I can’t believe I’ve been blogging for years and have never posted my Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy. It’s absolutely fabulous, but I think I never posted it because I have a little angst about the dish.
Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
It’s one of my favorite things, and I’m crazy about it, but I try not to eat it too often. With today’s leaner pork and sausage, it probably isn’t as bad as I fear, but I’m still not going to run the nutritional numbers. I’d rather be happy and ignorant!
About the Sausage Gravy:
Sausage Gravy is called Sawmill Gravy in some parts of the country, sometimes Cream Gravy, and in other areas, it’s just called Sausage Gravy. It’s really a “Country Gravy” coz it’s made with milk, cream, or a combo instead of stock.
It’s the same gravy, with just a few minor changes, that you’ll see used on my Chicken Fried Steak, and it is sometimes served with fried chicken. The difference is Sausage Gravy is made with sausage as the base instead of drippings left over from frying.
The gravy is super simple to make: Cook the sausage through, sprinkle it with flour, cook a bit, and add milk. And lots of pepper. It’s key. I use whole milk, but if I have cream on hand, I might add a splash. Simmer for a bit.
If your sausage is super lean, you might need to add just a little oil or butter to make the roux (the flour/fat mixture that’s the base of the gravy). Don’t be disappointed if your gravy isn’t pure white – the best are darker, having picked up all the flavor from the pan.
Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
About the Mile Hi Biscuits:
I’ve gotten rave reviews over these simple biscuits. I love them because they’re not buttermilk and just use plain old milk, which I pretty much always have on hand. They rise super high (that’s one biscuit in the pan, covered with gravy), they’re absolutely soft, tender, and flakey and they have just a bit of a crustiness on the top that’s very appealing.
Speaking of appealing, you can literally peel off layers if the biscuits are made right. The layers aren’t as dramatic as canned versions, but there are definite layers. I try other biscuit recipes all the time, but I keep going back to this one.
The Shortening in Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy:
But these Mile Hi Biscuits have a deep, dark secret. I’m almost afraid to give the recipe because people freak. They judge. Some even try to shame. You might have guessed already. These biscuits aren’t made with butter; they’re made with shortening.
I can count on one hand the items I use shortening for (Snickerdoodles are one, and my Grandma’s Pumpkin Bread, another), but it’s what is responsible for the wonderful texture of these biscuits.
What you might miss, obvs, is the buttery flavor, but surprise: most people don’t really notice unless they already know, especially when these biscuits are served with butter or smothered in gravy!
Kneading vs Folding:
The other thing that makes these biscuits outstanding is the “kneading” of the biscuit dough. It’s very soft and tender, and you’ll basically just gently push it forward and kind of pat as you go, shaping it into a rectangle, then fold it back over itself.
Pat it out, very gently, into a rectangle, then fold again and repeat using a rolling pin (gently) about 14 to 15 times. As you work the dough, it becomes more cohesive and comes together.
I picked up a new biscuit hint recently, from Jess @ CookingIsMySport. Add water to a pan in the bottom of the oven when baking biscuits. Jess is a marvelous baker (and cook), and you’ll want to check out her site, where she has lots of hints on baking.
Mile Hi Biscuits
Substituting in Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy:
For the biscuits: If you must use butter, add an extra tablespoon. Our American butter has more water than shortening does, so you’ll need to make up that missing fat.
For the Sausage Gravy: Milk other than whole can be used, but the gravy will be thinner and not as rich. Consider adding an extra tablespoon of flour at the beginning of the recipe. Also, for a richer gravy, add a good splash of cream for part of the milk. They’re even better!
Saving Money on Groceries:
What you pay for groceries depends not only on WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.
- The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Use these sales not just for your holiday, but to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
- Take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality; be selective.
The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.
Breakfast Sausage:
- Breakfast Sausage used to be incredibly cheap; these days, it pays to watch the sales (often before holidays) and freeze, or shop the discount stores.
- Be open to exploring the “off” brands; after all, Jimmy Dean at one time was one.
- Remove from the freezer a day or two before; if not an option, saw off the metal closure and use the defrost setting on the microwave. When partially thawed, remove and pull off the wrapper and any thawed portion before placing the remainder back in the microwave to thaw.
Shortening:
- Shortening is out of fashion, although the trans fats have been mostly removed. It’s not available at the discount stores, but it will be found at the grocery and ethnic markets. Look for best pricing before major holidays.
- It brings exceptional texture to baked goods. Whipped shortening cannot be substituted for basic shortening, and isn’t as good a value.
General Baking Items:
- Never buy baking items when needed and never pay full price. Instead, stock up during your grocery holiday sales, especially before Easter and the Winter Holidays. Many items are up to half off.
- Discount stores have good pricing on baking items year-round, as does your buyer’s club, although quantities are larger.
- Immediately when arriving home, freeze items containing flour for three days.
Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: breakfast or brunch dish
- Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients
For the Biscuits:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 1 cup milk
For the Sausage Gravy:
- 1 pound breakfast sausage
- 1 to 2 teaspoons oil or butter, optional
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup flour
- 2 1/4 to 3 cups whole milk (may sub in 1/2 cream in place of 1/2 cup milk)
- salt and lots of black pepper to taste
- pinch of red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
For the Biscuits:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Add a pan of water to the bottom rack of the oven.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the shortening, using clean hands, a pastry cutter, or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and stir in using a spatula, until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
Turn out onto a floured surface and with floured hands, gently push and pat the dough forward into a rectangle about 8 inches wide and about 5 inches high. Fold over the long end on itself. Turn and repeat about 14 times, working very gently and patting out and turning each time.
Pat dough out, the final time to the rectangle, about 8 x 5. Make sure you can get six biscuits out of the dough. The dough should be pretty close to an inch high. Use a 2 1/2 inch cutter and cut out six rounds, cutting straight down. Be careful not to turn the cutter, and do leave a bit of edge around the outside of the rectangle.
If you wish to reuse the scraps, don’t “smoosh” them together. Instead, lightly stretch them and place them one on top of the other in a stack. Gently press down and out to a rectangle the same height as the rest of your biscuits. Cut two more rounds and use the last bit of scrap for a final biscuit, making a total of 9 biscuits. Brush off any excess flour.
Place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet about 1/2 inch apart and bake for about 12 to 14 minutes until edges begin to brown. Remove and serve immediately, while still warm.
Note: dough may be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, refrigerated, in plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray.
For the Gravy:
Add sausage to a cold medium-sized saucepan. Slowly heat over medium-high heat while breaking up the sausage into small pieces. If sausage is very lean, a little oil or butter may be needed. Cook until sausage is no longer pink and lightly browned. Don’t drain the sausage.
Sprinkle flour over sausage and continue to cook for a minute or two, stirring, until the flour is all incorporated and has lost its raw taste. Gradually add milk, a little at a time, whisking or stirring until all is added. Cook, stirring often until the gravy has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and doesn’t fill in when a finger is run through it. Add salt and pepper to taste, being very generous with the pepper. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, if desired.
Serve gravy over biscuits.
Notes:
- If serving 4 people, use the smaller amounts of flour and milk; if stretching to serve more, use the 1/3 cup of flour and 3 cups of milk.
- Gravy may need to be thinned if standing for a while or when reheated.
___________________________________
I’ll be my Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy this week at Fiesta Friday 235, hosted by Mara @ Put on Your Cake Pants and Hilda @ Along the Grapevine.
Measure butter/shortening by displacement of water.
29 thoughts on “Classic Biscuits & Sausage Gravy”