Buttermilk Biscuits And Gravy Recipe
Make Buttermilk Biscuits And Gravy Recipe: flaky biscuits and creamy sausage gravy, ready to serve in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
- 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt (or 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt)
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar (optional, for lightly sweet, well-browned biscuits)
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) additional cold buttermilk, for brushing the tops
- 12 ounces (340 g) bulk pork breakfast sausage (mild or hot, casings removed if linked)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons (28–42 g) unsalted butter (enough to bring total fat in pan to about 1/4 cup / 60 ml)
- 1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 cups (720 ml) whole milk, cold or at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- 2 tablespoons (4 g) finely chopped fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley (optional)
- Hot sauce, to taste (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat and prepare the sheet
Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C) and line a rimmed rectangular baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat; set it on the engineered quartz surface so it's ready. Keep a small glass jug of cold buttermilk and a little extra butter cubed and chilled nearby; this keeps everything staged and calm while you move through the biscuit dough steps.
Step 2: Whisk dry, cut in cold butter, and bring to a shaggy dough
In a modern matte grey ceramic mixing bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and sugar until evenly distributed. Add very-cold, 1/2-inch cubed unsalted butter and quickly cut it into the flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter — visible cold pockets are the goal for lift and flake. Make a well, pour in 3/4 cup cold buttermilk, and stir gently from the center outward just until a shaggy mass forms; add 1 to 2 tablespoons more buttermilk only if needed so the dough holds together without becoming sticky. Work quickly, keeping the butter pieces cold and texturally distinct.
Step 3: Pat, fold, and build layered structure
Turn the shaggy dough onto the bright quartz, dust lightly with flour, and gently pat into a rough rectangle about 3/4 inch thick. Use a bench scraper or your hands to fold the rectangle into thirds like a letter, pat back out, and repeat two more times — each gentle fold creates thin, visible lamination and little butter seams that will pop into flakes when baked. Finish by patting the dough to an even thickness of about 1 inch; you should be able to see irregular layers and a slightly glossy sheen where butter is embedded. Keep the matte grey bowl and pastry cutter nearby as quiet witnesses to the process.
Step 4: Cut rounds and arrange on the prepared sheet
Dip a 2 to 2 1/2-inch round cutter in flour and press straight down into the dough without twisting, producing clean edges. Place each cut round upright on the lined rimmed baking sheet, arranging them so either their sides touch for tender heights or spaced slightly apart for crisper edges. Gently gather scraps, stack lightly (do not knead) and cut additional rounds until you have about 8–10 biscuits. Brush the tops with a little additional cold buttermilk from a small glass jug to encourage a deep golden brown during the short, hot bake.
Step 5: Bake to deep golden, and make the sausage gravy while they rise
Bake the biscuits at 450°F for 12–15 minutes until well risen and the tops are a deep golden brown; do not open the oven for the first 10 minutes to preserve steam lift. While the biscuits bake, brown bulk pork breakfast sausage in a heavy skillet until the crumbles are deeply browned and no pink remains, then evaluate the pan fat: add a small knob of butter if needed to bring the fat to about 1/4 cup total. Sprinkle flour over the sausage and fat, stirring constantly to create a roux that bubbles gently and smells slightly nutty but does not darken deeply. Gradually stir in the whole milk, starting slowly to loosen the roux, then continue until the gravy is smooth and thickened to a creamy, spoon-coating consistency. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper or cayenne if you like heat; taste and adjust. When the biscuits come out, let them cool slightly on the sheet while you finish and taste the gravy.
Step 6: Split, spoon, garnish, and serve on a rectangular platter
Split warm biscuits horizontally and arrange them on a shallow rectangular white ceramic platter that echoes the rectangular baking sheet. Spoon a generous quantity of hot sausage gravy so it cascades down the flaky layers and pools slightly on the platter; finish with a scatter of finely chopped chives or flat-leaf parsley, a few extra grinds of black pepper, and an optional drizzle of hot sauce on the side. Serve immediately while the biscuits are steaming and the gravy is silky and glossy.
Notes
- Keep butter very cold and handle the dough as little as possible to ensure flaky biscuits.
- Brush tops with cold buttermilk for a deeper golden color.
- Cook the sausage until well browned and stir in flour gradually to avoid lumps in the gravy.
- Store biscuits and gravy separately to preserve texture; reheat gravy slowly and thin with milk if necessary.