Biscuits
1 C flour
½ T baking powder
1 T sugar
1/8 t salt
¼ C butter (do not melt)
½ C milk
Preheat your oven to 450º. Prepare parchment paper for your baking sheet. Dice your cold butter into small pieces. Mix your dry ingredients,
then mix in the milk and diced butter. It should become a tacky paste with butter chunks, when it's ready for kneading. Flour your kneading
surface and your hands, and work the dough until it becomes less tacky, but not dry. Roll the dough out, and use straight downward pressure
with a thin walled cup (flour the rim), or whatever you prefer to cut biscuits with. Place your biscuits equidistant from each other on the
parchment paper. This recipe makes 6 to 8 biscuits, depending on your preference in size. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, again, depending on your
preference for browning.
Sausage Gravy
2 t (or cubes) of beef or pork bouillon (optional)
2 C water or milk
¼ C flour
2 - 4 T fat (butter, bacon fat, and/or pork fat)
breakfast sausage, the more, the better
Black pepper, salt, and/or other seasonings (to taste)
Prepare the bouillon in a pot with your two cups of water or milk, and heat until the bouillon has dissolved. If you elect not to use bouillon,
and prefer a more traditional gravy, be sure to simply warm your milk. Mince and fry the sausage in a wide pan until completely cooked, then
set aside. Melt the fat on low-medium heat, and mix with the fond and sausage that may still be in the pan. Add flour, and mix until its
viscosity decreases. You may need to add more fat if it remains a paste. Allow this mix to simmer lightly on low heat, to cook the flour.
Add your broth or warmed milk, mixing slowly to prevent lumping. Once smooth, add your seasonings, and any salt if you feel it is necessary.
Add the sausage to the gravy and stir periodically. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and if you want it to stand up a little, add a bit of
cayenne pepper. As ever, better ingredients make for a better gravy, so swap out whatever you like for whatever you wish.
Use milk or cream for a more pale and rich gravy, and the longer you cook your flour, the darker your roux will become, which will add a darker
color to the gravy, as well as a more nutty flavor. The bouillon is optional, and your results may vary. This is a thinner, spicier gravy, with
stronger flavor due to the bouillon.
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