Gravy Jones & Biscuits Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease it.

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl whisk together 2 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Add the 1/2 cup (cold, cubed) butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter remaining.

Add buttermilk and form dough

Pour 1 cup cold buttermilk into the flour-butter mixture. Stir gently with a fork until the dough just comes together and is shaggy. Do not overmix.

Turn out and fold

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat into a rectangle about 1-inch thick. Fold the dough over itself 2–3 times to build layers, then pat back to 1-inch thickness.

Cut biscuits

Using a 2 1/2–3 inch round biscuit cutter (press straight down without twisting) cut as many biscuits as possible. Re-roll scraps once and cut additional biscuits. You should get about 6 medium biscuits.

Bake

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet so sides are touching for taller biscuits or spaced for crustier sides. Brush tops with 2 tbs buttermilk. Bake 12–15 minutes until golden brown and risen.

Rest

Remove from oven and let rest 5 minutes before splitting for serving.

Brown sausage

While biscuits bake, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage and cook, breaking into small pieces, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Do not drain the fat unless there is excessive grease; leave about 2–3 tablespoons in the pan.

Make roux

Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle 1/4 cup flour evenly over the cooked sausage and fat. Stir continuously for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste and form a slightly thick paste (roux).

Add milk and simmer

Gradually pour in 3 cups whole milk while stirring to combine and smooth out any lumps. Increase heat to medium and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently, until the gravy thickens, 4–6 minutes.

Season and adjust

Stir in 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. If gravy is too thick, stir in up to 1/4 cup additional milk; if too thin, simmer a couple more minutes to thicken.

Keep warm

Lower heat to the lowest setting and keep gravy warm, stirring occasionally, until biscuits are ready to serve.

Prepare potatoes

Place grated potatoes in a clean dish towel and squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Transfer to a bowl and season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.

Cook hashbrowns

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil or clarified butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Spread the drained, grated potatoes evenly in the skillet and press down with a spatula. Cook without stirring for 4–5 minutes until a deep golden crust forms, then flip in sections and cook another 3–4 minutes until crisp and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

Split biscuits horizontally and place one or two halves on each plate (Full order: serve with hashbrowns on the side). Ladle generous amounts of hot sausage gravy over the open-faced biscuits so gravy soaks into the interior and runs over the sides.

Serve immediately while biscuits and gravy are hot. Offer extra black pepper at the table.