Can You Freeze Sausage Gravy? – The Ultimate Guide
We love breakfast foods! Doesn’t everybody? Breakfast foods seem to be the ultimate comfort food. When you need something to cheer you up or make you feel at home, breakfast foods seem like the perfect go-to.
Sausage gravy is one of the best breakfast options you could ask for. You can make the ultimate biscuits and gravy dish. And what’s even better is you don’t even have to limit your biscuits and gravy to just breakfast. You can have this meal any time of day!
It’s so hard to make the perfect amount of gravy. It seems like you either end up with way too much or way too little. The proportion of biscuits to gravy never turns out right. Also, gravy stretches a long way so it’s likely you’re going to have leftovers.
What do you do with all that leftover gravy? Can you freeze sausage gravy? Yes, you can freeze sausage gravy and it’s easy to do. You just need an airtight container or freezer bag and you can freeze your sausage gravy for up to 3 months.
In this guide, we will walk you through everything you should know about freezing sausage gravy. We will cover the various details and the process of freezing as well as what to expect when you are ready to reheat that gravy.
Keep reading to learn all of the details for freezing sausage gravy.
A Guide to Freezing Sausage Gravy
Sausage gravy can be made in a lot of different ways. It’s pretty easy to make from scratch but there are a lot of various recipes out there.
Some people use flour and milk while others use evaporated milk. Then there are those individuals who add cheese or Velveeta to the mix.
It doesn’t take a lot of time to make sausage gravy and it’s rather inexpensive to make as well. All of the ingredients used are low-cost ingredients.
There can be a bit of an art to making gravy but the beauty of sausage gravy is it doesn’t matter if it’s lumpy!
Making Sausage Gravy
To give you an idea of what type of ingredients you are seeking to freeze, we will share with you a basic recipe for making sausage gravy.
Keep in mind that there are numerous ways to make gravy. There are multiple recipes available so you can easily maneuver this to your liking. We are simply sharing a general guideline to give you an idea of the process.
Making sausage gravy at home only takes about 15-20 minutes.
This is the perfect solution for a quick and easy meal. And when you have leftovers you can freeze them and reheat them later for another quick and easy meal at a later date.
Here is a basic gravy recipe for you to peruse:
- You will need ground sausage, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. If you prefer, you can use evaporated milk to thicken the gravy. You can also add cheese if you like. These are ways you can change up the recipe.
- Begin by browning your sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Be sure to cook the sausage thoroughly. You don’t have to drain the grease as it adds flavor to your gravy. You can soak up or drain some, but you should leave some in the pan.
- Stir in flour. Slowly add milk. Cook the mixture until it begins to thicken and boil. Stir the mixture constantly while heating.
- Once the mixture has reached boiling and is beginning to thicken, reduce your heat to low and simmer for about 2 minutes. Again, stir constantly through the process.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!
This process does not take very long at all. Remember that a little gravy goes a long way.
But that’s great if you want to make excess and have extra to freeze for later. Even though it’s a quick process, it requires your constant attention to make the gravy.
Of course, from this point, you would serve your gravy over biscuits. However, there are other things you can also do with sausage gravy. This is one of the most popular uses, but don’t let that stop you from trying alternative methods.
Storing and Freezing Sausage Gravy
Here we are at the heart of the matter. Now that you know how to make your sausage gravy, it’s time to learn how to properly store your sausage gravy.
You can easily store your sausage gravy in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just store it in an airtight container of some sort.
Some people even store it in the pan it was cooked in. We don’t recommend that storage method simply because it takes excessive space and may not be airtight.
If you don’t plan on having leftovers within a few days, you can just pack up your sausage gravy and throw it in the freezer. It’s quite simple to freeze.
Here are the steps for freezing sausage gravy.
- Allow sausage gravy to cool to room temperature. This product does contain meat and dairy so we recommend not leaving it at room temperature for more than an hour.
- Scoop sausage gravy into an airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. You can use whichever you prefer. Leave about a ½ inch of headspace at the top.
- Place sausage gravy in the freezer for up to 3 months.
It really is that simple! Freezing your sausage gravy is easier than making the gravy to begin with. There are no strict rules or complicated steps to follow. Your gravy also should not suffer character or flavor when you are ready to use it again.
Reheating Sausage Gravy After Freezing
You can reheat your sausage gravy using either the stove or the microwave. We recommend using the stove but a microwave is a viable option.
You can move your frozen gravy to the fridge and allow it to thaw there for a few hours or overnight. However, you can also take your sausage gravy straight from the freezer to your reheating method of choice. It’s up to you!
Reheating Sausage Gravy on the Stovetop
- Place sausage gravy in a skillet or saucepan.
- Heat on medium heat on the stovetop.
- If the gravy seems too thick, add a small amount of milk.
- Warm until the gravy starts to become bubbly and is nice and hot.
- Serve and enjoy.
Reheating Sausage Gravy in the Microwave
- Put gravy into a microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave for 1 minute.
- Stir well.
- Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time until gravy is heated to desired temperature.
Reheating your frozen sausage gravy is so easy. You shouldn’t notice any separation or clumping when you reheat it. Your gravy will taste good as new, even after freezing and reheating.
If you do feel as though your gravy just doesn’t have the right consistency, the best thing to do is to add a small amount of milk or water. Just be sure to stir it in well.
This should help bring everything back together in the event you feel like your frozen gravy is just not quite right.
Related Questions
We hope that you find this guide to be a valuable resource for freezing sausage gravy. The process is rather simple and you should be able to complete the process without any worries. And trust us when we say, your stomach will thank you later.
We invite you to take a look at the following question and answer section to see if there may be additional information that would be valuable to you.
What Do I Do if My Gravy is Not Thick Enough?
You can thicken gravy by adding small amounts of flour to the mix. It is best to make a paste using flour and water. Add only a small amount to your pan at a time, stirring as you go, until you get your desired thickness.
Does Gravy Thicken When It Cools?
Gravy will thicken slightly as it cools. If your gravy is slightly runny, let it sit for 3-5 minutes before serving and it will most likely be perfect when you dish it up.
What Are Other Ways to Use Sausage Gravy?
Biscuits and gravy is perhaps one of the most popular uses for sausage gravy. But the great news is, there are a lot of alternative options for using sausage gravy.
Here are a few examples for you.
- Serve with roast
- Chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes
- Pork chops
- Casseroles
- Swedish meatballs
- Add to soup
What Happens to Sausage Gravy if I Use Water Instead of Milk?
Milk is one of the key ingredients to successfully making sausage gravy. If you need a substitute you can try dairy-free milk or evaporated milk instead. You can use water but your sausage gravy will not thicken as well and will not be the same white color you are used to.
I make sausage gravy a lot for supper. Glad to know it can be frozen. I was taught to use a little water with the milk if it gets too think. I’m sure this was handed down from the depression. It shoes not affect the taste at all.
Thanks for sharing your tips on freezing sausage gravy! It will sure make my camping trips more enjoyable!
Patsy