I think it cute that you think of someone who was raised in Harris County Mississippi and living in Texas isn't SouthernI think it's cute when people I know are in Texas, think of themselves as Southern.
Biscuits: A Gift From God
- Thread starter huntertrw
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FWIW, I wasn't talking about you.I think it cute that you think of someone who was raised in Harris County Mississippi and living in Texas isn't Southern
I made a batch for my daughter who came over yesterday and used my cast iron skillet in the oven. Magic. No sticking at all. However, it did require me to pull out a second cast iron for the gravy. I didn't have traditional sausage at the moment so I removed the sausage from a bratwurst and used it. For whatever reason, this sausage seemed to add some real value to the gravy.
Proportions matter - especially with baking.
Sift and blend
2 cups flour
2 tsp Sugar
4 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Cream of Tartar
1/2 tsp salt
Blend in
1/2 cup Crisco or butter or whatever you prefer
Mix in
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
The secret as so many have said is in the way the ingredients are blended and kneaded.
The above recipe was one I worked with since I was a very young man and while there are many many others, this is what I use. Most importantly, my daughter and son clean their plates and I don't have to worry about leftovers.
Now when you say "smashing the biscuits into the gravy", are you doing this with a fork and literally just mashing it all together in a nasty looking pile of glop?I think it's cute when people I know are in Texas, think of themselves as Southern.
I remember as a kid we were driving through Oklahoma, like 1970, we stopped at a brand new place, called Cracker Barrel in Oklahoma. We sat there and watched Yankees trying to figure out how to eat biscuits and gravy. It was hilarious. At best they were dipping the biscuits into the gravy. At worst, they were opening the biscuits and spreading the gravy inside and trying to eat them like small sandwiches. While were we over in a corner in our own world, smashing the biscuits into the gravy, and living the good life.
We never use recipes for biscuits, it's all about putting in enough of the next ingredient that it gets to the consistency that is needed. This is passed on through experience. It's just flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk, added in that order. You can butter them when you pull them out of the oven.
Recipes are for frauds and people faking their way around in the kitchen, IMO.
At Cracker Barrel, they used to bring the biscuits and gravy in separate bowls, so unless you want to get all servey nerdy, you could just break up your biscuit into the gravy. But, at my house, the gravy would be served poured over the biscuit and then you'd cut your biscuit with a fork and eat them.... but, regardless of which way, good biscuits don't cut smoothly with a fork, so you are sort of smashing them as your eat them. The point is to try to get the gravy to cover each bite.
We don't eat a lot of gravy nowadays, but when we do, we make a bacon gravy with pieces of bacon in it.
The reason biscuits and gravy are so hard to put into a recipe, is that the ingredients are like 10% of what makes a biscuit. If you over mix or over work the biscuits, they become rocks... like English people like to eat. And, with the gravy... damn near impossible to explain to someone in written words how to make a gravy from a roux. It's all about experience and visually learning how it's done.
If one has never made biscuits from scratch, expect the kitchen to be a disaster when done till you get the process down pat.
Well I'll be trying my hand at it very soon. I'll probably just put some butter on them though. I wish I knew how to make a good gravy. My cooking skills are limited
In the South, you just sort of learn how to make a roux from osmosis, from it going on around you all the time. But, if you check out some videos on making a roux, you are just one step away from having the perfect gravy.Well I'll be trying my hand at it very soon. I'll probably just put some butter on them though. I wish I knew how to make a good gravy. My cooking skills are limited
We use the grease from making the bacon to start the roux, and then when you get the flour cooked to the perfect color, you add in the crumbled bacon and the milk to the roux, and it is ready.
A good roux makes the perfect start to stews, sauces, and all sorts of dishes. It is the French influences on Southern cooking.
I've never had bacon gravy with my biscuits... But it sounds great.
We always use something like this to make the gravy. Unless it's tomato gravy, which is the best gravy for biscuits.
We always use something like this to make the gravy. Unless it's tomato gravy, which is the best gravy for biscuits.
Mild... WTF is that? I see that at the grocers, but I assumed it was foreigners or something, ha ha. We've always bought the HOT country Sausage which isn't really hot, just seasoned well. If you wanted it to be really hot, you'd have to add some hot sauces.
I don't do hot...
I'm not trying to get heartburn.
I'll make some exceptions, but I always know I'm going to pay the price if I eat spicy foods.
For the uninitiated in making a roux, there is a way to cheat without creating clumpy gravy if you lack experience in making roux. As the sausage is cooking, add milk and a tablespoon or so of flour into a shaker. Shake like hell till it is all mixed. Add the contents of the shaker into the skillet with the cooked sausage and grease and slowly bring to a slow simmered boil, stirring all the while. You can sift additional flour into the mix to thicken as it reduces and cooks. What you miss out on is some color and a bit of flavor that starting with a roux would give you, but you can make an acceptable sausage gravy if you lack the experience to make a roux from scratch. Of course add pepper to taste as it simmers.
I am comfortable making sausage gravy by starting with a roux - roux is essential in so many sauces, both Italian and French. But there are times when I am just not in the mood or lack patience and do the work around.
I am comfortable making sausage gravy by starting with a roux - roux is essential in so many sauces, both Italian and French. But there are times when I am just not in the mood or lack patience and do the work around.
I should add that I don't make a lot of sausage gravy when I make it because for the most part now it is just my wife and I. I hope this thread will encourage those who have never had or who have never made for themselves southern biscuits and sausage gravy to give it a try. I have found that for the most part, few restaurants ever do this dish proper service - either the biscuit is subpar or the gravy is and all too often both are. But when done properly, it's just pure joy. If you are European or Asian or African - yeh, this dish may seem strange to you. I get it. Image wise it isn't as bad a Tuna on toast, but I understand the confusion so many people have. Also, it might be that you tried it at a restaurant and it was just blah, boring, and icky. But honestly, once you master the dedication NOT to over knead the flour - and even five yourself the patience to let it rest in a ball for 10 minutes or so before you finalize the folding and spreading it out to cut the biscuits - it's not that hard. Add a little extra flour if the ball seems sticky when getting ready to knead. As for as the gravy, just do your best to ensure there are no lumps of flour in the gravy. You'll eventually get the knack.
But be warned - it can put on weight so don't make it too often.
But be warned - it can put on weight so don't make it too often.
I typically don't like "Southern" cuisine, but biscuits, biscuits & gravy, tomato gravy and biscuits are all great. Otherwise, Southern cooking is basically all just like this to me:
en.wikipedia.org
Ranch dressing... grits... cornbread dressing... blech, you guys can have all that mess.
Bologna cake - Wikipedia
Ranch dressing... grits... cornbread dressing... blech, you guys can have all that mess.
Boak!I typically don't like "Southern" cuisine, but biscuits, biscuits & gravy, tomato gravy and biscuits are all great. Otherwise, Southern cooking is basically all just like this to me:
Bologna cake - Wikipedia
Ranch dressing... grits... cornbread dressing... blech, you guys can have all that mess.
A couple weeks ago in Birmingham we stopped at Biscuit Belly for lunch. WHOA! My son loved the traditional biscuits and gravy, I had the Brisket Biscuit. Oh yeah....five stars....
I think the best I've ever had is Pine State Biscuits in Portland, OR. With fried chicken and gravy, and a fried egg on top. Man, I'm hurtin' here!
I think the best I've ever had is Pine State Biscuits in Portland, OR. With fried chicken and gravy, and a fried egg on top. Man, I'm hurtin' here!
