Southern Biscuits Better Than Any Can!

Intro: Southern Biscuits Better Than Any Can!

I saw an instructable recently for sausage gravy and thought it was awesome except for the canned biscuits. It is so easy to make biscuits and they are a perfect substitute for so many other things: cobbler (add more sugar), pie crust (especially if you're no good at pie crust), pizza bottom, shortcake....And if you are, like I am, from the South (USA) you frown on things like canned biscuits- at least I do. They're OK, but if you have homemade, then you're spoiled.

So here goes my biscuit recipe-- but you'll have to understand up front, I don't measure much, just kinda know about how much you need. And I literally use my hands mostly to measure
But in the cookbook there is a recipe and this is close to what I do and of course I didn't start out without measuring, but used a recipe:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 c. vegetable shortening
3/4 c. milk

STEP 1: Chill the Flour

I started putting my flour in the freezer because I live in Houston, TX where it is hotter than h-e- double hockey sticks (my husband grew up in Boston, so this expression is his) and very humid. Today we're enjoying a relatively mild humid day with 50% humidity, so 97 degrees Fahrenheit is 102 degrees. And after discovering bugs one time too many in my flour, I started putting the flour in the freezer.

The benefit of this is when you're cutting in your fat it is that the flour is cold which is helpful for making well distributed fat molecules. Now if you live somewhere cold, you're probably not enamored with biscuits in the first place, but obviously you don't need to keep your flour in the freezer.

Fat-- use whatever you're comfortable with- butter (luscious!), shortening, or lard. And those are really the only choices of fat. Indulge and enjoy. 

Cutting in means that you distribute your fat among your flour. You can use a pastry cutter, a fork, two knives, or your hands. I started off with the pastry cutter and the two knives method and learned how visually this looks, then I began using my hands because it was one less thing to wash.

STEP 2: Leavening

I use baking powder for my biscuits and not self rising flour- but this is an option for most people. I just don't like keeping two kinds of flour around (self-rising and regular) because it will mess up pie crust and gravy if you use self-rising.

Anyway:
You can use a sifter to sift your flour and salt, baking soda. Lately I use a wire mesh strainer. Works just as well and quicker too! And the faster I work, the quicker I get to eat.

Take about 2 cups of flour. Dump it in the strainer. Add about 2-3 teaspoons (or 1 tablespoon) of baking powder, a scant teaspoon of salt, and a little pinch of sugar  (optional, but I'm southern so I like that little pinch of sugar).

Shake all of this through your strainer. If you have any chunks of flour left- I always do- figure this is baking soda and push it a little with your fingers so that it is forced through the strainer.

If you're using a sifter, sift, sift, sift sift, sift. (This is why I switched to the strainer-- too lazy for all that sifting!)

STEP 3: Add Fat and Milk

Next you want to cut in your flour.

Since your flour is cold, this helps to chill those fat molecules. But I guess if you live somewhere cold, maybe this isn't a necessary step- but then again, you probably don't like biscuits with sausage gravy either?

Spoon about 3-4 heaping tablespoons of shortening for 2 cups of flour. I work with my fingers and just break up the fat pieces into smaller chunks. I kind of rub my fingers together like I'm snapping my fingers. This breaks up the chunks into smaller pieces. I don't know how to explain it fully-- it is just a practice thing. But if you've been using your pastry cutter or the two knives and know what you are looking for, dive in with your fingers and try this. After you're done, your flour will look kind of lumpy.

Make a well in your flour mixture and then pour in about 3/4 c. of any kind of milk (except if you're using buttermilk there is a problem that you need to use baking soda and not baking powder).  Stir this around a few times to bring the mixture together, but don't overwork it.  Less is more. Then you kind of wipe the bowl with your ball of biscuit that forms. If your flour mixture is too dry, you'll end up with a floury bottom or if it is too wet, it will be really sticky. Throw some extra flour on the sticky one, but don't try to mix in extra milk because you'll overwork it. Just have extra flour on the bottom.

STEP 4: Knead Lightly

Knead lightly-- all I mean is that you mix it just a few times with your spoon so that it just starts to come together and then press it down a little. Don't try for the canned biscuit smooth. NO!! Too overworked.

Then press it down flat in your bowl with your hands so that it is about 1/2 thick. Yes, I did say with your hands. Not necessary to get out the rolling pin, nor transfer to a floured board or whatever. Just use the bowl and press it out with the palms of your hands so that it is evenly thick.

Then use a biscuit cutter (or you can use a glass but I don't like that-- too thick) to cut out some biscuits and plop in a pan. I have a biscuit pan. My husband gets hell (no hockey sticks) when he uses my biscuit pan for cooking something else, especially something greasy. Hell hath no fury like a southern woman whose biscuit pan has been desecrated.

Then cook in a 425-450 oven for 18-20 ish minutes. My oven is old. I just look to see if they're the right color! The right color is lightly brown across the top. Not too brown (like a nut, any nut but almonds). I kind of look for something that looks like a fair skinned lady with freckles. Not too brown, but just lightly brown.

By the way, I'm a lightly skinned lady with freckles. And red hair- though more strawberry blond. And I grew up in Georgia, not that it matters other than I know a good biscuit when I see one.

STEP 5: Yum!

After you've had homemade biscuits you will definitely never eat canned biscuits again, even though your first try might not achieve the yum factor, please keep trying!

I will have to acknowledge my husband here. He has been through 30 years of biscuits and a few times I bombed-- like when I used baking soda with buttermilk or subbing baking soda for baking powder. Don't do either one of those. But through all those mishaps, he ate the biscuits uncomplaining.

Nice guy- huh?

But, I'm hoping if you follow my somewhat inexact directions and get your result-- it will be better than any canned biscuits.

And if you have a good biscuit with some good real butter dripping down your fingers....yum!

Comments

[swu3]

SO enjoyed this! And the comments!

Now I need to enjoy the biscuits!

[artfulann]

Thanks!!

[triumphman]

Jeremiah Johnson's mouth is watering!

[jarikcbol]

man, now i want biscuits. Reminds me of the Cream biscuits my mom and I used to make. Basically the exact same recipe, but replace the 1/4c shortening and 3/4 cup of milk with 1 cup of fresh cream. (we had a milk cow) you could use heavy cream from the store though. Talk about slap-yo-momma good.

[artfulann]

Thanks! Fresh cream from the cow! Don't hear that much anymore.

[lfinley]

My mom made biscuits with her hands like this recipe. I always ended up with dough up to my elbows.

[ttaylor10]

I like to use the food processor to cut in the butter, then add the cold buttermilk and let the food processor until the dough away the sides.

[got2bskilled]

I dig it! Just like mine, except I use salted butter instead of shortening. I'll have to try yours to see if there is a difference. If I was not making pizza tonight, this would be on the list!

[jpkita]

I think you are missing the biggest thing that makes a southern biscuit. Do not use milk, BUTTERMILK is the way to go. I was born and raised in the south, and i don't eat biscuits, cornbread, or pancakes without buttermilk.

[artfulann]

I'm sure you have your cornbread dipped in buttermilk? I agree, buttermilk is the way to go, but more people have milk in the fridge and I was trying to get a step removed from the "canned biscuit". I appreciate your comment.

[astead]

FYI, what you've actually produced there is a scone. The Queen would confirm that statement if she read instructables but instead you'll just have to trust wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scone_(bread)

[artfulann]

I'm not British- but I thought scones had egg and more sugar? Thanks for your comment though!

[astead]

Ok, so they're usually made with egg and sugar but not always as I wouldn't put sugar in a savoury scone. But then we also have drop-scones or as you would call, pancakes. Cuisine is where our languages seemingly differ the greatest.

[artfulann]

Thank you! I can now add another keyword to this: scone. And I know what you mean about cuisine names-- grits: polenta would be another example I guess.
But I say good food is good whatever the name or nationality.

[thegreat58]

I like the way you think, biscuits and gravy with pilsbury or bisquick mix is absurd, I'm a old fart who likes to bake, especially when I have my 4 year old granddaughter for a helper, it's a hoot. I once even emailed some hoity toity TV chefs and told them they didn't know how to cook seafood, they always add to much spice and junk. I'm from Canada, but there's sure nothing wrong with bein' a Georgia Cracker. PS the only thing I do different is put in a tad of bakeing soda as well, maybe an 1/8 tsp. Great Stuff.

[theawesomeninja]

pilsbury are more for people who have either no time or no skill, or no will to learn the skill of baking. Usually for people in cities who live in apartments...but home cooking is still valued everywhere.

[artfulann]

Thanks- even though I live in the 4th largest city in the US- I still think like someone who grew up on a farm.

[sunshiine]

Very nice instructables! Makes my mouth water!