serve with American Gravy
- Fried eggs
- Mashed potatoes
- Fried chicken
- Country-fried steak
- Hash Browns
- air fryer roasted potatoes

American Gravy
Equipment
- 1 Cast Iron Pan
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 2 tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 ½ cup milk
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Brown the sausage over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet, breaking it up as it cooks, until it is no longer pink. Try not to drain the fat.
- Dust the cooked sausage with flour. Melt the butter and add the dusted sausage and cook for 2 minutes.
- Once cooked, then gently pour in the milk, stirring constantly to avoid clumps.
- Once the mixture is boiled, reduce the heat and stir till it's thickened.
- Dust the mixture with pepper, garlic powder and salt.
Notes
- As per your preference, thickness can be adjusted using milk.
- Some sausages may be saltier. So tasting before adding salt is a good idea.
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FAQs
What is American gravy made of?
American Gravy is formed by thickening the meat paste with added flour or corn starch with added garlic powder, pepper and salt.
What is gravy called in America?
Gravy are often known as sausage gravy, bechamel gravy and southern gravy.
What’s the difference between American and British gravy?
Milk is the content that distinguishes American gravy from British Gravy.
What is the most popular gravy in America?
Onion Gravy is the most popular gravy in America.
What is biscuits and gravy in USA?
Breakfast with biscuits and gravy is a popular cuisine in USA, particularly in the South. The dish consists of delicately baked biscuits topped with white gravy , which is made from cooked pork sausage drippings, flour, milk and occasionally (but not always) chunks of sausage, bacon, ground beef or other meat.
Is American gravy white sauce?
Yes. White sauce also called bechamel sauce is a variant of American gravy.