Instructions

1. Brown the Italian sausage in the skillet, breaking up the sausage into smaller pieces with a spoon or spatula while it cooks.

2. Remove the cooked sausage from the pan with a slotted spoon and set it aside on a plate with paper towels to help soak up some of the grease. Do not drain any of the grease from your skillet -- you will want to use those sausage drippings to make your gravy.

3. Melt about one stick of butter in your skillet, using a wire whisk to scratch the browned sausage bits from the bottom of the pan. Gradually add a few tablespoons of flour while you continue to stir until the mixture reaches a dough-like consistency. Slowly add several cups of whole milk while you continue to stir.

4. Stir vigorously until the flour mixture dissolves into the milk. The gravy should thicken as it begins to bubble. Increase the heat for a few minutes, if necessary to bring the gravy up to a boil.

5. Reduce the heat, return the sausage to the skillet and let the dish simmer. Give it some time to let the sausage flavor infuse the gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve over biscuits or chicken-fried steak.