Grits with Country Gravy

Place the 2-quart brushed stainless steel saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat. Add 2 cups water, 2 cups of the whole milk, and 1 tsp kosher salt to the pan. Bring to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil, which will scald the milk and cause a skin to form), stirring occasionally with the beech wood spoon, about 4 minutes. The liquid is ready when small, steady bubbles rise consistently around the pan edges, with no large violent bubbles breaking the surface.

Once the liquid reaches a gentle simmer, slowly pour the full 1 cup of stone-ground grits into the pan while whisking constantly with the small stainless steel whisk to prevent dry clumps from forming. Once all grits are added, reduce heat to the lowest stovetop setting, stir once with the beech wood spoon, and partially cover the pan with its lid, leaving a 1-inch gap to let steam escape and prevent boilovers.

Let the grits simmer on low heat, stirring every 3-4 minutes with the beech wood spoon to scrape the pan bottom and prevent sticking or burning, for 18-20 minutes. The grits are done when they are thick, smooth, and tender to the bite, with no gritty, raw corn texture left when you taste a small spoonful. Once done, stir in the 2 tbsp unsalted butter until fully melted and incorporated, then cover the pan fully to keep warm while you prepare the gravy.

While the grits simmer, place the 10-inch matte black carbon steel skillet on the adjacent stovetop burner over medium heat. Add the 8 oz bulk breakfast sausage to the pan, breaking it apart into ½-inch crumbles with the edge of the beech wood spoon as it cooks. Cook for 6-7 minutes, until the sausage is fully golden brown with crisp edges, and no pink color remains on any crumble. Do not drain the rendered sausage fat from the pan, as it forms the flavorful base for your gravy roux.

Sprinkle the 3 tbsp all-purpose flour evenly over the browned sausage and rendered fat in the skillet. Stir constantly with the stainless steel whisk for 2 full minutes, cooking the flour until it turns a light golden tan color and smells faintly nutty, making sure every sausage crumble is evenly coated in the flour mixture. Do not let the flour turn dark brown, as this will burn and give the gravy a bitter, acrid taste.

Slowly pour the remaining 2 cups of whole milk into the skillet, whisking constantly in smooth circular motions to prevent lumps from forming as the milk combines with the flour roux. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes until the gravy thickens enough to leave a clear, thick coating on the back of the beech wood spoon when you lift it out of the pan. Season with the remaining ½ tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper, then taste and add extra salt or pepper if desired.

Scoop 1 heaping cup of the cooked creamy grits into each of the four off-white matte ceramic shallow bowls, spreading them gently into an even, smooth layer across the bowl bottom with the back of the beech wood spoon. Ladle ½ cup of the hot country gravy (with plenty of sausage crumbles) over the center of the grits in each bowl, letting a small amount of gravy run naturally down toward the bowl edges.

Top each bowl with a light sprinkle of extra freshly cracked black pepper and one small fresh sage leaf placed off-center on the gravy. Serve immediately while hot, as grits will continue to thicken and stiffen as they cool, and the gravy will form a skin if left to sit too long.