I've known The Fiance for over a year now. That's at least 56 oportunities for lazy weekend breakfasts that haven't been realized. In fact, he has never had biscuits I've baked. He's been giving me a hard time, implying that he needs to make sure they're "worthy" before we can get married.
I'm like, "Dude. I've written two books about southern cooking. Do you seriously think I don't know how to make biscuits?"
Then again, the entire time he's known me the only biscuits I've made were the cheddar garlic kind.
Truth be told, I don't think baking biscuits is a big deal. I have no special secret southern family biscuit recipe. I use the one on the back of the Martha White Self Rising Flour package.
I like my biscuits thin and crunchy. Most everyone loves KFC biscuits? Bleh. All that pillowey doughy stuff just...no. I made his biscuits fluffier and mine thinner.
The verdict?
Mmm, mmm good.
My biscuits are at the top of the photo, nice and flat. With each butter- and fig-preserve-laden bite you get a nice crunch of biscuity goodness. His are near the bottom of the photo - thicker and fluffier. He said they were good.
Buttermilk Biscuits
2 1/2 cups self-rising flour
dash salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk
Note: This recipe called for 2 teaspoons sugar. The hell? I didn't put sugar.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, salt, and baking soda. Cut in shortening until mixture looks like fine crumbs. Add buttermilk a litle bit at a time until dough rounds up into a ball.
Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead gently. Roll out until about 1/2-inch thick (or thinner, as you like). Cut with floured biscuit cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
7 comments:
OH! Thin and crunchy is okay? I thought I was doing it wrong.
Other folks probably do call that wrong but I just like biscuits that way - always have. I say to each his own and we'll be a better biscuit-loving country.
As someone who came to making biscuits late in life (within the last year) I am always trying to find a new method, a new way.... these are next on the list. Yummmmm
Sorry Martha, big and fluffy is it.
Also - where does one procure a biscuit cutter???
Oh I LOVE this. This is sooooooo southern - - - I mean even ASKING about biscuits is southern. And the whole thing of "I better make sure you know how to make biscuits before I marry you" Well, you'll never hear THAT up here - - - I don't think people up here know you can even MAKE biscuits without the Pillsbury Dough Boy!!!! I'll never forget when I first moved south was was confronted with the question, like it determined whether I was TRULY FEMALE OR NOT: "Can you make scratch biscuits WITHOUT a recipe?"
The answer is no.
But I can use bisquick and I can find Pillsbury on the shelf.
I'm with Delta, I like mine thick, soft, and fluffy. BoJangles are PERFECT.
Thick and fluffy. I LOVE McDonald's biscuits. (Head hanging in shame)
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