Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

This is one great way to begin the day.  Who said Wheaties was the breakfast of champions?  Not for the faint hearted, this traditional Southern fare will stick to your ribs (and arteries) and will keep you fueled well into lunch time.  Be sure to tinker with the Sage and Ground Black Pepper - two key ingredients that you can adjust to make this dish your own - spicy or savory - just the way you like it!

Ingredients: 

  

Buttermilk Biscuits

Sausage (Sawmill) Gravy

4 Cups all purpose flour

At least 1 pound Breakfast style bulk Pork sausage

1 Tablespoon coarse salt

2-3 Tablespoons Butter

1 Tablespoon baking powder

2 Tablespoons Flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons ground sage

2 cup shortening, cold & cut into 1/2" cubes

2 teaspoons coarse salt

1 1/2 - 2 cups buttermilk - plus additional for brushing

1 - 4 teaspoons coarse ground black pepper

 

1 1/2 - 2 cups Half & Half (whole milk for cowards - heavy cream for the more aggressive types

 

Cooking Instructions:

Making Biscuits

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Sift in all the dry ingredients.  Blend in the shortening with fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Form a well and add 1 cup of buttermilk.  With your hands, quickly fold in the dry ingredients until you have a sticky dough. You may need to add more buttermilk.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Gently fold the dough over itself 3 or 4 times to create layers.  Press the dough out to about 1 ½” thick and cut with a 3” cup or cookie cutter.

5. Lay the biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet and brush the tops with buttermilk.  Bake 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown.

 

 

 

Sausage Gravy

6. Break the sausage into bite size chunks and brown in a large sauté pan (I like cast iron).  Save as much of the drippings as possible.  Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.

 

7. Lower the heat and add the flour to the drippings – you want to lightly brown a roux about the consistency of very thick pancake batter.  Add butter if needed.  When the roux starts to brown – about the color of a yellow lab, add 1 ½ cups of the half & half, salt, pepper and sage. 

8. Stir continually until the roux is thoroughly blended smooth and continue until a soft boil.  Add more half and half if needed until you have a nice, thick, high cholesterol gravy.  Return the sausage to the gravy and generously spread over a split biscuit.  The rest is up to you and your dietician!
 

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