Southern Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy
Midwestern Fall weather makes me crave comfort food and Southern Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy fit the bill!
Over breakfast in Chicago recently with family from North Carolina we discussed the differences between Southern biscuits and Midwestern biscuits…essentially the silky high clouds of the South vs the dense short biscuits served in the Midwest. What is the secret they have in the South that makes those biscuits so tall and fluffy?!!! For some, perfecting biscuits is as challenging as pie crust, a nemesis of mine for many years, until my good friend Amy shared her pie dough recipe!
Biscuits and gravy are so easy to make at home, there’s no need to take a vacation to Southern states just to have a great breakfast!
If you can’t find great breakfast sausage from a local butcher, no worries, just get the best pork sausage you can and add your own seasonings and herbs. Easy peasy, and tasty too!
Instructions for 6-8 servings:
Preheat oven to 450° F
Ingredient List:
2 cups All purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter
3/4 to 1 cup cold buttermilk
1 lb breakfast or pork sausage
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper
1 to 2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 to 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
If seasoning your own pork sausage, you can add:
Slap Ya Mama Seasoning
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
Fennel Seed
Caraway Seed
Garlic
For Biscuits:
Mix together dry ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp kosher salt
Add in 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces and mix by hand, in a food processor or in a blender with the paddle until the butter breaks down into the size of peas
Add in 3/4 to 1 cup cold buttermilk and mix to combine – do not overmix as this will result in tough biscuits. The dough should hold together and be shaggy, slightly wet, but not overly so. In humid areas less buttermilk is needed, in dry areas, more.
Pour dough onto lightly floured counter and press together before rolling out to about 1 inch high.
Cut biscuits with 2-inch biscuit cutter, taking care not to twist the cutter as you remove the biscuit from the cutter.
Place onto an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet and bake until biscuits are lightly browned around the edges. Do not overbake or the biscuits will be tough.
For the sausage gravy:
While prepping and baking the biscuits, brown 1 lb breakfast sausage in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, breaking up as the meat browns. I like to purchase my sausage from a local farmer or butcher. I never use the processed frozen grocery store varieties, but you could in a pinch.
If you could only find good quality pork sausage, you can add your own seasonings to your liking. I used Slap Ya Mama, Kosher Salt, Fresh Ground Black Pepper, Dried Rosemary and Dried Fennel Seeds, and just pressed them into the meat then mixed in as cooking. Once the pork is cooked you can taste it and add more seasoning if you like. Growing up we were always told there is no need to add salt to pork because it is salty enough…not true for fresh ground pork, you do need to season. Once the pork is no longer pink, add in 1/2 cup all purpose flour and stir well to make a roux. Then gradually add 4 cups milk (I use Sassy Cow Whole Milk) and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally to incorporate ingredients until thickened to desired consistency. Finish with a couple tablespoons of soy sauce and worcestershire sauce for some umami.
Serve over biscuits, sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper, and enjoy thoroughly.
