Biscuits And Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly flour it. Keep cold ingredients in the refrigerator until just before use.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1 teaspoon fine salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Grate the cold 3/4 cup unsalted butter on the large holes of a box grater or cut into small 1/4-inch cubes. Add to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Using a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about 6–8 brisk pulses if using a food processor). Keep everything cold.

Add liquids and form dough

Make a well in the center of the flour-butter mixture and pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk and 1/2 cup cold whole milk. Stir gently with a fork or rubber spatula until the dough just comes together and there are visible bits of butter. Do not overwork the dough — it should be slightly shaggy and sticky.

Fold and pat

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. With floured hands, fold the dough over itself 3–4 times to create layers (this helps create flaky biscuits). Pat the dough into a rectangle about 1-inch thick.

Cut biscuits

Using a 2.5–3-inch round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass), press straight down without twisting to cut rounds. Gather scraps, gently press together (do not overwork), pat to 1-inch thickness, and cut additional biscuits. You should get about 8–10 biscuits depending on cutter size.

Bake

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet close together (edges touching for taller biscuits) or spaced apart for crisper sides. Brush tops lightly with 2 teaspoons melted butter, if desired. Bake in the preheated 450°F oven for 12–15 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown on top.

Rest

Remove biscuits from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Let rest 5 minutes before splitting for gravy so interior sets and steam settles.

Brown the sausage

While biscuits bake, heat a heavy skillet (10–12 inch) over medium heat. Add the 1 lb breakfast sausage and break into small pieces with a spatula. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is browned and there is little raw pink remaining, about 7–9 minutes. If sausage is very lean and pan is dry, add 1 teaspoon vegetable oil.

Make the roux with sausage fat

Reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle 1/4 cup all-purpose flour evenly over the cooked sausage and fat. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste and combine the flour with the fat; mixture will be pasty and fragrant. This creates the thickening base for the gravy.

Add milk and simmer

Slowly pour in 3 cups whole milk while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Increase heat to medium and bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently and scrape up any browned bits from the pan. The gravy will begin to thicken as it heats; this will take about 4–6 minutes.

Adjust consistency and season

If the gravy becomes too thick, whisk in up to 1/4 cup chicken or pork stock or hot water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached (gravy should be spoonable but not runny). Season with 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, tasting and adjusting as needed. Continue to simmer on low for 1–2 minutes so flavors meld.

Finish

If you prefer a very smooth gravy, press some of the gravy through a coarse strainer, returning solids to pan. Keep gravy warm on the lowest heat setting, stirring occasionally. If it thickens while waiting, whisk in a splash of milk.

Split warm biscuits horizontally with a serrated knife. Place bottom halves on plates, spoon a generous ladleful of sausage gravy over each, then cap with biscuit tops or serve open-faced. Garnish with chopped fresh chives or parsley (1 tablespoon) if using. Serve immediately while biscuits are warm and gravy is hot.