Sloppy Biscuit Recipe

Make dough

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). In a large bowl whisk together 2.5 cups flour, 1 tbs baking powder, 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Cut 6 tbs cold butter into small cubes and work it into the flour with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-size butter bits.

Add 1 cup cold buttermilk and stir with a fork until dough just comes together. Do not overmix. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently fold 3–4 times to bring it together.

Pat dough to about 1-inch thickness. Use a 2.5–3 inch round cutter to cut 6–8 biscuits (re-roll scraps once). Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. For a glossy top, whisk 1 egg with a splash of water and brush tops just before baking.

Bake in preheated oven 12–15 minutes until golden brown and risen. Remove and keep warm wrapped in a towel while finishing other components.

Sausage: In a skillet over medium heat, brown 10 oz ground breakfast sausage, breaking into small pieces, until no pink remains and some browned bits form, about 7–9 minutes. Drain excess fat, reserving 1/4 cup drippings for gravy if available.

Bacon: Cook 6 slices bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, 6–8 minutes, turning as needed. Transfer to paper towels to drain and chop or leave whole. Reserve 1/4 cup drippings for gravy if desired.

Ham: Warm 6 oz sliced ham in a skillet over medium just until edges brown lightly, about 2–3 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm.

Scrambled eggs: In a bowl whisk 4 large eggs with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 1 tbs butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low. Pour eggs in and cook, stirring gently, until soft curds form but still moist, 3–4 minutes. Remove from heat; the residual heat will finish them.

If serving fried eggs instead of scrambled, cook eggs to order in butter and season as above.

Once eggs are ready, fold in or top with 1 cup shredded cheddar so it melts slightly.

Make roux: In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt 3 tbs butter. Sprinkle in 3 tbs flour and whisk continuously for 1–2 minutes until the raw flour taste cooks and mixture is lightly golden.

Slowly whisk in 2 cups whole milk and up to 1/4 cup reserved drippings or stock, a little at a time, whisking to smooth. Bring to a gentle simmer; the gravy will thicken in 3–5 minutes. If too thick, whisk in additional milk a tablespoon at a time.

Season gravy with 1 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional) and salt to taste. If you used lean protein and reserved no drippings, you may need 1/2–1 tsp extra salt.

If you want sausage gravy with crumbled sausage: add half of the cooked sausage into the gravy and stir to combine, leaving some sausage for the sandwich if desired.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high and add 2 tbs vegetable oil. When oil shimmers, add 3 cups thawed, well-squeezed shredded hash browns in an even layer. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Press down with a spatula and cook undisturbed 6–8 minutes until the underside is golden and crisp. Flip in sections (or invert onto a plate then slide back) and cook another 4–6 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Keep warm.

Split a warm biscuit in half. Layer bottom half with chosen protein (sausage, bacon or ham), a portion of the scrambled egg with melted cheddar (about 1/4 of the eggs and 2 tbsp cheese per sandwich), then top with the biscuit crown.

Generously ladle hot gravy over the top of the biscuit sandwich, letting it run down the sides. If you made sausage gravy separately, spoon extra crumbled sausage on top.

Serve the sloppy biscuit immediately with a generous portion of hash browns on the side.