BISCUITS

[Lonesomedave]

well, it took me almost all my life, but i have finally mastered the art of biscuit making...
what are your favorite recipes and how do you make them?

here's mine:

2 cups flour- sifted or unsifted, it really does not matter

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup kroger budget shortening-- this is really important because their budget shortening is one step above lard...it has a mix of animal and vegetable fats and really adds to the taste.

2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

put in a bowl and combine, but work the dough absolutely as little as possible! you are not making bread where kneading is important. working the dough as little as possible keeps the biscuits tender...i usually just cut in the wet ingredients and mix for about 30 seconds

pat the dough out and spoon it into your baking vessel. this helps you use all the dough, and prevents you from working it more. i have heard this style called "drop biscuits"

bake for about 25 minutes at 450. i use a convection oven so your time and temp may vary.

remember-WORK THE DOUGH AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE!

love to hear your secrets for great biscuits.

[Horny Toad]

No recipes here but now my mouth is watering.

[MJ5150]

Y'all ready to get busy? (huh huh!)
Now, buttermilk biscuits here we go
SIFT the flour roll the dough
Clap your hands and stomp your feet
Move your butt to the funky beat (huh huh)

Buttermilk biscuits (x 3)

We're from L.A. to the Carolinas
Dip them suckers in Aunt Jemima
Don't make a difference what food you make
Use buttermilk biscuits to clean your plate
You eat 'em in the morn', you eat 'em at night
Kentucky Fried Chicken makes the suckers just right

-Mike

[ghiadub]

Well, you might need some gravy to go with;
Cook some bacon, save the grease.
Mix in 2 tbs flour while still warm ( to the grease)
Slowly stir in milk starting with about 1/3 cup with a low heat
Add in equal parts salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and stir till it starts to boil ( about 1 tsp each, slightly less salt if you are watching sodium)
Add milk in 1/4 cup intervals stirring in slowly and letting boil until it stops getting thick at the boiling point
Boil to desired thickness

Serve immediately

[Funky Ghost]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Y'all ready to get busy? (huh huh!)
Now, buttermilk biscuits here we go
SIFT the flour roll the dough
Clap your hands and stomp your feet
Move your butt to the funky beat (huh huh)

Buttermilk biscuits (x 3)

We're from L.A. to the Carolinas
Dip them suckers in Aunt Jemima
Don't make a difference what food you make
Use buttermilk biscuits to clean your plate
You eat 'em in the morn', you eat 'em at night
Kentucky Fried Chicken makes the suckers just right

-Mike

HEE HEE ! Lawd have mercy Mixalots got MJ5150 rappin 'bout bisuits!

[MJ5150]

My posse's on Broadway.......

-Mike

[fhm555]

My favorite biscuit receipe...

Cut open the bag, place frozen biscuits in cake pan (so they will touch when they expand) throw in oven at recommend temp, remove when golden brown, butter (no oleo) while hot.

I can make scratch biscuits and everyone who's ever eaten them raves over them. Truth be told though, I can't tell any difference between mine and the frozen ones so if it's a choice between 30 odd minutes prep time, cleanup, etc, versus in the oven in 2 minutes and no cleanup...

Not true with all frozen biscuits, but we have a little place up near the Tennessee line that puts out very good frozen biscuits and the local market where I do most of my shopping has them. if I can't get those, I'll make my own.

Same with pie crust. I can make a killer crust, but I get just as much love for a pie in a store bought crust, so why bother?

[Funky Ghost]

Originally Posted by fhm555

My favorite biscuit receipe...

Cut open the bag, place frozen biscuits in cake pan (so they will touch when they expand) throw in oven at recommend temp, remove when golden brown, butter (no oleo) while hot.

I can make scratch biscuits and everyone who's ever eaten them raves over them. Truth be told though, I can't tell any difference between mine and the frozen ones so if it's a choice between 30 odd minutes prep time, cleanup, etc, versus in the oven in 2 minutes and no cleanup...

Not true with all frozen biscuits, but we have a little place up near the Tennessee line that puts out very good frozen biscuits and the local market where I do most of my shopping has them. if I can't get those, I'll make my own.

Same with pie crust. I can make a killer crust, but I get just as much love for a pie in a store bought crust, so why bother?

Take those same frozen biscuits and roll them into balls then drop them in hot oil. dust them with sugar and cinnamon for yummy goodness. If you're feeling saucy dip them in cardamom syrup ( 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom and simmer over moderate heat until reduced by half; strain. Let cool slightly, then stir in 1 teaspoon of rose water. ) then roll them in toasted coconut and dust them with fin chopped macadamia nuts. My sis likes em rolled in toasted almonds.

[bassteban]

[drooling]
Hey- how many Brits are confused or at least rolling their eyes at the title?

[MatticusMania]

From The South - Made From Scratch Biscuits at Carl's Jr. (Youtube video at Shambuzzle)

[Dr_Funkdamental]

Its kinda hard for me to describe it because Ive been doing it so long. Between the time I graduated college and the army, I worked at a fast food breakfast place called Biscuitville (chain in the carolinas) for over a yr. I made biscuits from clock in to clock out. I dont do drop ones though. I knead, roll out, and cut them and place them in the pan before baking. At home I just use 2 cups flour, 1/3 cup of Crisco, and about 1 1/4ish cup of buttermilk. A few tips from me are: biscuits come out better when the lard/crisco is COLD. Also, cut in the lard with the flour fine enough so that you almost cant tell the lard from the flour. THEN, add the milk.
As far as kneading, thats almost a "Feel" thing. Dave is right though, less working the dough is best.

[fhm555]

Famous biscuits in history...

Couldn't find a clip of this scene where you see the name of the joint..."Momma's Big A** Biscuit"...but still a famous biscuit nonetheless...

Parental Advisory: bad words

Turn around and eat yo Big a** Biscuit - YouTube

[macaroni tony]

I tried biscuits a few weeks back...I used baking soda, not powder, thinking they were the same thing. It was disastrous. I have since sworn off baking for the foreseeable future. I'm is traumatized

[5StringBlues]

^ he's also the one that said "just grab 'em in the biscuit."

[Tat2dHeart]

Here's the one I've been using for years.

2 c. flour
4 T. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
2 T. butter, cold and cut into small pieces
2 T. crisco, cold and cut into small pieces
1 c. buttermilk, chilled (I measure out and put in freezer for 1/2 hour before using)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a big bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. Cut the butter and shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks crumbly. Work fast (especially if using your hands) so the butter and shortening don't melt.

Make a well in the mixture, and pour in the buttermilk. Stir only until the mixture comes together. It will be sticky.

Turn out onto a floured board. Dust the top with flour. Fold the dough onto itself 5 or 6 times. Do not knead like bread. That will make a hard biscuit. Press the dough into a round about 1 inch thick. Using a 2 inch cutter (I use a glass drinking glass dipped in flour), cut the biscuits pushing straight down in the dough.

Put biscuits on a baking sheet with the sides just touching. Reform your scrap dough with as little handling as possible and repeat the cutting process until all dough is formed into biscuits. The biscuits from the 2nd and 3rd cuttings won't be as tender as the ones from the first, so if you want to avoid this, you can pat the dough into a square, then cut into 2 inch square biscuits. When you put them on the baking sheet, turn them diagonal and touch the corners. They won't bake out round, but they are all consistent in texture.

Bake until the biscuits are tall and golden brown - about 15-20 minutes.

These are awesome with melted butter, or with sausage patties and black pepper gravy.

[Funky Ghost]

Originally Posted by 5StringBlues

^ he's also the one that said "just grab 'em in the biscuit."

[ADbassman]

[fhm555]

Originally Posted by Funky Ghost

Take those same frozen biscuits and roll them into balls then drop them in hot oil. dust them with sugar and cinnamon for yummy goodness. If you're feeling saucy dip them in cardamom syrup ( 2 cups of sugar and 1 cup of water with 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom and simmer over moderate heat until reduced by half; strain. Let cool slightly, then stir in 1 teaspoon of rose water. ) then roll them in toasted coconut and dust them with fin chopped macadamia nuts. My sis likes em rolled in toasted almonds.

Sounds yummy...and tempting.

Unfortunately I've grown lazy when it comes to working in the kitchen. Monkey bread is about as far as I get with biscuits beyond the usual big old cat head with cow salve and a dab of pear or apricot preserves.

I did manage to get off my rump and do a couple of scratch built cream cheese pound cakes for our family thanksgiving dinner today. The tube cake will be served as is with strawberries and fresh made whipped cream and the bundt is getting a chocolate glaze topped with finely chopped, roasted pecans.

[avvie]

My poor Hawaiian fiancee is annoyed because I'm always braggin on North Carolina's Biscuitville biscuits and she hasn't been able to reproduce one yet.

She's gonna try Dave's recipe in the OP.

[Dr_Funkdamental]

Originally Posted by avvie

My poor Hawaiian fiancee is annoyed because I'm always braggin on North Carolina's Biscuitville biscuits and she hasn't been able to reproduce one yet.

She's gonna try Dave's recipe in the OP.

Man they ARE some good biscuits. Even after I stopped working there, I still love to stop there lol. I get pretty close at home, but just not like the ones I made there.