Recipe Cat. Main Dishes:Brunch Biscuits & Gravy (2 versions)

Two Versions of Biscuits and Gravy; one for the South; one for the North
By BumbleBeeBoogie.

Several years ago, on a bus trip from Washington D.C. to Williamsburg, Virginia, I found the best biscuits and gravy I've ever tasted made by an old Black woman in the Greyhound Bus Depot. When I got home, I searched far and wide in restaurants, but never found any as good.

I developed the following recipe, which comes as close as possible to the old woman's dish:

SOUTHERN BISCUITS AND GRAVY

1 roll (1 pound) Jimmy Dean regular ground sausage mix
3 tablespoons all- purpose flour
2 cups whole COLD milk, half-and-half, or canned undiluted evaporated milk
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/8 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
additional butter, if needed

In a black cast iron skillet, break up the sausage meat and saute over medium heat until browned. Remove the sausage to a bowl.

Pour off all but four tablespoons of the sausage fat and juices. Quickly blend in the flour with a fork, constantly stirring to brown. Add additional butter, if needed. Gradually add the COLD milk, constantly stirring with the fork to avoid lumps. Add the salt, pepper, ground sage; bring the gravy to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, return the cooked sausage to the pan and simmer for two or three minutes, adding more milk a tablespoonful at a time if the gravy gets too thick.

Makes 2-1/2 to 3 cups of gravy for 4 servings over hot open-faced biscuits.

SOUTHERN STYLE BISCUITS:

4 cups White Lily self-rising flour (a soft white flour)
1/2 cup chilled lard
1-3/4 to 2 cups chilled buttermilk

Preheat the oven at 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, cut the lard into the flour with a pastry blender until the size of peas. Stir in buttermilk with a fork, being careful not to over-mix. The dough should be fairly wet and sticky. Sprinkle extra flour over the dough in the bowl to keep it from sticking to your hands.

Form rough lumpy biscuits with your floured hands. Scoop a lump of dough about the size of a lemon, and quickly pat it into a rough biscuit about 3 inches in diameter and about 1/2 to 3/4 -inches thick by passing it back and forth lightly between your hands. Do not handle the dough any longer than absolutely necessary. Repeat, to make 12 large biscuits.

Place the biscuits side- by-side on baking sheet, they should be touching. . Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

NORTHERN STYLE BUTTERMILK BISCUITS:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup tablespoons chilled solid shortening or butter
2/3 cup chilled buttermilk

Preheat the oven at 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Cut the chilled shortening or butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is crumbly.

Using a fork, stir in the chilled buttermilk. Do not over-mix.

Gather the sticky dough on a floured board or marble pastry slab and role or pat and press into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the biscuits with a floured cutter. Do not twist the cutter; use a straight down motion so the edges will rise properly. Do not handle the dough too much or it will get tough.

Place the cut biscuits with the edges touching each other on a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake in the center of the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.