Heat a large high sided skillet over medium-high heat and brown the breakfast sausage. Once browned and cooked through, remove the sausage from the pan and allow to drain on a paper towel.

Evaluate the amount of fat rendered from the sausage. If less than 3 tablespoons, add some butter or bacon fat to reach 3 tablespoons. If more than 3 tablespoons, carefully pour off the excess fat.

Return the pan with the fat to the stove. Slowly whisk in the flour to make a roux. Cook the roux over medium heat until the color is golden and the mixture smells like toasted, buttered bread; approximately 3-4 minutes.

Slowly add the milk to the roux, about 1 cup at a time whisking constantly until fully incorporated before adding the next cup. Continue to cook until the gravy starts to thicken to a consistency which will coat the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in the black pepper, ground sage, white pepper and maple syrup. Taste. Adjust spices to your liking.

Reduce the heat to low and add the sausage back to the gravy. Cover and keep warm until serving over biscuits or eggs.