Biscuits and Gravy

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Of course! Biscuits and Gravy is the ultimate comfort food breakfast—a hearty, savory, and deeply satisfying dish featuring fluffy buttermilk biscuits smothered in a creamy sausage-laden gravy.

Here’s a complete guide to making a classic, down-home version from scratch.

Part 1: The Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

The foundation of the dish. You want them tall, flaky, and buttery.

Ingredients:

· 2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting)
· 1 tablespoon baking powder
· 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed (or 8 tbsp for extra richness)
· 3/4 cup cold buttermilk

Instructions:

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  3. Cut in Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This is key for flakiness!
  4. Add Buttermilk: Make a well in the center and pour in the cold buttermilk. Gently stir with a fork until just combined. The dough will be shaggy and a bit sticky.
  5. Knead Gently: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Gently knead it 3-4 times until it just comes together. Do not overwork it!
  6. Shape and Cut: Pat the dough into a ¾-inch thick rectangle. Use a floured 2.5 or 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut straight down (do not twist) to form biscuits. Press the scraps together gently to cut more biscuits.
  7. Bake: Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet, their sides just touching. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown on top. Brush with melted butter when they come out of the oven, if desired.

Part 2: The Savory Sausage Gravy

The star of the show. Creamy, peppery, and packed with sausage flavor.

Ingredients:

· 1 pound breakfast sausage (mild or hot, based on preference)
· 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
· 3 to 4 cups whole milk (start with 3, add more to thin if needed)
· 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
· Lots of freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)
· Salt to taste (be careful, the sausage is often salty enough)

Instructions:

  1. Brown the Sausage: In a large skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula, until it’s browned and cooked through.
  2. Make the Roux: Do not drain the grease! You need this fat. Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and drippings. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until the flour is fully absorbed and looks blonde in color. This cooks out the raw flour taste.
  3. Add Milk Gradually: Slowly pour in the milk, about a cup at a time, while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. The mixture will thicken significantly as it heats.
  4. Simmer and Thicken: Bring the gravy to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let it cook, stirring frequently, for 5-7 minutes until it’s thick and creamy. If it gets too thick, add a splash more milk.
  5. Season: Season the gravy generously with black pepper. Add garlic powder if using. Taste and only add salt if needed.

Assembly: The Grand Finale

  1. Split your warm, fresh-from-the-oven biscuits in half.
  2. Place the bottom halves on a plate, cut side up.
  3. Ladle a generous amount of the hot sausage gravy over the biscuit bottoms.
  4. Place the biscuit tops on the gravy, either cut side up or down.
  5. For the ultimate experience, add another spoonful of gravy over the top.

Pro-Tips for the Best Biscuits and Gravy:

· Keep Everything Cold: For the biscuits, the key to flakiness is cold butter and cold buttermilk. You can even freeze the butter and grate it into the flour.
· Sausage Fat is Flavor: Never drain the sausage grease. It’s the base of your roux and carries immense flavor.
· Don’t Rush the Gravy: Let the flour cook in the fat for a full minute, and let the gravy simmer for a few minutes to cook out the starchy flavor and achieve the perfect texture.
· Pepper is Paramount: Freshly cracked black pepper is non-negotiable for authentic flavor.

Enjoy your delicious, homemade Southern classic

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