Invisible Keto

Making real food for real people.

Sauces → Gravies →

Sausage Gravy

One of my always-on-hand staples ready to go in the freezer. I use this with eggs, meatloaf, and anytime a sausage-style gravy is called for. Make sure you reduce it enough to bring out the taste.

A rich, pepper-forward sausage gravy designed as a reusable component rather than a finished dish.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz ground pork sausage
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1–2 oz cream cheese, to help emulsification and improve freezing/thawing
  • Small handful onion powder
  • Xanthan, only as needed to thicken it, a pinch or two is usually all that's required; more than that and it starts getting gummy

Method

Sausage

  1. Heat a skillet over medium.
  2. Add sausage and cook gently, breaking into small crumbles, until lightly browned, not crisped.
  3. Remove sausage to a plate.
  4. Leave ~1 Tb rendered fat in the skillet; discard excess if needed.

Gravy base

  1. Add chicken broth to the skillet and scrape up fond.
  2. Add onion powder
  3. Add black pepper to taste.
  4. Simmer 5–10 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavor.

Emulsify + enrich

  1. Whisk in cream cheese until smooth.
  2. Whisk in heavy cream.
  3. Simmer until you get gentle bubbles, 2–3 minutes.

Thicken only if needed

  1. If the gravy is thinner than you want, whisking constantly:
  2. Sprinkle in a pinch of xanthan (1/16 tsp), wait 30–60 seconds.
  3. Add another pinch only if needed.
  4. Target texture: nappe / coats a spoon, not pudding.

Finish

  1. Stir sausage back into the gravy.
  2. Taste and adjust:
  3. Salt only if needed.
  4. More pepper if you want bite (pepper blooms as it sits).
  5. Remove from heat.

Storage

Refrigerator

  • Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days.
  • The gravy will thicken noticeably as it cools; this is normal.

Freezer

This gravy freezes well and is designed to be made in batches.

  1. Allow the gravy to cool completely.
  2. Portion into freezer containers or silicone trays (e.g., Super Cubes).

  3. Freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag if desired.

  4. Keeps well for 2–3 months.

Reheating from Frozen

  1. Place frozen gravy in a small saucepan over low heat.
  2. Add a splash of chicken broth or cream if needed.
  3. Stir occasionally as it melts and reheats.

If the emulsion looks slightly separated during reheating, whisk briefly and it will usually come back together. You can also use a small pinch of xanthan to thicken it.