Biscuits and Gravy
Flaky buttermilk biscuits smothered in a peppery sausage gravy made directly in the pan drippings, flour stirred into the rendered fat before milk is whisked in. Traced most credibly to late-1800s Appalachia, where cooks stretched scarce butter and flour with abundant pork fat and cornmeal to feed post-Civil War logging crews, earning the gravy the nickname "sawmill gravy."
Meat
⚠ Contains: Dairy, Gluten. Always check your own ingredients — this isn't a guarantee for severe allergies.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 cup cold buttermilk
- 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage, sage-seasoned
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for the gravy
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
- Salt, to taste
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 450F/230C. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- Cut the cold butter into the flour until pea-sized crumbs form. Pour in the buttermilk and stir just until combined, without overmixing.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface, pat to 1-inch thickness, fold once or twice, and cut into rounds. Place on a baking sheet, edges touching.
- Bake 12-15 minutes until golden and risen.
- Meanwhile, brown the sausage in a heavy skillet over medium heat, breaking it into crumbles, until fully cooked.
- Sprinkle flour over the sausage and fat, and stir and cook 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer, stirring often, 5-8 minutes until thickened to a gravy consistency.
- Season with black pepper, cayenne if using, and salt. Split the warm biscuits and ladle gravy generously over top.