Adapted from Southern Sides

Break up the sausage into chunks and place into a large saute pan or Dutch oven. Put the pan over medium-low heat and slowly render the fat from the sausage, breaking up the chunks into small bits as you go. Be patient here and let the sausage slightly brown. Depending on your equipment, this could take 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and stir until everything is coated. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan.

Slowly add the milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce your heat to low and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir often. The gravy is done when thickened, usually 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the black pepper. Taste and add salt if necessary. If the gravy gets too thick, add a little more milk or water.

Serves 6

Kyle Wilkerson is a chef who has manned the stoves as both Sous and Executive Chef at Four Square and Watts Grocery. He is also the head of the test kitchen for Edible Piedmont, and an accomplished food stylist and recipe consultant. “I don’t remember when I started making sausage gravy for Christmas morning breakfast, it just seemed to happen and now breakfast  and the sausage gravy are my favorite parts of my holidays.”