Rich felt like ‘breakfast for dinner’ – which around here means that he makes sausage gravy and we have it over biscuits with a light Chianti…
well, we have it over biscuits, anyway.
Due to circumstances beyond my personal control, we happen to have a boatload of instant biscuit mix in the pantry, but I also had some buttermilk in the fridge that needed something done with; and this recipe I wanted to try.
INGREDIENTS
•2 cups flour
•1/4 tsp baking soda
•1 tsp seasoned salt
•2 tsp baking powder
•1/4 cup cold shortening – I used butter
•1 cup buttermilk
•Bacon fat (optional, but nice)
Heat the oven to 450º.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, powder, and salt; then add to the bowl of your food processor fitted with the metal blade and give it a pulse or two.
Add the cold butter or shortening and pulse until the blend has the texture of coarse meal.
Note: you can, obviously, do this without a food processor, just cut the butter or shortening into the flour mixture with a couple of knives.
Blend in the buttermilk; I drizzled mine in while the processor was running, then allowed the processor to knead the dough. If you do it by hand, blend in the milk, then turn out onto a floured board and knead 10 or 15 times.
Roll the dough out and cut into more or less equal portions – I ended up with 15 pieces – then roll those pieces into a ball and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Bonus part: if you have it, brush a little bit of melted bacon fat over the top of each dough ball, then flatten slightly and pop into the oven for 12 to 15 minutes.
Mmmm, biscuits!
And that bacon fat brushed on top?
YEAH, baby! We had some with Rich’s sausage gravy for dinner, and a few more for breakfast the next day.
Who needs biscuit mix?