Sunday was wet and cold and the worst day for a 2-hour run. As Grant and I jogged through downtown, Old Salem and past churches emptying pious citizens, all I could think about was biscuits and gravy. That ultimate in comfort and soul – thick, peppery gravy spilling over spicy sausage and buttery biscuits. Knowing I had buttermilk at home, I couldn’t resist the temptation. And hey, we earned it after braving that weather.
I found a recipe in my trusty Best Recipes cookbook, although I altered it a bit. The result was a delightfully buttery biscuit that deeply pleased my Southern boyfriend.
Buttermilk Biscuits
Ingredients:
- 2 c. flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
- 3/4 c. buttermilk, plus 4 T
- 2 T butter, melted
Preheat oven to 450 degrees with your rack in the middle.
Place flour, powder, soda, sugar and salt in food processor and mix to combine in six 1-second pulses.
Distribute butter evenly over and pulse 12 times. Pour buttermilk over and pulse 8 to 10 times, until wet clump forms.
Transfer dough to lightly floured surface and pat into a ball. Using floured rolling pin, gently roll out to 1/2 inch thick. Use floured biscuit-cutter to cut 8-9 biscuits. Grant had a fab antique biscuit-cutter:
Place biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Bake until tops are light brown, 10-12 min.
Meanwhile, make the sausage and gravy…
If we’re going authentic, I only use one kind of sausage:
While biscuits bake, heat large nonskillet over medium and add hand-formed sausage patties (size and shape don’t matter, just make sure to cook through). Cook until browned on all sides, then cover and let steam until fully cooked, 5-8 min. Remove to paper towels to drain.
To drippings, add 2 T flour and whisk until well incorporated, 1 min. Whisk in about 1 c. milk and a splash of cream (if you have it – I find the all-cream kind way too rich). Reduce to low and whisk until thickened. Add a bunch of cracked pepper and salt, to taste.
To serve, you may butter your biscuits, or not…
Grant likes to put mustard on his, but I go plain, with my sausage on the side and gravy all over. We added salted and peppered tomato slices up top, along with some hot sauce for extra flavor.
The combo was yummy and so satisfying on a dreary day.
Enjoy your next comfort meal, friends! xoxo
Seasoned to Taste 