You know those weekend mornings when you wake up and just need something… amazing? I’m talking about something warm, savory, and so comforting it feels like a hug. For me, that’s always been sausage gravy and biscuits.
But I got to thinking. How could I make it even better, and maybe a little easier to serve a whole family without a million moving parts? And that’s how this Sausage Gravy Biscuit Pie was born. I’m going to show you how to make this masterpiece, and I promise, it’s going to become your new go-to breakfast. It’s all the good stuff in one single, glorious dish.
What You’ll Need
Getting the right stuff is half the battle, right? Don’t skimp here. Using good ingredients makes a huge difference, especially in a simple recipe like this one. The sausage and the butter are the stars, so get the good stuff if you can.
Here’s the breakdown for the gravy. I prefer Jimmy Dean regular pork sausage because it just has that classic flavor and the perfect amount of fat. If you use a leaner sausage, you might need to add a little extra butter to your pan.
| Gravy Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Pork sausage | 1 lb |
| Unsalted butter | ¼ cup |
| All-purpose flour | ¼ cup |
| Whole milk | 3 cups |
| Black pepper | 2 tsp, coarsely ground |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Cayenne pepper | ¼ tsp (optional) |
Now for the biscuit topping. The key here is COLD butter. I mean straight-from-the-fridge, don’t-let-it-sit-on-the-counter cold. This is what makes the biscuits flaky instead of tough.
| Biscuit Topping Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups |
| Baking powder | 1 tbsp |
| Sugar | 1 tsp |
| Salt | ½ tsp |
| Unsalted butter, cold | ½ cup (1 stick) |
| Buttermilk, cold | ¾ cup |
| Melted butter | 2 tbsp (for brushing) |
The Tools for the Job
You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment for this. Most of this stuff is probably already in your kitchen. The most important tool is a good oven-safe skillet, like a cast iron pan. It lets you go from the stovetop straight into the oven, which means less dishes.
| Tool | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 10-inch cast iron skillet | 1 |
| Large mixing bowl | 1 |
| Whisk | 1 |
| Wooden spoon or spatula | 1 |
| Pastry blender or two knives | 1 |
| Measuring cups and spoons | 1 set |
| Small bowl (for melted butter) | 1 |
| Pastry brush | 1 |
Pro Tips from My Kitchen
I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count, and I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. Here are a few things that really make a difference.
- Don’t Drain All the Grease. When you finish browning your sausage, you’ll be tempted to drain off all the fat. Don’t do it. That sausage grease is pure flavor. You want to leave about two tablespoons in the pan to mix with the butter and flour. This creates the flavor foundation for your entire gravy. If you drain it all, your gravy will just taste like paste.
- Cold, Cold, Cold for the Biscuits. I know I said it before, but it’s the most important rule of biscuit making. Your butter and your buttermilk need to be as cold as possible. When little pieces of cold butter are in the dough, they melt in the oven and create steam pockets. Those pockets are what make your biscuits light and flaky. Warm butter just melts into the flour and makes greasy, heavy biscuits.
- Go Low and Slow with the Milk. When it’s time to add the milk to your flour and fat mixture (that’s called a roux, by the way), pour it in slowly while whisking constantly. If you dump it all in at once, you’re asking for lumps. Add about a cup, whisk until it’s totally smooth, then slowly add the rest. Keep the heat on medium-low and let it thicken up gradually. Patience here pays off big time.
Let’s Make Sausage Gravy Biscuit Pie
Alright, got your stuff ready? Let’s walk through this step-by-step. It’s not hard, just follow along and you’ll be fine.
Part 1: Making the Perfect Sausage Gravy
Step 1: Pre-heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). You’ll need it ready to go once you assemble the pie.
Step 2: Place your cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork sausage and break it up with your spoon as it cooks. Brown it until it’s no longer pink, which usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
Step 3: Now, tilt the pan and spoon out most of the grease, leaving about two tablespoons behind. Add the ¼ cup of butter and let it melt into the sausage and grease.
Step 4: Sprinkle the ¼ cup of flour over the sausage and butter. Stir everything together until the flour is completely absorbed and cooked a bit, maybe for about one minute. This step toasts the flour and gets rid of that raw flour taste.
Step 5: Slowly pour in the milk while whisking like crazy. Keep whisking to break up any lumps. Bring the gravy to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
Step 6: Let it gently simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until it’s thick enough to coat the back of your spoon. If it gets too thick, you can always add a splash more milk.
Step 7: Stir in the salt, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne if you want a little kick. Give it a taste and see if it needs more seasoning. Then, turn off the heat and let the skillet sit while you make the topping.
Part 2: Assembling the Biscuit Topping
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Get it all mixed up evenly.
Step 2: Cut your cold butter stick into small cubes. Add them to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter bits still visible. (You can also use your fingers, just work quickly so you don’t warm the butter).
Step 3: Pour in the cold buttermilk all at once. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough comes together. Do not overmix! Overmixing makes tough biscuits, and nobody wants that. The dough should be a little sticky.
Step 4: This is the fun part. Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough all over the top of the sausage gravy in the skillet. Don’t try to make it look perfect; the rustic, bumpy look is what you want. Make sure you cover most of the gravy.
Step 5: Brush the tops of the biscuits with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter. This gives them that beautiful golden-brown color and a little extra richness.
Step 6: Carefully place the skillet in your preheated oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the biscuit topping is golden brown and cooked through. You can check with a toothpick if you’re unsure.
Step 7: Let it cool for at least 5-10 minutes before serving. This is the hardest part, I know. But it lets the gravy set up a little bit so it’s not a soupy mess when you cut into it.
Substitutions and Fun Variations
This recipe is a great starting point, but you can totally play with it.
- Different Meats: Don’t like pork? Try using turkey sausage, spicy Italian sausage, or even ground beef. Just remember you might need to add a bit more butter or oil since they can be leaner.
- Add Some Cheese: Fold about a cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese into the biscuit dough for a cheesy biscuit topping. You can also sprinkle some on top of the gravy before adding the biscuits.
- Herb Overload: Add a tablespoon of fresh chopped herbs like sage, thyme, or chives to the biscuit dough or the gravy itself. Sage and sausage are a classic combination for a reason.
- Make it Spicy: If you like heat, add a chopped jalapeño to the sausage while it browns, or increase the amount of cayenne pepper in the gravy. A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce also works wonders.
Tips for Leftovers and Storage
If you somehow have leftovers, they store really well. Just cover the skillet with foil or transfer the pie to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, you can pop individual slices in the microwave, but the biscuits will get a little soft. The best way is to put the skillet back in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes, or until it’s heated through. This will help crisp up the biscuit topping again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. My gravy is lumpy! What did I do wrong?
Ans: Lumps usually happen when you add the milk too fast. The trick is to add it slowly while whisking constantly to let the flour properly dissolve.
Q2. Can I use a different pan besides cast iron?
Ans: Yes, you can use any 10-inch oven-safe skillet. If you don’t have one, you can make the gravy in a regular pan and then pour it into a 9×9 inch baking dish before adding the biscuit topping.
Q3. My biscuits were hard, not flaky. Why?
Ans: This is almost always from two things: your butter wasn’t cold enough, or you overmixed the dough. Handle the dough as little as possible to keep it tender.
Q4. Can I make this ahead of time?
Ans: You can make the gravy a day ahead and store it in the fridge. When you’re ready to bake, just reheat the gravy on the stove until it’s bubbling, then top with freshly made biscuit dough and bake as directed.
Wrapping Up
See? That wasn’t so bad. You just made a seriously impressive breakfast that will make everyone at your table very, very happy. It’s the kind of food that makes memories.
Now it’s your turn. Give it a try this weekend. I really want to hear how it goes for you. Did you add cheese? Did you try it with turkey sausage? Leave a comment below and tell me all about it. Enjoy every single bite.
