Southern Benedict Recipe

Preheat & prepare

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.

Dry ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2.5 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 0.5 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp sugar until evenly combined.

Cut in butter

Add 0.5 cup cold cubed butter to the dry mix. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter remaining.

Add buttermilk

Pour 1 cup cold buttermilk into the flour-butter mixture and gently fold with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.

Shape & cut

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface (use the 0.25 cup extra flour as needed). Pat dough into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Fold the dough over itself 2 times to create layers, pat again to 3/4-inch thickness. Use a 2.5-inch biscuit cutter to cut 4 biscuits; press straight down (do not twist) and place them on the prepared sheet. Re-roll scraps once if needed.

Bake

Brush tops lightly with a little buttermilk or melted butter and bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown and risen. Remove and let rest while you prepare the gravy and eggs. Split biscuits horizontally and keep warm (butter the halves if desired).

Brown the sausage

In a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 lb pork breakfast sausage. Break it up with a spoon and cook until no longer pink and starting to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to move slightly aside but keep rendered fat in the pan.

Make roux

If the pan looks dry, add 2 tbsp butter to the skillet and melt. Sprinkle 0.25 cup flour over the sausage and fat, stirring constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the flour, creating a paste (roux).

Add milk & simmer

Gradually whisk in 2.5 cups whole milk, adding a little at a time to prevent lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. The gravy will thicken in 4–6 minutes.

Season

Stir in 1 tsp black pepper, 0.5 tsp salt, and 1 tsp hot sauce if using. Taste and adjust seasoning. Keep gravy warm on the lowest heat, stirring occasionally. If gravy becomes too thick, thin with a splash of milk.

Prep poaching water

Fill a wide saucepan with about 3 inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add 2 tsp white vinegar to the water. Reduce heat so the surface shows small bubbling but not a rolling boil.

Poach eggs

Crack each of the 4 eggs into a small bowl or ramekin. Create a gentle whirlpool in the water with a spoon and slip one egg into the center. Poach eggs in batches (2 at a time if needed) for 3¼–4 minutes for a runny yolk or 5 minutes for slightly firmer yolks. Use a slotted spoon to lift eggs, drain briefly on paper towel, and season lightly with 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp black pepper.

Finish and garnish

Place a split biscuit half on each of 4 plates. Spoon a generous portion of sausage gravy over each biscuit base. Gently set a poached egg on top of the gravy. Sprinkle 2 tbsp chopped chives and 0.5 tsp smoked paprika over the eggs. Drizzle 0.5 tsp hot honey or maple syrup per serving if using for a sweet-heat contrast.

Serve each Southern Benedict immediately while biscuits are warm, gravy is hot, and eggs are runny. Provide extra black pepper and hot sauce at the table. Leftover gravy can be refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk.