Country Benny Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 3/4 tsp kosher salt until evenly combined.

Cut 1/2 cup cold cubed unsalted butter into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-size pieces of butter remaining.

Make a well in the center and pour in 3/4 cup buttermilk. Stir gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. If dough seems too dry, add up to 1-2 tablespoons more buttermilk; if too wet, sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself 3–4 times to create layers — do not overwork. Pat to about 3/4-inch thickness.

Cut biscuits with a 2.5–3 inch round cutter, pressing straight down (do not twist) to preserve rise. Recombine scraps and cut additional biscuits to yield about 6–8 biscuits.

Place biscuits on the prepared sheet about 1 inch apart. Brush tops with a little buttermilk or beaten egg if you want a deeper golden top (optional).

Bake in the preheated oven 12–14 minutes until golden brown and risen. Remove to a rack to cool slightly while you make sausage and gravy.

Divide 1 lb ground breakfast pork sausage into 6–8 equal portions (depending on desired patty size). Flatten each portion into a round patty about 3/4 inch thick and slightly wider than the biscuit. Season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper; sprinkle 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes if using.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tbsp neutral oil. When shimmering, add sausage patties without crowding. Cook 3–4 minutes per side until well-browned and cooked through (internal temp 160°F / 71°C).

Transfer cooked patties to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Pour off excess fat from the skillet, reserving about 2 tbsp pan drippings to use in the gravy; wipe out any burned bits but leave browned fond for flavor.

With the skillet still over medium heat, add 3 tbsp unsalted butter to the reserved 2 tbsp sausage drippings. Stir to melt and combine.

Sprinkle in 3 tbsp all-purpose flour and whisk continuously, cooking 1–2 minutes until the raw flour smell is gone and the mixture is lightly golden. This creates the roux.

Gradually pour in 2 cups whole milk while whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer; it will thicken as it heats. Reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer, stirring frequently, 4–6 minutes until gravy reaches a pourable but thick consistency. If it becomes too thick, whisk in 1–2 tablespoons additional milk.

Season the gravy with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch (1/8 tsp) cayenne if desired. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to preference.

If any lumps formed, push gravy through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan for a super-smooth finish before serving.

Split warm biscuits in half. Butter the cut sides lightly if using.

Place one sausage patty on each biscuit bottom. Spoon a generous ladle of hot country gravy over the sausage and biscuit so it runs over the sides.

Top with the biscuit top (optional) and garnish with chopped fresh chives or parsley. Serve immediately while hot.