1 lb bulk breakfast sausage (mild or spicy)

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3-4 cups whole milk, cold

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

½ tsp salt, or to taste (sausage is often salty)

Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Chopped fresh parsley or chives for garnish (optional)

🔪 Instructions

Cook Sausage: In a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium heat, cook the sausage, crumbling it with a spoon, until browned and cooked through.

Make the Roux: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate, leaving the drippings in the skillet. You should have about ¼ cup of fat. If short, add butter. Sprinkle the ¼ cup of flour over the fat and whisk constantly for 1-2 minutes to form a paste and cook off the raw flour taste. 💡 Pro-Tip: This 1:1 fat-to-flour roux is the foundation of a perfectly thickened gravy.
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