BISQUITES & GRAVY -- COOKING

[crash325]

One of my favorite foods is BISCUITS & GRAVY. Most of the time things come out pretty good. But i would like to improve both.
Have Figured out I was using too much flower in the gravy. It tasted good, but most always got too thick.
never used a recipe, just guess & by gosh.
Pound of sausage well browned a little extra oil at times, 2 / 3 scoops of flower (should be 1 scoop or 1/4 cup.) Then stir in milk until it looks right.

Same for biscuits or if in a hurry use a pre mix with a little extra baking powder & 2 table spoons of sugar.
Now I think they would improve if I added some grated in butter.

Recently found this recipe on the net. What you think? How do you do it??

Yields: 6 biscuits

2 cups spooned and leveled SELF-RISING flour, preferably White Lily
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup very cold shortening
2 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plain ALL-PURPOSE flour, for shaping
Melted butter, for brushing

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease a cast iron biscuit pan (or use a cake pan according to Corriher痴 original recipe).

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the SELF RISING flour, sugar, and salt. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate the shortening and butter into the dry ingredients. Toss gently to evenly distribute the fats. Stir in heavy cream and buttermilk until the mixture becomes a very thick, wet batter (cottage-cheese texture, according to Shirley.)

Spread the ALL-PURPOSE flour into a shallow pan. Roughly divide the batter into 6 dough balls. Turn each ball around in the flour, dust off excess, and pat into the biscuit slots (there will be one empty one). (I roll the dough into a ball then just mash it flat on cookie sheet,)

Bake the biscuits until they are light golden brown, about 17 20 minutes. Generously brush the hot biscuits with melted butter. Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove with a small offset spatula or knife. Get 粗m while you can!

 

[RobertBrown]

Seems like a lot of sugar to me, but I'm no expert.

 

[dave1949]

3 cups of flour total and 2 tbsp of sugar seems okay although I wouldn't have guessed sugar is needed. If it is anything like pie dough, and it is except for the cream and buttermilk, the less you work it and the colder the butter and shortening are, the fluffier the biscuits will be.

My problem with these recipes that call for buttermilk is I never have it on-hand. I have tried the powdered instant buttermilk stuff, but I am not sure that is really the same. I rarely have any fresh cream around either.

Hard to beat a good, fresh biscuit!

 

[creekbend]

Here is a recipe similar to the way I make them. I have a wooden hand roller-about 70 years old- that belong to my Father's Mother. I use a cut out carnation cream can to cut them. I use a lot of chunks of sausage in my gravy. Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Recipe | Simply Recipes BTW, I also use a tad of sugar in my cornbread mix.

 

[crash325]

Thanks for the tips.

Anyone know about self rising flour?? Never used it.

Here is what I am going to try.
instead of cream, canned milk. Some of the best biscuits I ever ate were made with it. May or may not use butter milk. If memory is correct in the old days we would use sour milk. Ever try it???

 

[survriggs]

Wow, I'm getting hungry right about now! I'm always called upon to make the gravy at my house. I have no idea of quantities I just do it by eye. so here's the recipe for RALPH'S FINE BISCUIT LOTION:
Leave enough bacon or sausage grease in pan so that when the pan is tipped up 45 deg. there's a 3-4" long pond of grease in the edge of the pan. Get the grease real hot. Start putting in flour by the tablespoon and stir. Usually about 3 tablespoons will get it to the right consistency. Just to where you can stir it and it not clump up. Salt and pepper it. Now here's the secret...let it brown the flour mixture a little, just until you can smell a little scorching. Then slowly add the milk while stirring; whole milk that is...about 2 cups. Stir continuously until it "ploops" or boils. "Ploop" is the sound good gravy makes when it's about done. Take off stove and pour it up BEFORE you think it's thick enough...it'll thicken some more in the serving bowl. Pour it over some big ole cat-head biscuits and you've reached the promise land!
One variation of this recipe is to use corn meal instead of flour. Meal gravy is wonderful on fried taters.

 

[Oldtink]

crash325, I'm no expert either but I'm pretty sure self rising flour is simply baking powder already added to the flour at something like 2 teaspoons per cup of flour. You're better off adding the baking powder yourself and using fresh baking powder. It looses it punch over time, I think. I think the aluminum free powder tastes better too. I don't know, it's just seems like a bad idea to put any ingredient into your biscuits that contain the word aluminum sulfate.
Heat (and moisture) really kick baking powder into gear. My biscuit recipe calls for 450F. for 8 to 10 minutes.
Here is the recipe I use.
2C flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening cold

then add:
1 egg
2/3 C milk

Mix dry ingredients cut in shorting then add wet ingredients. May have to add more flour. Roll out to 3/4" thick.
bake 450 for 8-10 minutes

Sausage gravy:
1 pound Sausage
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 prepared biscuits

 

[Bird]

Never heard of putting sugar in biscuits. Otherwise, that recipe sounds pretty good. My mother always used sweet milk only because we never had buttermilk on hand; it all went to the hogs and chickens as soon as the butter was made. And now . . . we buy the packages of frozen biscuits at the grocery store, so we can bake as many, or as few, at a time as we wish.:laughing: For the gravy, we usually don't measure ingredients either, but if amounts to one heaping tablespoonful of flour per cup of milk, plus salt & pepper to taste.

And as much as I love either bacon or sausage with a couple of scrambled eggs and a couple of biscuits and gravy, I almost never do that anymore because of my weight.

 

[brin]

On biscuit making , I was always taught to not kneed the biscuit dough...rather just mix it around gently with your fingers until just mixed and coming together and NEVER...EVER use a roller...just lightly pat out the dough to a 3/4 inch thick or so and then use a can or drinking glass to cut out the biscuits....

Be gentle is the guiding word and you will have light and fluffy biscuits...also try brushing melted butter on the tops before putting them in the oven....they come out golden !

 

[Bob77064]

Here is a recipe similar to the way I make them. I have a wooden hand roller-about 70 years old- that belong to my Father's Mother. I use a cut out carnation cream can to cut them. I use a lot of chunks of sausage in my gravy. Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Recipe | Simply Recipes BTW, I also use a tad of sugar in my cornbread mix.

That old roller is what makes yours special, I have some old pots that were my Grandpas.

 

[jinman]

I think I'm a great gravy maker, but that's just because I make it like Mom did and she was the world's best.

I start with sausage or bacon. Of course, patty sausage may have to be "convinced" to give up enough grease to have for gravy, but bacon will have much more fat than you need and require pouring off some. I like to chop up at least one cooked patty and put it aside for the gravy. I add flour according to how much oil I have. Sometimes, I add a dash of olive oil if there is not enough oil from the sausage. The flour should become completely wetted so that it doesn't clump up on your spatula. Keep that flour stirred in the heated frying pan until it turns brown and almost looks and smells burned. Put in the chopped sausage and stir it around just before adding the milk. I normally add at least 6 oz of milk when the flour is browned. Don't drizzle it in, pour it in all at once and start stirring. The brown flour will have a lot less chance of clumping if you pour in that milk and then start stirring with the spatula. As the gravy cooks, listen to the bubbles. As the gravy thickens, it will leave a trail behind the spatula as you stir. If you want a slightly longer cooking time and more control of thickness, just add a couple of ounces of water. Don't add more milk. The milk and flour solution has to cook together and adding more fresh milk will ruin the gravy's taste.

When the bubbles start to pop and you leave a nice trail behind your spatula, the gravy is ready to be poured into a bowl. At this point, you can add salt and pepper, but I prefer to let everyone add their own to their taste. The gravy should be thick enough to stand on the biscuit's top without running off. You should not be able to make out the texture of the split biscuit under the gravy. Of course, as the gravy cools, it will thicken rapidly. My uncle used to say that gravy and syrup shouldn't have to be chased around your plate with a biscuit.

If you have left-over gravy, by all means don't throw it out. For dinner, chop up some tators and boil them until they become cooked. Drain off the water and then pour in the left-over gravy over the boiled potatoes. I guarantee it will be so good it'll make you hurt yourself.:licking:

 

[mjarrels]

Can't remember the name, but there is a sussage gravy in a can thats pretty good. About $1.29 a can and will cover 4 pieces of toast.

mark

 

[sodamo]

This thread sure makes me hungry.

Near as I recall, the only time my grandma put sugar in her biscuits was if they were being covered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Myself, I've been cheating and use Bisquik, shame on me, but still good

David Sent from my iPad using TractorByNet

 

[Bird]

I think I'm a great gravy maker, but that's just because I make it like Mom did and she was the world's best.

I certainly don't disagree with your gravy making procedure, but I find there's less chance of lumps if I stir it with a wire whisk instead of a spoon, spatula, or fork.

Near as I recall, the only time my grandma put sugar in her biscuits was if they were being covered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

As I said before, I don't recall anyone putting sugar in the biscuits, but I did learn a bad habit from my grandfather. You open a biscuit to put butter in it and close it back until the butter is melted, then take one half (top or bottom) at a time and hold it at an angle over the sugar bowl while you pour a spoonful of sugar on it. The sugar that doesn't stick to the buttered biscuit runs back into the sugar bowl. Quite tasty but I haven't done that in many years.:laughing:

 

[crash325]

Did some shopping today. naturally, I did not look at my list and forgot a bunch of stuff.

I passed on the Butter milk, self rising flour and cream. Did get some canned milk and yeast.
Forgot butter also. Hate shopping, just want to leave & get home.

I do not understand why people take the sausage out - then put it back. Just leave it in there, add flour and stir. When slightly brown add milk. I don't have lumps.

Right out of the oven a couple of bisquiets with butter are yummy. After that, gravy, jam or jelly.

 

[jinman]

I certainly don't disagree with your gravy making procedure, but I find there's less chance of lumps if I stir it with a wire whisk instead of a spoon, spatula, or fork.

:ashamed::ashamed::ashamed: Okay! You got me! There's one thing I don't use that my mother did. I get lazy and use a thick aluminum teflon coated fry pan instead of cast iron. Because of that, I can't use a wire whisk. I use a nylon coated slotted turner with an angled edge, so it is really not a spatula. However, my mom used a metal slotted turner in her cast iron fryin' pan too. The extra heat retained by the cast iron pan probably makes the gravy cook and thicken quicker and is the reason my mother ALWAYS added half a glass of water to her gravy.

Today, my wife won't make gravy. She can't make it. Her's turns out undercooked, thin, and low flavor. I truly think the key to the gravy's taste is how long you brown the flour. As crash325 said, you can chop up and add the sausage from the beginning and let it brown along with the flour. Crumbled bacon also is a treat. Who doesn't like bacon?

EDIT:Oh yes! Bird I also use the Pillsbury frozen biscuits in a bag. They are as good as homemade and lots easier.

 

[caver]

My Dad makes the drop biscuits on the Bisquick box. He just spreads the dough out evenly across a toaster oven pan.
Then he draws a knife through it in squares so they break apart more cleanly. He makes the best B&G I think I've ever had
although my buddy told me about this convenience store that had a small kitchen for breakfast. theirs was probably just as good.

 

[Ed of all trades]

Never heard of such a long list in a biscuit recipe. 2 cups flour
1 Table spoon, backing powder
1/3 cup shortening maybe a little more
3/4 milk or for those of us who can't do milk, water
role them out and cut with a small pineapple can, used to measure the flour as well, stays in the flour container. Bake in a hot oven, the old wood cook stove we used when I was a kid would get above 500 by the needle on the door and that is when the biscuits were best. Same recipe my mom used and her mom before that, don't know how her mom did it but these are GOOD biscuits. As gravy is concerned anything that will make gravy is better than no gravy at all, once had catfish gravy, won't the best I ever ate but it was gravy.:thumbsup:

 

[Bird]

I get lazy and use a thick aluminum teflon coated fry pan instead of cast iron. Because of that, I can't use a wire whisk. I use a nylon coated slotted turner with an angled edge, so it is really not a spatula. However, my mom used a metal slotted turner in her cast iron fryin' pan too.

Aaah yes, I understand. We have some non-stick skillets that we really like, and do not use metal utensils on them, but we also have some uncoated stainless steel skillets and always make the gravy in one of them. So of course we have both metal and nylon slotted turners, too. Cast iron skillets are good, but we have one of these glass topped cookstoves now, so I'm a bit afraid to use cast iron on it.

 

[dave1949]

Aaah yes, I understand. We have some non-stick skillets that we really like, and do not use metal utensils on them, but we also have some uncoated stainless steel skillets and always make the gravy in one of them. So of course we have both metal and nylon slotted turners, too. Cast iron skillets are good, but we have one of these glass topped cookstoves now, so I'm a bit afraid to use cast iron on it.

Yes, you would get blamed for any scratches. Better safe than real sorry :laughing: