Biscuits And Gravy Recipe

Preheat and prepare

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

Combine dry ingredients

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

Cut in butter

Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, cut 6 tablespoons of cold unsalted butter into the flour mixture until pea-sized crumbs remain. Work quickly to keep butter cold.

Add buttermilk

Make a well in the center and pour in 1 cup cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until the dough just comes together and there are still some dry streaks. 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 (this creates layers), then pat again to 1-inch thickness. If dough is very sticky, dust with a little flour sparingly.

Cut biscuits

Use a 2.5-inch round biscuit cutter or a floured glass to press straight down (do not twist) to cut biscuits. Gather scraps, gently re-pat and cut additional biscuits to yield about 8–10 biscuits.

Brush and bake

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart for slightly crisp sides (or touching for taller sides). Brush tops with up to 2 tablespoons milk if desired for browning. Bake in preheated oven for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through.

Finish

Remove biscuits from oven and brush with 2 tablespoons butter if using. Transfer to a wire rack and keep warm while you make the gravy.

Brown the sausage

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 pound breakfast sausage and break it up with a spoon. Cook until no longer pink and edges are nicely browned, about 6–8 minutes. Leave as much rendered fat in the pan as possible, but if there is excessive fat (more than 3–4 tablespoons), spoon out a little, leaving about 2–3 tablespoons.

Make the roux

Reduce heat to medium. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour evenly over the cooked sausage and fat. Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to cook the raw flour taste and combine with the fat, forming a thick paste (roux).

Add milk gradually

Slowly pour in 3 cups whole milk while stirring or whisking to prevent lumps. Begin with about 1/2 cup, whisk to loosen the roux, then add remaining milk in a steady stream, whisking or stirring constantly until smooth.

Simmer and season

Bring the gravy to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. As it simmers it will thicken; cook 4–6 minutes until it reaches a creamy, spoon-coating consistency. Season with 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Adjust consistency

If the gravy is too thick, stir in up to 2 tablespoons hot water or additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached. If too thin, simmer a few minutes longer to reduce and thicken.

Keep warm

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

Split warm biscuits in half and place on plates. Spoon generous amounts of sausage gravy over each biscuit half or over an assembled biscuit. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve immediately.