Ahhh, biscuits and gravy….the breakfast that says, “Today is special.” Biscuits and gravy is one of those dishes that needs to be done right or it’s actually pretty disappointing. There is just so much potential in biscuits and gravy that it’s worth doing it right. Don’t try to make low-fat biscuits and gravy. That’s not what they are. We believe that each dish should be what it is and not try to be something else. Eat a parfait if you’re trying to be healthy that day. And if you want biscuits and gravy, make them fatty and tasty! You’ll feel better inside by not trying to make them be something they’re not (that was a stretch, but I think it worked). If you follow this advice, we also recommend that you don’t eat these regularly or you might not live very long.
Biscuits
I’ve tried a few different recipes over the years, and as usual, I’ve found the most success after a few adjustments. Some of the main things to remember are: don’t overwork the dough or it will make the biscuits tough instead of tender; if you want to be able to split the biscuits in half and still have a substantial half on each side, pat the biscuit dough to 1-inch in thickness before cutting out. This will yield 11 biscuits. You may pat the dough as thin as 1/2-inch, and you will get more biscuits, but they won’t be as substantial on each half. We split our biscuits in half and pour the gravy over each half, but you could also make thinner biscuits and not split them, but pour the gravy over the top of the biscuit.
We use buttermilk in this recipe to make the biscuits even more tender. The acidity in buttermilk creates more tender baked goods. You can make them without it and the biscuits will still be good, or you could even make your own! (Add a little white vinegar or lemon juice to the plain milk before measuring it.) Just know that if you don’t use buttermilk, the biscuits will turn out a little differently.
Gravy
One thing to consider is the type of sausage used. In this recipe, we use ground sage sausage, but you can also use original sausage without sage. When we lived in Texas, I was talking to an older gentleman about the biscuits and gravy he makes, and I told him I was still trying to get my gravy just right. He said, “Do you use sage sausage?” I said no. And he paused and said, “Try sage sausage, that’s what makes it so good.” Try it for yourself to decide!
The method used in making this gravy eliminates lumps of flour. After the sausage is cooked, add the flour to the pan with the sausage to absorb all the grease. Be sure to add all of the flour. Also, be sure to allow the finished gravy to come to a low boil momentarily, then turn the heat to low or off. This will ensure the proper consistency of the gravy in the end. You don’t want the gravy to come to a rolling boil for any length of time, because the milk can easily scorch. If you try this recipe and decide you want your gravy thicker or thinner next time, you may add more or less of the flour after you brown the sausage. Made this way with 5 cups of milk yields about 1/2 cup of gravy per half-biscuit (the sausage will also add to the overall amount of gravy). If the gravy doesn’t stretch to cover each biscuit, don’t worry, that’s what jam or jelly is for! I love these biscuits with grape jelly!
So what are you waiting for? This could be you in the video making a plate of biscuits and gravy in just a few minutes!
Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy
Equipment
- 2½-inch round cutter
- pastry blender or sturdy fork
- parchment paper
Ingredients
For the biscuits
- ½ cup butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (King Arthur brand) or 300 grams
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon iodized salt
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons buttermilk or 260 grams
For the gravy
- 1 lb ground sage sausage
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder if you don't have chicken bouillon powder, you may need to add a little salt to get the flavor of the gravy right
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 cups 2% milk
- pepper to taste
Instructions
To make the biscuits
- Heat oven to 450℉. Cut butter into flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk until dough leaves sides of bowl. Dough will be soft and sticky.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead lightly just 4-5 times, being careful not to overwork the dough.
- Roll or pat to 1-inch in thickness. This will create tall biscuits that can be split in half nicely.
- Cut with a floured 2½-inch round cutter. Re-roll the dough to finish cutting the biscuits.
- Arrange biscuits on parchment paper lined baking sheet about an inch apart from one another. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes
To make the gravy
- Brown the sausage in a large frying pan on medium to med-high heat until done.
- Sprinkle the flour and the bouillon powder over the sausage, and stir to absorb the sausage drippings. Fully cook the flour for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour the milk into the sausage, about ½ cup at a time, allowing the flour to thicken the milk.
- After all the milk has been added, allow the gravy to come to a low boil. Then turn the heat to low or completely off. You don't want to allow the gravy to come to a rolling boil because the milk can easily scorch.
- Taste the gravy, and add pepper to taste.