Sausage Gravy
In Appalachian and Southern cooking, "sausage gravy" is white gravy made with crumbled sausage. It’s a hearty breakfast favorite, usually served over biscuits with eggs on the side.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
Mom always used sausage grease and dregs to make the 'sausage gravy', but never put chunks in it. Some people do, though. Hillbilly Dude Says...
Mom always used sausage grease and dregs to make the 'sausage gravy', but never put chunks in it. Some people do, though. Pronunciation
[SAW-sij GRAY-vee]
Meaning & Usage
- White gravy with crumbled sausage mixed in (noun)
Mae:
You want plain gravy or sausage gravy?
You want plain gravy or sausage gravy?
Earl:
Sausage, every time.
Sausage, every time.- A classic Appalachian & Southern breakfast dish (noun)
Mae:
What they servin’ at the diner?
What they servin’ at the diner?
Earl:
Biscuits and sausage gravy.
Biscuits and sausage gravy.variations: biscuits and gravy, meat gravy, white gravy with sausage, country gravy, milk gravy with sausage, breakfast gravy
★ Sausage gravy is the version most outsiders think of when they hear "biscuits and gravy." It’s richer and heartier than plain white gravy, thanks to the sausage. ★
Origin and Etymology
Developed in the South and Appalachia where pork sausage was plentiful. Sausage fat and crumbles added to white gravy turned a simple sauce into a meal.
Usage Notes
Still a staple of Appalachian and Southern kitchens, church breakfasts, and diners. Widely recognized across the U.S., though most tied to the South.
Say It Like a Southerner
Said plain: "saw-sidge gray-vy."
Kin Topics
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How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 2). Sausage Gravy. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/sausage-gravy
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Sausage Gravy." HillbillySlang.com, 2 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/sausage-gravy.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Sausage Gravy." HillbillySlang.com. September 2, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/sausage-gravy.
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