BISCUITS AND GRAVY

For the Biscuits

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add the cream and mix until just combined.

Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.

Roll the dough out to a rectangle about ½ inch thick.

Using a floured biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits.

Place the cut biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Once the biscuits have come out of the oven, brush them with melted butter and finishing salt.

Allow to cool slightly before serving.

For the Sausage Gravy

In a large skillet, add the sausage meat and cook over medium-high heat until completely browned. Be sure to break up any large chunks with a wooden spatula or a potato masher.

Add butter and allow it to melt and combine with the rendered pork fat. If there is less than 1 tablespoon of rendered pork fat, add an additional tablespoon of butter.

Add the flour and stir to combine with a wooden spatula. Once the flour and fat has combined to form a roux, cook for an additional minute to cook the raw flour.

Slowly add milk in multiple additions, making sure each addition has been fully incorporated before adding the next. Continue cooking the mixture over medium-low heat until thickened, about 2-3 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve atop freshly baked biscuits.

For the Homemade Breakfast Sausage

Place meat-grinding tools in the freezer for 30 minutes to 1 hour before using.

Cube pork butt, removing any pieces of pure fat. Likewise, cut the bacon into 1 inch squares and combine both meats.

Transfer the meats to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer to firm up before grinding. Make sure not to overcrowd the sheet tray, use two if necessary.

Using the largest grinder setting or slide, grind the chilled meat.

Add chopped herbs, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.

Using your hands, gently fold the meat together a few times to improve the texture.

Refrigerate or freeze until ready to cook.

For the Old Fashioned Biscuits

Biscuit recipe credit: America’s Test Kitchen

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Grate the frozen butter sticks into the bowl and fold to combine.

Make a well in the flour/butter mixture and add the buttermilk.

Mix until a very loose dough forms, then turn the dough out onto a heavy floured work surface.

Gently roll the dough out to a rectangle about 12” x 9”. Using a bench scraper, fold the rectangle in thirds.

Re-flour the work surface and rotate the dough 90°. Repeat the rolling, folding, and rotating method five times to create a network of flaky butter layers.

Wrap the final dough envelope in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight. Towards the end of the resting time, preheat the oven to 400°F.

Flour the work surface once more and place the chilled dough in the center. Roll the dough out to a rectangle about 10” x 6” and ½ inch in thickness.

Using a very sharp blade or a floured bench cutter, cut off the edges to form a perfect rectangle. Then cut the rectangle in half lengthwise and again, in thirds horizontally. The result should be 6 equally sized biscuits. Be sure not to touch the cut sides with your fingers, this will cause the biscuits to bake unevenly.

Transfer the biscuits to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with melted butter and a sprinkling of finishing salt.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and doubled in height.

Allow the biscuits to cool slightly before slicing in half and/or serving.

For the Improved Gravy

In a large skillet, add the sausage meat and cook over medium-high heat until completely browned. Be sure to break up any large chunks with a wooden spatula or a potato masher.

Lower the heat to medium, then add the sage and flour. Stir to combine the flour and the rendered pork fat.

Cook the roux for 1 minute and then gradually add the milk in multiple additions. Make sure each addition of milk is fully incorporated before adding the next. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture has thickened to a gravy consistency.

Season the gravy with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Serve the gravy atop freshly baked and halved biscuits.