Food - Drink
The Ingredient That Will Change Your Sausage Gravy Forever
By JENNIFER WALDERA
As Alton Brown notes in his gravy recipe, sausage gravy is essentially béchamel, one of the five "mother" sauces, with the simple addition of pork sausage. Although any home cook can create a riff on the old favorite using this base, there's one simple trick to elevating sausage gravy that costs little but packs a punch: adding heat to your sausage gravy.
There are myriad methods to add heat to sausage gravy, but none will brighten and spice it as easily as adding a can of Ro-Tel diced tomatoes and green chilies. The acidity of the tomatoes shines against the backdrop of the silky sauce's cream and fat, imparted from the dairy and pork while the chilies add a zesty element of heat that plain pepper just can't deliver.
For those who are spice-sensitive, the mild or original version may work well while the hot style is the way to go for heat-seekers. Ro-Tel's fire-roasted version can also lend a whole new element of earthy flavor.