Easy Sausage Gravy Recipe for Home Canning
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It’s been a while since I’ve shared some extremely illegal canning activity, so here goes. let’s make my favorite sausage gravy recipe… AND THEN CAN IT. I have based this recipe off of a sausage gravy recipe I found from Pioneer Woman!
And even better, since it has dairy, I prefer to WATER BATH CAN IT.
Someone call the police. I’m realllll baddddd.
But seriously. If you can buy it at the store, you can can it at home. Our home canning times are BASED off of commercial canning, and their equipment is not superior to what we have at home, it is simple different. Meaning… we can do what they do, our process is somewhat different. Different. Different is good!
Commercial canning uses an F value of 250F for their botulinum cook calculations. Our home canning is based off the same values, but takes into account our extended cooling times versus the pressurized retorts that can hit the botulinum cook temp, hold it for the required time, and then cool those cans or jars nearly instantaneously.
We can’t do that at home, and thus our jars sit at a higher temperature than the commercial foods, so things had to be adjusted with our times and temps and such to take into account for that. Before this, home canned food was severely overprocessed and really not fun to eat due to fear and lack of experience and education. It wasn’t because everyone died of botulism.
Why Would You Can a Sausage Gravy Recipe?!
Because I want to. It’s that simple.
And if you don’t want to… I’m not making you. I don’t care what you do!
Sausage gravy can be purchased at the store canned commercially, especially found at the big box stores in the big #10 cans. Some people buy that and re-can it (illegally) into smaller portions :D
I do prefer to make it fresh as I want it, but normally quadruple my recipe 1-2 times every year to tuck away some easy meals when we need comfort food and time is tight. My canned sausage gravy recipe comes in handy during the especially busy seasons like fair time, planting, and harvest where we need a substantial breakfast and I don’t have the time to devote to making it from the beginning.
I also like to tuck some away when I have lots of milk that I really should be making cheese with but am behind with life and don’t want to devote time to it at this moment. This recipe uses up a good gallon and a half of goat milk (the best milk… although you could use cow milk) to clean my fridge out a little bit.
It’s convenient. It’s handy. And it tastes oh so good.
Are You Allowed to Can Your Homemade Sausage Gravy Recipe?
This question unfortunately drives me insane. Because WHO thinks that someone has enough authority to tell what we are and aren’t allowed to do aside from God?!
The NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation) has stationed its self as the “governing authority” for home canning. Meaning they distribute the rules and approved recipes they see fit. Read that again: DISTRIBUTE.
The fun fact is, the NCHFP does none of their own testing They adopt testing from others. And Ball… who even freaking knows what they do since when I asked them about how their recipes are tested and if they’re inoculated they told me “it’s proprietary information that is not shared to the general public.”
Meanwhile, the safe and tested and Ball canning groups on Facebook are touting Ball tests every single recipe by inoculation for its safety and they’re just so wonderful and safe. Safe.. SAFE.
What. Are. We. Doing?!
Anyone with a brain and a drop of common sense would know that obviously their “testing” or lack thereof does not encompass EVERY SINGLE THING that can or cannot be canned. Just because the NCHFP did not adopt someone’s testing of sausage gravy and distribute it a “safe” does not mean that botulinum is going to show up in droves in our jars of ReBeL cAnNeD food, including this sausage gravy recipe.
I despise the phrase rebel canning and want to call it common sense canning. Because it really is… common sense. Being able to think for yourself and make your own decision. Way too many people have handed their brains and autonomy over the big daddy gov to make the decisions for them. And with daddy gov says no, they immediately think its for their safety.
I beat my head off the wall nearly daily at these people. Somedays it’s not fun having common sense and authority over my brain. It must be so freeing to be a sheep.
That being said, IF you are not comfortable canning an unapproved recipe, that is fine! Nobody is making you can it. NOBODY. I won’t even bat an eye if you told me to my face that you’re not comfortable canning that. I’d say… alright, I’m glad you made that decision for yourself. I’m not here to talk you into canning my recipes. I’m sharing things I can and enjoy.
What I will not tolerate is the goofball statements of “enjoy your botulism” or “that’s not safe” when you have ZERO proof of that. I mean… the NCHFP and these forsaken safe canning groups tout that you cannot safely can flour ever…. and then there’s a recipe ON THE NCHFP site that uses…. flour.
Talking out of both sides of our mouth, aren’t we?!
Fresh Milled Flour
In my household, we are exclusively fresh milled flour.
BECAUSE I’M BETTER THAN YOU.
But for this recipe, you can just interchangeably use fresh milled soft or hard white wheat or all purpose flour.. the dead kind. Either works, but obviously fresh milled is betterrrrrrrrrrr.
Water Bath vs Pressure Canning
You can do either for this recipe. Pick whichever process you prefer. I have found I don’t love it pressure canned since the sausage changes to a softer texture and the milk can curdle up a bit.
I have found in my travels… lol I don’t leave my house.. that I prefer it water bath canned to preserve texture and flavor better. That’s what works for me! I do extended times for meat, so 3 hours at a full, rolling boil. Like… FULL AGGRESSIVE boil. Not a simmer. A rolling boil.
You can also pressure can this for 90 minutes for quarts or 75 minutes for pints, which are meat canning times, going off of processing your gravy for the ingredient with the longest processing time… which would be meat. Can at the recommended weight for you elevation for low acid food.
Since I do water bath can a low acid food, I do choose to properly heat this sausage gravy before I eat it. Which… it’s not good cold anyway. Warm food tastes better and is more digestible to our guts than cold food! Simply bring it to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes.
Rant over. Lemme show you how to can my sausage gravy recipe!
Equipment You Might Want
- Large stock pot
- Water Bath Canner
- Pressure Canner
- Jar Funnel
- Quart or Pint Canning Jars
- Canning Lids & Screw Bands
- Jar Lifter
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork sausage (mine is plain ground pork with salt and pepper)
- 1 1/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 12 cups whole goat milk
Step 1: Prep
Start by browning the sausage and breaking into pieces in a large stock pot.
Once browned, add flour, stirring and cooking for 1-2 minutes.
Add in spices and stir.
Slowly add milk about 2-3 cups at a time, stirring between additions to prevent lumps.
Bring to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes or until it begins to thicken.
Taste and adjust seasonings as you prefer.
Step 2: Canning
Ladle hot sausage gravy into prepared quart or pint jars to 1-inch headspace.
Wipe jar times with a damp cloth (no vinegar.. you’ll make cheese) and add lids and tighten with screw bands according to manufacturer’s specifications.
Process jars in a boiling water bath at a full rolling boil for 3 hours, watching water level to make sure your jars are submerged or at least product line is submerged, depending on how you water bath can.
OR pressure can pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes at your elevations recommended weight for low acid food.
Once processing time is complete, remove jars and set aside to cool undisturbed on a heat proof surface lined with a towel for 12-18 hours.
Step 3: Storage
After cooling, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.
Proper storage temps are 50-70 degrees F.
Shelf life is ’til you eat it. If the seal is good, the food is good. Aim to rotate canned foods out every 2-ish years for best flavor and nutritional benefit, but they’ll last much longer if you need them to!
To Use:
Dump into a cast iron skillet and bring to a boil for at least 10 minutes. Cook until thickened and heated through. If your gravy gets too thick, feel free to add more milk or cream.
Notes:
Add whatever spices and seasonings you want in your sausage gravy. It will not affect or change the processing time.
Equipment
- Large Stock Pot
- Water bath canner
- Quart or Pint Canning Jars
- Canning lids & screw bands
- jar lifter
Ingredients
- 4 pounds pork sausage mine is plain ground pork with salt and pepper
- 1 1/3 cup flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp red pepper flakes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 12 cups whole goat milk
Instructions
- Start by browning the sausage and breaking into pieces in a large stock pot.
- Once browned, add flour, stirring and cooking for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in spices and stir.
- Slowly add milk about 2-3 cups at a time, stirring between additions to prevent lumps.
- Bring to a simmer and cook about 15 minutes or until it begins to thicken.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as you prefer.
- Ladle hot sausage gravy into prepared quart or pint jars to 1-inch headspace.
- Wipe jar times with a damp cloth (no vinegar.. you’ll make cheese) and add lids and tighten with screw bands according to manufacturer’s specifications.
- Process jars in a boiling water bath at a full rolling boil for 3 hours, watching water level to make sure your jars are submerged or at least product line is submerged, depending on how you water bath can.
- OR pressure can pint jars for 75 minutes and quart jars for 90 minutes at your elevations recommended weight for low acid food.
- Once processing time is complete, remove jars and set aside to cool undisturbed on a heat proof surface lined with a towel for 12-18 hours.
- After cooling, remove bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.
- Proper storage temps are 50-70 degrees F.
- Shelf life is 'til you eat it. If the seal is good, the food is good. Aim to rotate canned foods out every 2-ish years for best flavor and nutritional benefit, but they'll last much longer if you need them to!
To Use:
- Dump into a cast iron skillet and bring to a boil for at least 10 minutes (this is called PROPERLY HEATING canned foods). Cook until thickened and heated through. If your gravy gets too thick, feel free to add more milk or cream.
Cannot WAIT to do this! Common sense preserving,,, perfect. From an old school ReBBEl canner – who, if I could mill gluten free flour I would – husband has celiac,,
hope you love it!!!
You are amazing! I love all your knowledge because I am learning so much from you.!!!
thank you!! Happy to share :)