BISCUITS AND GRAVY
This Homemade Biscuits and Gravy is a celebratory breakfast tradition in our family and guaranteed to become one of your favorite breakfast recipes of all time. The recipe is made with from-scratch (but easy!) mega fluffy, buttery biscuits that bake up a mile-high with hundreds of flaky layers, doused in creamy, indulgent, seasoned- to-perfection sausage gravy. This Sausage Gravy and Biscuits is one of the easiest recipes you can make, but, if you’re short on time, feel free to swap in store-bought biscuits. So, if you’re looking for a hearty breakfast that will have everyone jumping out of bed, look no further than this Biscuits and Gravy recipe!
Servings 8 biscuits
Ingredients
BISCUITS (Or use store-bought)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting surface
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder (yes, Tablespoons)
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8 Tablespoons cold UNSALTED butter cut into small pieces*
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons cold buttermilk, divided (See DIY in Notes)
GRAVY
- 1 pound mild ground pork sausage
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 3/4 cups milk
- 1 1 /2 teaspoons beef bouillon
- 1 tsp EACH garlic powder, dried parsley
- 1/2 tsp EACH onion powder, salt
- 1/4 tsp EACH dried thyme, rubbed sage, paprika, pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
Instructions
BISCUITS
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside. Prepare biscuits according to package directions or proceed to make from scratch:
- In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; pulse to combine. (Or stir together in a large bowl.)
- Scatter butter over top and pulse until the mixture is the size of small peas. (Or cut butter in with a pastry cutter or forks.)
- Transfer the mixture to large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour 1 cup buttermilk into the well then fold everything together with a rubber spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough should be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots.
- Transfer dough and any crumbles to a floured silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
- Bring together to form a scraggly ball with well-floured hands. Flatten into a 9x6-inch rectangle (do NOT use a rolling pin), about 3/4-inch thick, as best you can (don’t compact/press too hard). Fold one side into the center, then the other side (see photos).
- Rotate the work surface 90 degrees. Repeat gently flattening into a 9x6-inch rectangle, 3/4-inch thick (again, don’t compact/press layers too hard). Repeat the folding again.
- Rotate the dough one more time. Gently flatten into a 9x6-inch rectangle, 3/4-inch thick. Repeat the folding one last time. Gently flatten into the final 9x6-inch rectangle.
- Using a greased and floured 2 1/2-inch round cutter (you can use the top of a glass), stamp out 6 dough rounds (push straight down, don’t twist). Reshape dough and cut out 2 more.
- Space rounds at least 1 ½ inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Brush the tops with remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk.
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Transfer biscuits immediately to wire rack to cool.
GRAVY
- While the biscuits bake, prepare the gravy.
- In a large saucepan, braiser or Dutch oven, cook while crumbling the sausage over medium-high heat. Once browned, sprinkle with flour and cook for 2 minutes.
- Reduce heat to low and stir in the milk while stirring constantly. Stir in the beef bouillon/base and all of the seasonings.
- Bring to a simmer, stirring often until it thickens, 5-10 minutes. If it gets too thick, stir in additional milk 1/4 cup at a time as needed. If it's not thick enough, continue to simmer. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper and/or red pepper flakes as desired.
- Ladle gravy over biscuits and dig in!
Video
Notes
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Buttermilk substitute: Make your own sour milk by adding 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, then add milk until it reaches 1 cup, then add 2 tablespoons additional milk. Give, it a stir, and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Flour: Please use all-purpose flour or a gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
- Baking Powder: To avoid a chemical aftertaste, make sure your baking powder is labeled aluminum free.
- *Butter: I recommend placing the butter in the freezer for 15 minutes before you begin so it stays as cold as possible.
- Sausage: Mild, hot, maple, turkey sausage or chicken sausage will all work. If using either of the leaner options, you’ll need to add a couple tablespoons of butter or oil to the sausage before adding the flour, otherwise there won’t be enough drippings to create a roux.
- Milk: Use 2% or whole milk in this recipe otherwise reduce the milk by 1/4 cup and add more as needed.
- Beef bouillon: This is the secret ingredient that really makes the gravy come alive. Choose from bouillon powder, bouillon cubes, or better than bouillon. Add the bouillon to the sauce without dissolving it in liquid first.
- Don’t overwork the biscuit dough. Don’t overmix, over-pulse or over-handle the biscuit dough. The more you handle biscuit dough, the tougher your buttermilk biscuits will be. Overworking the dough will melt the butter and over-activate the gluten in the flour resulting in hard, and flat biscuits. The biscuit dough should be crumbly and scraggly and NOT smooth (see How to Make Video).
How to Store and Reheat
- To store: Leftover gravy should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last up to five days. Leftover biscuits will last up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container. Make sure to warm the biscuits to soften/moisten.
- To warm on the stove and oven: For best results, reheat the gravy gently on the stove until simmering. You may need to add a splash of milk to thin. Reheat the biscuits on a parchment paper or nonstick mat lined baking sheet at 350 degrees F for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until heated through, or microwave for about 10 seconds.
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:
- To make ahead: Follow the recipe through laminating the biscuit dough, then wrap the dough rectangle tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days. When ready to use, proceed to cut out the biscuits and bake. The gravy reheats beautifully per above instructions.
- To freeze: Flash freeze the baked biscuits until solid, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to use, set on the counter to thaw overnight. You can also freeze the biscuit dough. Prepare the dough through laminating, then tightly wrap the flattened rectangle in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then proceed to cut out the biscuits and bake.